Middelbury, Connecticut - Prepolymers supplier Chemtura Corp. and equipment manufacturer Techno-PU.MA srl are getting together to serve customers in the cast polyurethane elastomers segment.
They have signed an agreement to combine Chemtura's expertise in high-performance castable polyurethanes with Italian group PU.MA's expertise in meter-mixing machines. "Their objective is to provide an integrated marketing and technical service approach to customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA)" said a statement from Chemtura.
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PU.MA, based in Padova, Italy, will offer its core expertise in building and supplying meter-mixing machines, while the Chemtura Adiprene Vibrathane group will focus on its strengths in polyurethane materials, application development and materials technology.
An announcement made 25 June said that the partners have installed a 6-component meter mixing machine, with a hot table and a pilot curative blending facility at Chemtura's new testing facility in Latina, Italy. The equipment will be used for development work and technical support on Chemtura polyurethane products, for existing and new customers of both Chemtura and PU.MA.
Chemtura said it will "support and advertise exclusively PU.MA meter mixing machines for use with its polyurethane products in the EMEA region," while PU.MA will recommend use of Chemtura polyurethane products with its Elastocast® and Rotocast® meter mixing machines. But the Italian company will also be free to sell its machines without restriction, the announcement pointed out.
The announcement comes a few weeks after Bayer MaterialScience and Michel Baulé SA announced that they would form a joint venture in hot-cast elastomers, which would combine the cast elastomer systems and prepolymers businesses of both partners, and the cast elastomer machinery expertise of Baulé.
"Chemtura and PU.MA have worked closely together for many years and this agreement was a logical conclusion for both parties, said Walter Legnaro, president of PU.MA, in the statement, adding that both groups are "excited by the opportunities."
Meanwhile Stephen Lewis, Adiprene/Vibrathane industry leader, EMEA & Asia Pacific for Chemtura said "With our enhanced Latina capabilities, we've successfully taken the first steps in a test of both parties' commitment to this venture."
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