1P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

2 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

3P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

Dear Members and friends of the Polyurethane fraternity,

Emergency situations warrant quick & drastic responses. The dream of PUTECH 2020 that is complete in all respects & its normal grandeur forced us to postpone the event. IPUA

would like to take along all sections of the world community for PUTECH 2020. We look forward to your participation with force and make this now postponed event a grand success.

Our prayers are with the Corona virus infected countries. Corona virus is a regional disturbance that has created global ramifications. China is the global supplier of chemicals & intermediates. The impact on global supply chain directly & indirectly is real and presents a clear concern. The Industry should look not just at their suppliers but their respective raw material vendors for understanding the impact. Situation like this reiterate the closeness of the interconnected world & its mutual impact. Dual sourcing & backup planning clubbed with localized sourcing could augment well, in this ever changing world.

The activities of your association have been ever increasing. The activities today span;a) Safety programs across the country, b) A special one day program alongside AGM, c) Networking dinners in many cities with the industry, seminars, webinars, d) Advocacy with government on GST rates and e) Last but not the least signing of MOU expand with GBU expand. This MOU paves the way for the commencement of a 2 semester PG diploma program on Polyurethane Technology. This will help the Industry with trained manpower that would have familiarity of Polyurethane. This is a unique effort that will help the industry, which is today starved of trained human resources. This platform can be used in future to develop many other programs for a variety of audiences.

The world has not been more connected before; a plant shutdown in one location has an impact several thousand kms away, one economy influencing the other and technology upgradation across the globe shrinking it in time gaps. In this connected world, anticipating for the quick pace of change and being ready to adopt change are critical for success.

Our heart goes to the people all countries affected by Corona virus and pray that humankind gets over the impact quickly & with minimal damage. We hope this is sorted and all the global participants can drop in as planned at the now postponed PUTECH 2020.

It is always a pleasure to connect up and PUTECH 2020 will be a better show than ever before.

Best regards,

Mahesh N. GopalasamudramChief Operating Officer, Sheela Foam Ltd.

4 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

EDITORIAL

UTECH 2020

Earnest-anticipation, Propitious

Networking, Promoting, Launching, Stimulating

Exhibitors, Footfall, Vendors, Suppliers, Consumers, Purveyors

Threatening, Infecting, Vitiating, Dispiriting

Unforeseen, Pandemic/Epidemic?

Covid-19

Sincerely,

P

PUTECH 2020

5P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Chairman’s Message...................... 3

Editorial ........................................ 4

Credits + Contents ....................... 5

Industry Updates ......................... 7

International News ...................... 11

Product News ............................... 21

Interview ....................................... 26

Technical Updates ....................... 38

Technical Article .......................... 43

Cover Story.................................... 60

IPUA Ventures ............................... 67

Economic Update .......................... 76

Safety Health & Environment......... 81

Twitter Trends .............................. 83

Previews & Reports ..................... 85

Events & Trends ........................... 86

Book Review / Readers’ Feedback ....................... 87

C O N T E N T S

EditorMrs Medha Bhuta

Editorial TeamMr Pravin Mahajan - BASFMr Govind Gupta - DowMs Priya Fonseca - Special CorrespondentDr Snehalata Agashe - IPUA - VTC

Compilation & SelectionDr G Mahesh - SheelafoamMr Arun Kumar - InnogrowMr Isaac Emmanuel - Covestro

Design ConceptMr Mukesh Bhuta

Graphic Design & LayoutRed Sky Designs

Production & ExecutionMr Murali MohanMr K. Ramamurthy

IPUA OFFICE BEARERS

Chairman Emeritus Rahul Gautam - Rahul@sheelafoam.com

Chairman Dr. G Mahesh - Sheela Foams - maheshgn@sheelafoam.com

Sr. Vice Chairman Mr Rohit Relan - Bharat Seats - rohit@rrelan.com

Vice Chairman Mr H S Kochar - Pfeda Synthetics - kochar@pfeda.com

Treasurer Mr Samir Arora - Industrial Foams - samir2109@icloud.com

Joint Treasurer Mr Ashwini Sehgal - Saan Global - aksehgal@saanglobal.com

IPUA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Mr Romesh Madan - Goodie International romesh.madan@goodie.inMr Paramjeet Singh - Springwell Mattresses paramjeet@springwel.com.Mr. AS Puri - AS Enterprises puriasok@rediffmail.comMr Sanjay Sanghi - Momentive Performance sanjay.sanghi@momentive.comMr Harshad Naik - Huntsman Harshad_naik@huntsman.comMr Ananth Shanmugananth - Dow Chemical ananth@dow.comMr Isaac Emmanuel - Covestro India Pvt Limited isaac.emmanuel@covestro.comMr Deepak Mehta - Tirupati Foam deepakmehta@tirupatifoam.comMr Rabindra Jhajharia - Multiwyn Foams multiwynfoams@multiwynfoams.comMr Pravin Mahajan - BASF India Limited Pravin.mahajan@basf.comMr Arun Kumar - Innogrow Ventures arunkumar@innowgrowventures.comDr. Ram Sai Yelamanchili - Shaya Polymers ramasaiy@gmail.comMr Anil Bansal - Foam Specialities Inc abansal@foamsupplies.comMr Kalpesh Shah - Vitrag Foam info@easysleepindia.comMr Siddarth Malani - Shree Malani Foams malani@shreemalanifoams.comMr Alok Tiwari - Milliken Chemicals Alok.tiwari@milliken.comMr Abdul Razak - VKC Group vrazak@vkc.comMr D.B. Shah / PK Mankad - GNFC dbshah@gnfc.inMr Arun Jhaluka - Flexipol flexipol@gmail.comMr Lokesh Jain - Aadi Polymers aadipolymers@yahoo.inMr Vasant Gori - Britas International vasantgori@britas.inMr Shreeram Naidu - Expanded Polymer System snaidu@expanded.co.in

Governing Council MembersMr Vinod Vora vnvora@armoaticagencies.comMr Rahul Gautam Rahul@sheelafoams.comMr G Ramachandran indramu123@gmail.comMr Deepak Doshi info@durafoamindia.comMr Mukesh Bhuta mbhuta@expanded.co.in

SecretaryMr P. V. Murali Mohan muralimohandel@gmail.com secretary@ipua.in

6 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

7P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

India consults industry on registration of ‘priority’ chemicals

INDUSTRY UPDATE

Plans include notification of substance hazards using GHS 8

15 January 2020 / India, Substance notification & inventories, Substance registration

Draft rules that will require chemical importers and manufacturers to register

all existing ‘priority chemicals’ and classify them according to the eighth revised edition of the UN’s Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of classification and labelling have been circulated to chemical industry bodies by India’s Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.

The draft Chemicals (Management and Safety) Rules, 20XX were shared with a limited number of industry organisations at the end of last year but have not been officially published. The government has extended its deadline for comments from 2 to 31 January, after receiving industry feedback that the 15-day comment period was insufficient.

The rules are set to come into force on the date they are published in the Official Gazette, but the draft does not provide a timeline.

They include provisions for the creation of a Chemicals Regulatory Division and list its eight sections with responsibilities ranging from priority substances to packaging and labelling. One section will be a government chemical testing laboratory.

Registration of existing priority substances

The dra f t r u les require t he registration of any ‘priority existing substance’ placed, or intended to be placed, on the market in quantities above one tonne a year. In some cases, those in lower quantities might require registration, according to the recommendations of scientific and risk assessment committees.

A priority existing substance is defined as one that falls under any of the following hazard classifications:

• category 1 or 2 carcinogen, mutagen or reprotoxin;

• category 1 or 2 specific target orga n tox ic i t y (repeated exposure or single exposure);

• persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) or very persistent or very bioaccumulative (vPvB) substances; or

• “any other substances that the division may notify from time to time.”

However, the draft does not make c lear how companies should ascribe a classification to their manufactured chemicals.

The proposed t imelines for registration of the chemicals, based on tonnage band, are:

• above 1,000 tonnes a year – registration required within 24 months of enforcement of the rules;

• 100-1,000 tonnes a year – 36 months from the enforcement date; and

• Under 100 tonnes a year – within 48 months of the same.

A ny company impor t ing or manufacturing a priority substance in quantities above ten tonnes a year will also be required to submit a chemical safety report containing

8 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

INDUSTRY UPDATE

the informat ion out lined in Schedule V of the draft.

And any new priority substance must be registered at least 30 days before market entry.

Like registration rules in some east Asia countries, companies can band together to submit joint registrations but this is not mandatory, as it was for registrations under the EU REACH Regulation. Schedule IV of the draft outlines the information companies must provide for registration.

Foreign manufacturers looking to import chemicals into the country will need to appoint an ‘authorised representative’ (AR), which must be an entity registered in India or a citizen. Like an only representative (OR) in the EU, the AR will act on behalf of foreign manufacturers to comply with the rules.

Evaluation of registration dossiers

The draft proposes an ambitious timeline of 60 days after submission of a registration dossier, for their evaluation by the scientific and risk assessment committees. The latter will be made up of representatives f rom accredited laborator ies or institutes, plus government officials. If they find any data gaps, companies have three months to fill them, or six months if a three-month extension is applied for.

If a company fails to submit this information within six months, the registration will be “suspended” and the chemical cannot be used or imported.

Like REACH, the draft proposes a system of authorisation and restr iction of substances that are considered to pose high risk to human health and the environment.

Notification requirements

Ahead of registration, companies will be required to notify the substances it places on the Indian market, enabling the government to produce an inventory. Notifications must include information on a substance’s identity, uses, quantity placed on the market and its classification.

Intermediates consumed in-situ as part of a chemical process and not stored or transported must be notified but are exempt from registration. New substances must be notified at least 30 days before being marketed.

The draf t provides for ‘ joint notification’ of similar substances, which must comply with the same obligations as single notifications. And its Schedule III outlines the information that must be submitted. Companies will be required to update notifications each year, inc luding quant it ies of t he substance used in the previous calendar year and any changes to the information.

GHS

The draft refers frequently to the eighth revised edition of the GHS, but does not include an implementation date or make clear whether or how the government will legally require its adoption.

Industry bodies have warned that widespread adoption of GHS will require a significant training and capacity-building effort across the sector, given that most chemical manufacturing is small or medium scale in India.

A ll not if iers of a substance, including intermediates, must maintain an up-to-date safety data sheet (SDS) in English or Hindi, and share it with downstream users. They must also update their SDSs when new information becomes available on hazards that may affect risk management.

As outlined in India’s national action plan on chemicals, the rules will supersede the Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules (MSIHC) Rules, 1989 and the Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning. Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996.

Industry feedback

In comments to the ministry, the American Chemistr y Council (ACC) sa id : “ The d ra f t , a s written, would essentially triple the workload for what would be … an extensive and expensive under t a k ing , a l l on a ve r y abbreviated timeline.”

The ACC recommends the ministry develop and launch the proposed system in phases, starting with the adoption of the GHS. And it calls for any chemicals management scheme in India to be based on “a risk-based approach that takes into account both hazard and exposure”. The current proposal, it says, focuses only on hazard.

9P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

It suggests the ministry identifies priority chemicals according to risk assessments of the most significant uses and exposures. Cef ic told Chemical Watch it had recommended the ministry conduct an “impact assessment” of the rules before making any legislative decisions. The “business

INDUSTRY UPDATE

impact on the local chemical industry must also consider the t ime, resources and f inances needed to fulfil the new regulatory requirements,” a spokesperson said.

“Of critical importance to Cefic is to ensure the mutual recognition of data generated under different

legislation or jurisdictions; this would not only represent a benefit for the chemical industry but also a significant reduction in animal testing,” the spokesperson added.“It would also allow for faster implementation and compliance of the new chemical management requirements.”

Source : Chemical Watch News

Saip Equipment Will Take Part in PU Tech India 2020April, 01-03 | Expo Centre Greater Noida, New Delhi, India

FEBRUARY 20th, 2020

PU TECH INDIA is undoubtedly the largest event in South Asia dedicated to polyurethane

where to finding latest technological developments of the market.

SAIP will present its custom-made solutions for the use of rigid and f lexible polyurethane foams in various applications, such as:

C ON T I T E C H a nd DI T E C H: continuous and discontinuous production lines of sandwich panels with polyurethane or rock wool core (roof panels, wall panels, cladding panels, civil and industrial doors and gates, etc.);

REFTECH: complete foaming lines for the insulation of industrial and domestic refrigerator doors and cabinets, foaming molds and masks, etc.

PENTANE SOLUTIONS: plant p e nt a n i z a t ion , s t o r a g e a nd continuous and discontinuous foaming process;

HIGH a nd L OW PR E SSU R E FOAM DOSING MACHINES: for all applications (construction, automotive, furniture, bedding, technical articles, etc.);

MIXING HEADS: SAIP has patented a new generation of high pressure mixing heads that allow the use of a third component, as blowing agent, in any type of dosing unit, both SAIP and other brands’, new or in revamping. Compared to the other products on the market, SAIP mixing head is characterized by the fact that the third component is

introduced directly into the mixing head. This feature determines greater homogeneity, superior mixture quality and performance increase.

We will also talk about CE|DE|PA, SAIP panel research and development center where, thanks to the presence of a complete continuous panel production line, a modern laboratory and experts in chemistry and plant engineering, customers will be able to carry out testing and prototyping activities in total confidentiality (www.cedepa.org).

10 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

11P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Polyurethane Stories That Made Headlines in 2019

1. Polyurethane Modular Homes

At the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season, Astrid Diaz, a Puerto Rico-based architect, announced her plans for a new polyurethane-based modular home. Her designs consist of polyurethane foam walls and a roof, reinforced with a steel frame, then covered with mortar. The homes – which can withstand winds of up to 184 miles per hour – blend in well with the existing architecture of similar structures that populate the island where there was a need for an estimated 75,000 homes in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

1.2 World’s Longest Polyurethane Wind Turbine

In spring, engineers in the city of Zhuzhou in the Hunan province of China have announced the c omple t i on o f a 13 .7- t on 59.5-meter-long wind turbine blade – reported to be the world’s largest made from polyurethane. The manufacturer says polyurethane has better mechanical performance and higher fatigue resistance than competing materials. Today, China is the largest producer of wind turbines in the world.

1.3 Polyurethane

Supercapacitors Power ProstheticsThis summer, engineers at the University of Glasgow announced

the creation of a new kind of solar-powered polyurethane supercapacitor used to power motor i zed prost het ic l imbs capable of grasping, pointing and even holding objects. The flexible supercapacitor acts as a skin for the prosthetic, sitting on the outside of the device. The supercapacitor was faster-charging than a battery and resisted becoming hot. The supercapacitors could have even more ex tensive applicat ions, pointing to a more sustainable solution than traditional batteries.

1.4 A Polyurethane Nervous System for Robots

In fall, researchers at Cornell University announced the creation of a 3D printed polyurethane webbing they refer to as an “optical lace” – meant to give robots better sensory perception. The webbing – outfitted with sensors – goes on the outside of the robot, like a kind of skin. Based on input from the sensors, the robot can quickly

adjust itself to avoid accidents or act with more precision if there are hazards in its environment. The new polyurethane nervous systems could give soft robots a faster reaction time, helping them to have more dexterity and a safer, gentler touch.

1.5 3D-Printed Football Helmet Liners

F i n a l l y , i n O c t o b e r , t h e Polyurethane Innovation Award was won by Carbon 3D, a digital manufactur ing plat form, for pioneering a new kind of football helmet liner designed to help absorb impacts. Marking a first for football helmet technology, Carbon partnered with Riddell to create the first ever digitally printed liner for use in helmets. The liner, constructed from a series of 3D-printed polyurethane lattice structures, is designed using a highly dampening elastomer that is custom-made to go around a player’s head.

1.2 – Polyurethane Modular Homes Could Be Key to Hurricane-Resistant Housing

Could polyurethane be the key to providing housing for those in need? Astrid

Diaz, an architect in Puerto Rico, seems to think so.

A Polyurethane Modular Home Design

Diaz’s design for a new kind of modular home consists of

12 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

polyurethane foam walls and a roof, reinforced with a steel frame. Once erected, the structure is covered with mortar, adding weight and stability to the home. The mortar also gives Diaz’s design the appearance of a typical Puerto Rican home – blending in well with the existing architecture of the cities and towns on the island.

An Island in Need.

Nearly two years after Hurricane Maria devastated the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, American citizens there are still in need. By some estimates, half a million people remain af fected by the long-lasting devastation of the storm. As a result, there is a need for a minimum of 75,000 new homes.

Polyurethane to Meet Demand

These homes must be safe, efficient and quickly deployable in order to meet the sharp demand. Given the widespread destruction of Maria,

Puerto Rico also has new building codes, requiring structures to be able withstand winds of up to 184 miles per hour.

A Prototype with Promise

Although just in a prototype phase , Dia z ’s poly uret hane modular homes meet all of these

requirements and more. Working with a builder, the architect has already created one, two- and three-bedroom versions of her design. To capitalize on the need for housing that can quickly be expanded, Diaz has even created a two-story version of her polyurethane dwellings.

1.3 – World’s Biggest Polyurethane Wind Turbine Unveiled

In the world of renewable wind energy, something big is happening. Really big.

Engineers in the city of Zhuzhou in the Hunan province of China have completed delivery of a 13.7 ton 59.5-meter-long wind turbine blade – reported to be the world’s longest made from polyurethane.

The Polyurethane Advantage

The company that manufactured this giant wind turbine blade says that polyurethane has several advantages over t radit iona l mater ials. Researchers found poly urethane to have bet ter

mechanical per formance and higher fatigue resistance. They also say it bonds more easily to carbon fiber reinforcements that help the wind turbine blade maintain its structural integrity without adding weight.

The Future of Wind Energy

When it comes to generating

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

13P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

energy in China, the future is driven by the wind. The country is now the world’s largest producer of wind turbines.

Scheduled installation of the new turbine is set to begin in the summer of 2019.

1.4 – 3D-Printed Polyurethane Webbing Helps Robots Develop a Gentler Touch

Could a new form of flexible polyurethane lace provide robots with a sense of touch?

Researchers at Cornell University think they may have come up with the next big breakthrough in robotic sensory perception with a kind of webbing they refer to as “optical lace.”

How It’s Made

To create this new form of flexible lace, first engineers must 3D-print a latt ice-type structure using polyurethane technology. Next, once the webbing is printed, it is then threaded with more than a dozen sensors along with LED

lights to illuminate it. Finally, the entire structure is fitted snugly onto the robot.

The sensors located in the 3D printed webbing create a linked neural network – similar to a nervous system – that responds to pressure, giving the robot a rudimentary sense of touch.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

14 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

What It Does

Today, based on input from the sensors, the robot can quickly adjust itself to avoid accidents or act with more precision if there are hazards in its environment.

The polyurethane lace system, providing a synthetic sense of touch, could have a lasting impact on the robotics industry, especially in the field of soft robotics – in which robots are made from highly

compliant materials similar to living organisms.

This new synthetic sense of touch could give soft robots the ability to sense their environments without the need for an optic component like a video camera. One researcher compared the new sensory abilities of soft robots to that of humans and our ability to sense the environment around us even with our eyes closed.

What It Means for the Future

The new polyurethane nervous systems could give soft robots a faster reaction time, helping them to have more dexterity and a safer, gentler touch.

In the future, the technology could make it possible for these robots to provide aid to sick and ailing patients – or deal in other lines of work that require great levels of accuracy and care.

1.5 – 2019 Polyurethane Innovation Award Honors Carbon’s New Football Helmet Technology

Poly u re t ha ne wa s f i r s t introduced in the 1930s. Since that time, it has gone

on to impact and improve daily life for much of the world. Today, the bounds of polyurethane innovation continue to be pushed ever forward, thanks to the men and women working to bring the world the next big polyurethane scientific breakthrough.

The Polyurethane Innovation Award

Each year, the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) hosts the Polyurethane Innovation Award. The award highlights t he ro le i n nov at ion p l a y s in the polyurethane industry, recognizing the companies and individuals whose vision and perseverance help br ing new produc t s , tec hnolog ies and

initiatives to life. The Polyurethane Innovation Award recognizes the most inventive commercial technologies by recognizing those introduced to the marketplace over the previous 12 months.

This Year’s Winner

This year’s award honors Carbon’s DLS™ Technology, used in the R iddell SpeedFle x Prec ision Diamond Football Helmet Liners.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

15P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Marking a first for football helmet technology, Riddell and Carbon teamed up to create a digitally-printed liner for the SpeedFlex Precision Diamond football helmet.

According to the manufacturer, using Carbon’s proprietary Digital Light Synthesis technology, the liner is made from a series of 3D-printed polyurethane lattice structures. Each liner contains more than 140,000 individual struts made from highly dampening elastomer made by Carbon.

The digitally printed liner is precisely contoured to go around the athlete’s head to create a precise custom fit. The move into 3d printing makes Riddell one of the largest users of 3D printers in the world.

Announcing the Winner

A panel of judges reviewed the 2019 Polyurethane Innovation Award submissions and narrowed down the finalists to two entries. The two finalists presented their submissions at the Opening Session of the 2019 Polyurethanes Technical Conference where those present voted on their favorite entry and the presentation with the most votes received 20 extra points to their combined score from the judges. The winner was announced on the final day of the conference on October 9.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

16 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

17P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

UTECH and Media Fusion bring polyurethane trade show to Dubai in 2021

De t r o i t – C r a i n Communications Inc., the organizer of the UTECH

trade shows, is partnering with Media Fusion to launch the Middle East Foam & Polyurethane Expo, powered by UTECH. The exhibition and conference will take place March 1-3, 2021, at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The trade show’s website is www.mefpu.com The show will be organized by Crain Communications Inc. of Detroit and Media Fusion of Dubai. This MEFPU Expo will be co-located with Sleep Expo Middle East, which is owned by Media Fusion. “This event is a great opportunity for our UTECH customers,” said Brennan Lafferty, vice president of the Crain Global Polymer Group. “This show will focus on the polyurethane industr y in the Middle East and Africa, which are two regions currently underserved but emerging rapidly. We are thrilled to collaborate with Media Fusion, an experienced trade show developer in this vital part of the world. Co-locating with Sleep Expo Middle East is ideal as the mattress industry is a major end market for urethanes.” “Media Fusion is delighted to partner with Crain Global Polymer

Group on this new exhibition,” Taher Patrawala, managing director of Media Fusion. “Crain specializes in organizing some of the industry’s significant and largest trade shows including PU China, UTECH Asia, UTECH Las Americas and UTECH Europe. The polyurethane market in the Middle East and Africa is growing at a healthy pace and there are significant opportunities in this area. We are confident that the players in the foam and polyurethane industry will be eager to showcase their solutions at the only dedicated trade show in the region.” Show organizers expect visitors to MEFPU Expo from businesses in Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey. “Our UTECH team has been

considering a show in Dubai for some time. We are excited to bring visitors the latest in materials and technology from our exhibitors while learning about business opportunities and innovation from our conference sessions on the trade show floor,” UTECH Trade Show Director Debbie Hershfield said. “We continue to expand our on-the-f loor opportunities for buyers and sellers to connect and conduct business.” The Crain Global Polymer Group operates UTECH shows around the world. Shanghai hosts PU China in July 2020; the next edition of UTECH Europe takes place in April 2021 in Maastricht, the Netherlands; and the third edition of UTECH Las Americas will be in June 2021 in Mexico City. Crain operates UTECH Las Americas as a joint venture with Tarsus.

18 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

U.S. or European-based companies interested in reserving exhibition space for MEFPU Expo in Dubai should contact UTECH Sales Director Ed Rich at erich@crain.com. Companies based in the Middle East and Africa should contact Taher Patrawala at taher@mediafusionme.com. The Crain Global Polymer Group prov ides the most e x tensive coverage of the plastics, urethanes, tire and rubber industries of any business publishing company worldwide through a network of trade shows, conferences, awards, newspapers and magazines. The Global Polymer Group includes the

UTECH trade shows and Urethanes Technology International, Plastics News, the Plastics Recycling Show Europe, Sustainable Plastics, Plastics News China, Rubber & Plastics News, the ITEC trade show, Tire Business and European Rubber Journal.

Media Fusion

Media Fusion LLC is a dynamic media company based out of Dubai, UAE. Since its inception in 2008, Media Fusion has launched a diverse portfolio comprising a range of ser vices including publications, exhibitions and conferences, and digital services. Media Fusion operates Middle East

Cleaning Technology Week, which includes three trade shows, three conferences in the plastics, paper and metal recycling industries along with magazines Clean Middle East, Waste & Recycling Middle East, Facilities Management Today and CH&FM directory. Crain Communications Inc.

Crain Communications is one of the world’s leading privately owned media companies. Headquartered in Det roit , Cra in owns and operates the Global Polymer Group, Automotive News, Advertising Age, Pensions & Investments among other media brands.

We are at Foam Expo North America 2020!March 24 – 26 | Novi, Michigan, USA | Stand 1914

SAIP EQUIPMENT ITALY will be present at 2020 edition of the leading exhibition

and conference which joins manufacturers and buyers of technical foam industry.

Nor th America is so far one of the most reactive countries among worldw ide ma rke t s . The interconnection between mechanics and chemist r y is increasingly close and the demand for innovation is growing.

Our technologies, in particular the ones serving refrigeration industry and automotive, and, in general, serving the PU processing industry, are very appreciated and we are

FEBRUARY 15th, 2020

l High and Low pressure foam dispensing machines;l C o m p l e t e foaming solutions for the production of refrigerators’ cabinets and doors; l F o a m i n g Automation systems w i t h c a r t e s i a n manipulators and robots (oval carousels, multi station rotary

tables);l Mold for presses, mold press

carriers, stationary presses; l Gasketing and industrial filters

production systems;l Complete sandwich panel

production lines for continuous and discontinuous production.

experimenting an increasingly qualified demand and a greater request for customization.

During foam expo we’ll be glad to illustrate our technologies to visitors:

19P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

FEBRUARY 18, 2020

SAIP polyurethane processing systems and machines are designed to meet customers’ requirements suc h as qua l it y, ve r sat i l it y, productive efficiencies and low maintenance costs. Moreover, thanks to our valuable American p a r t n e r , F OA M S U P P L I E S (https://foamsupplies.com/) we can offer complete and customized production solutions, commercial and technical support on site.

Huntsman Launches New Snap Cure Vitrox® Rtm 00410 Resin for Cost Effective, High Volume Manufacturing of Lightweight Composite PartsFind out more at JEC World 2020: Visit Huntsman at Booth M 31 in Hall 6

Ev e r b e r g , B e l g i u m - Automotive exper ts f rom Huntsman have developed

a new two-component, snap cure, polyurethane resin system, which can help optimize the production of complex, three-dimensional, c omp o s i t e pa r t s w i t h t i g ht dimensional tolerances. VITROX® RTM 00410 resin will be officially launched at JEC World 2020 in early March.

Designed to meet the short cycle times required in the automotive industry, VITROX® RTM 00410 resin combines a flexible, low-viscosity, injection window with a fast cure at moderate tooling temperatures. Featuring Huntsman’s patented, snap cure technology, the injection window of VITROX® RTM 00410 resin can be carefully controlled by manufacturers and adjusted to

suit the geometry of the parts being produced.

Compatible with high-pressure resin transfer molding (HP-RTM), dynamic fluid compression molding (DFCM) and wet compression molding techniques, VITROX® RTM 00410 resin delivers excellent fiber wet out and limited press build-up upon injection. This enables part manufacturers to use low-density core materials. The result is lighter sandwich parts, made with less resin, with no compromise on rigidity, strength and durability. Parts made from VITROX® RTM 00410 can also be demolded quickly - helping manufacturers maximize line productivity and cut back on tool cleaning costs.

Irina Bolshakova, Senior Market Manager for Transpor tation at

Huntsman, said: “Working closely with our customers, we have a track record for creating chemistries, materials and solutions that can help solve complex design and production issues in a rapidly evolving, fast-paced industry. At JEC World 2020 we will demonstrate a leaf spring made using VITROX® RTM polyurethane resin system. We will also be showcasing our latest developments for automotive interior components: RIMLINE® HC+ resin, a two-part polyurethane system that can be spray-applied to fiberglass-reinforced honeycomb panels; and RIMLINE® FC rigid foam technology for composite cores.”

For more in for mat ion about Huntsman’s polyurethane composite resins, visit the team at JEC World 2020 at Booth M 31 in Hall 6.

20 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

21P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Will Polyurethane Supercapacitors Power the Prosthetics of Tomorrow?

As prosthetics grow ever more advanced – some now with a motorized function

capable of grasping, pointing and even holding objects – one question remains: how will these futuristic limbs, which rely on considerable energy, be powered?

A Wearable Supercapacitor

Engineers at the University of Glasgow believe they have created a solution: a kind of electronic skin made from graphene, polyurethane and graphite that can generate and store solar energy for prosthetic devices.

A thin layer of graphene acts as a solar converter, converting sunlight to electrical energy. The polyurethane-graphite composite sits below the graphene, acting as a supercapacitor that powers the prosthetic limb and stores excess energy for later use.

In addition to its function as part of the supercapacitor, polyurethane makes the electronic skin more comfortable. It bends and molds to create a snug f it that can accommodate high-level physical activity.

Supercapacitor Advantages

While a battery is often used to power a prosthetic device, this can have significant drawbacks: a cell may become hot when in use, take

a long time to charge and lose its ability to hold power over time.

By contrast, the solar-powered electronic skin developed by the team in Glasgow is faster-charging, resists becoming hot from use and has been through a series of 15,000

charging/discharging cycles with no significant loss in its ability to hold a charge. The supercapacitors could have even wider application, pointing to a more sustainable solution than traditional batteries.

The Evolution: foam Mattress to High Tech Products• Digital formulation aid C02 as raw material• Improved recyclability• Today’s mattresses: more comfortable and

environmentally compatible than ever before

People spend a considerable portion of their lives in bed. Therefore, sleep comfort,

convenience and health aspects

such as “back friendliness” are impor tant cr iter ia that make mat t resses made of f le x ible polyurethane (PU) foams attractive

PRODUCT NEWS

22 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

for customers. Aspects such as environmental compatibility and low emissions also play a key role now. At the K 2019, polyurethane pioneer Covestro explains how rapidly this material has changed in recent decades thanks to continuous innovations developed in its own laboratories, in order to satisfy the ever changing requirements – and what plans the company has for flexible foams of tomorrow.

“The mattresses of today have little in common with the first polyurethane based, flexible-foam mattresses of the early 1960s. It is like comparing today’s sports cars with the classic cars of that era,” says Dr. Lutz Brassat, a f lexible polyurethane foam exper t at Covestro. Soon after the discovery and development of the f irst flexible PU foams by the chemist and capable mechanical engineer Dr. Otto Bayer in Leverkusen, people came to recognize how well-suited it was as a mattress. “From today’s perspective, its comfort qualities were miserable. In addition, due to the additive used during its production, it had to be sufficiently aired out before use,” says Brassat.

Polyurethane developers have done a great deal of work in order to gradually transform the first flexible PU foams into the high-end product that we know today. This is illustrated by an installation at Covestro’s trade fair stand (A 75 in Hall 6), which demonstrates the differences between early flexible foams and today’s top of the range products. And on the displays, the development looks ahead:

the furniture of the future will be not only comfortable, but also recyclable and made partly from alternative raw materials.

New raw materials for ever changing market demands

Examples of previous “milestones” in the ongoing evolution of the flexible foams sector at Covestro are optimized raw materials, procedures for manufacturing highly elastic cold foam mattresses and the introduction of polyols for the production of viscoelastic foams, which further improve the distribution of forces exerted by a sleeping body.

“O t he r de ve lopme nt s we re probably less spectacular, but not any less important,” says Brassat . “ The use of water-based adhesives, for example, which allow mattresses made of different foams and of different thicknesses to be joined together to create particularly high-quality orthopedic multi-zone mattresses, without adversely affecting the results of emission measurements.”Other innovations succeeded in ex tending the lifet ime of polyurethane mattresses and maintaining their good qualities over an ever longer period of time. Due to the current “bed in a bok’ technology, transporting mattresses has also become more efficient – mattresses are rolled up at the manufacturer; then, at the customer, they quickly unfold to their original size without any subsequent comfort loss, thanks to the minimized compression set of newer, lighter high-end foams.

“The evolution is far from over”

T h e l a t e s t h i g h l i g h t s f o r manufactur ing except ionally smart f lexible foam mattresses include a “digital product finder,” which enables foam manufacturers to find the ideal raw materials for their products, and cardyon@ polyols, which are partly based on C02 as a raw material.

Also in focus are PU raw materials and manufacturing processes, which solve some of the technical challenges of popular viscoelastic mattresses. Foams with increased air circulation provide a particularly pleasant sleep climate; in addition, their viscoelastic qualities are less temperature sensitive than their predecessors. Other features include further reduced emissions due to reactive catalysts, which are integrated into the polymer chains of the foams.

“All of these improvements – from the first, short-lived flexible foam mattress to the current high-performance product with polyols, such as the Softel@ VE-1800 – have been implemented over the years in small, but important steps. What most of them have in common is that they were, and will continue to be, driven by innovation at Covestro,” says Lutz Brassat. “And we are working hard to help consumers sleep even better in the coming years. The evolution of the mattress is far from over.”

About Covestro:

With 2018 sales of EUR 14.6 billion, Covestro is among the

PRODUCT NEWS

23P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of hightech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. Covestro has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,800 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2018.

This press release is available for download from the Covestro press server at www.covestro.com. A photo is available there for download as well. Please acknowledge the source of any pictures used.

Find more information at www.covestro.com

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/covestro

Forward-looking statementsThis news release may contain forward-looking statements based on cur rent assumptions and

forecasts made by Covestro AG. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Covestro’s public reports which are available at wm.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

FEBRUARY 12, 2020

New Daltoped® Duralite Energy Material From Huntsman Used In Next Generation Safety ShoeFootwear experts will launch new polyurethane system at SIMACVisit Huntsman at SIMAC at Stand B39 in Hall 14

Everberg, BELGIUM – Footwear experts at Huntsman have developed an innovative polyurethane midsole material for the

safety and military shoe market, which has been tested and qualified by uvex for use in its uvex 1 G2 safety shoes. DALTOPED® DuraLite Energy lightweight polyurethane material combines the high cushioning and energy return properties expected of sports footwear, with the durability needed to create long-lasting, protective work shoes.

Low density midsoles made from DALTOPED® DuraLite Energy polyurethane material mix excellent shock absorbing and rebound properties with good stability. This powerful combination of properties can help prevent tired

PRODUCT NEWS

24 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

25P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

PU To d a y ad v e r T i s e m e n T Ta r i f f i n in d i a n rU P e e s / Us d o l l a r

Advertisement One Issue Two Issues Four Issues

Back Outer Cover 24,000.00 45600.00 86,400.00 USD 370 USD 700 USD 1330

Inside Front Cover and 16,800.00 31,200.00 57,600.00Inside Back Cover USD 260 USD 480 USD 890

Full Page Colour 14000.00 26400.00 50400.00 USD 215 USD 405 USD 775

Half Page Colour 8400.00 15600.00 28800.00 USD 130 USD 240 USD 445

Sponsored Feature ( 2 pages) Rs.20000.00 (US$ 310)

Additional Rs.500.00 per page per issue discount is applicable to those taking Eight (08)advertisements and more in a financial year.

GST @12% is applicable on the above mentioned amounts.

Technical details: Ad paper / Book size: 210 mm x297 mm Print Area 190 mmx 277 mm Book Size Ads : 216 mm x 303 mm (3 mm bleed on all sides)

YOU HAVE TO SEND THE MATTER IN A PDF FILE OR EPS OR TIFF FORMAT.

INDIAN POLYURETHANE ASSOCIATION228 Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase lll Near Modi Mills, New Delhi 110020Email: muralimohandel@gmail.com and secretary@pu-india.org

ALL MATTER TO BE SENT TO:

Murali Mohan Secretary

feet from rolling and reduce lower leg fatigue for people on the move all day. Hydrolysis resistant, and equipped with good compression set characteristics, DALTOPED® DuraLite Energy polyurethane can maintain dynamic performance at a wide temperature range, meaning feet stay cushioned and comfortable, even in sub-zero conditions.

From a processing perspective, DALTOPED® DuraLite Energy polyurethane material also provides

numerous benefits. With excellent flow properties, the material can be used for direct-on processing and can be made to work with conventional footwear machinery as well as the latest automated shoe manufacturing systems. Thanks to its raw material consistency, DALTOPED® DuraLite Energy polyurethane material also offers a lower rejection rate versus standard midsole products.

Sylvie Van Aerschot, Marketing

Manager for Footwear in Europe at Huntsman, said: An important part of manufacturing comfortable safety shoes and military boots lies in using a durable but lightweight midsole technolog y, such as DALTOPED® DuraLite Energy polyurethane, which has very good energy return properties.”

PRODUCT NEWS

26 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

INTERVIEW

An Interview with Mr. VKC Abdul Razak

Profile Razak VKCV. Abdul Razak - Director of VKC Group aged 51 years, acquired his MBA from PSG College of Technology Coimbatore in 1991. VKC Group w*s established by his father VKC Mammed Koya, and his 2 brothers in 1984 with humble beginnings. Over time it has grown to its telling presence in 12 States in India and 3 overseas locations. The company turnover in 2019 was 2350 crores, manufacturing 5.5 lakhs pairs of Footwear every day.

Mr Razak along with his brother Mr Noushad, a team of 31 Directors and other committed employees crafted this admirable success story. Mr Razak is an active member in various trade associations, social and political organisations. He takes a leadership role in promoting Footwear industry in Kerala and is the Vice Chairman of the Confederation of India Footwear Industries, Southern Region. He is also an Excom member of IPUA.

PU Today: What are your views on the Indian footwear market growth?

Mr. Razak: India is the second largest footwear producer in the world after China. The global annual footwear product ion amounts to 22 billion pairs of which India produces only 9% whereas the global leader in the footwear production industry, China, produces over 60%. The emergence of organized retail and e-tailing has played major role in the development of Indian footwear market. The footwear sector has been recognized by Government of India as a focus sector in the Make in India project. The Government has set a growth target of over 20% for the industry for the next five years. India is

also the third largest footwear consuming country after China and USA with consumption of nearly 1.66 pairs wile average global consumption is 3 pairs. There are nearly 20000 units engaged in manufacturing footwear in India.

PU Today: What are the major issues faced by the footwear industry which can be a hindrance to growth?

Mr. Razak: Footwear industry has been largely unorganized and scattered in different parts of the country. Around 85% of the total production comes from the unorganized sector including very small, small and medium enterprises. Though technology has marked its presence in the modernization of the industry,

most of the production is still handmade or semi mechanised. The lack of technological facilities has affected the quality of products. These factors have had a major effect on the supply chain of retail companies. When compared to China, India is exporting only 5% of its total production to the world market. This shows our lack foothold in the international market. The absence of strong component industry is also a major hindrance to growth. Majority of the manufacturers still import components from abroad. If we give thrust on the component industry the same will directly help in the growth of footwear industry.

PU Today: Is there any specific support you desire from the Govt. in this footwear industry growth?

27P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

INTERVIEW

Mr. Razak: The implementation of GST has adversely affected the footwear industry. The inverted duty structure and delayed GST refunds have pushed the industry into a severe working capital shortage. The non-availability of GST refunds on input services and input capital goods have also added to the problem. Being a labour intensive industry, many jobs are outsourced. The absence of GST refund on such outsourcing has resulted in higher input cost. Apart from this, footwear uppers are taxed at higher rate. This has adversely affected the footwear upper making industry leading to most of the units are closing down their operations. A scientific f ixation of the GST rates will help the industry in a big way. When an incentive or subsidy is allowed for the promotion of the sector it should be customer friendly. The IDLS scheme is an example. Earlier number of eligible applications f iled with nodal agencies and even sanctioned cases rejected on whimsy grounds. Footwear industry should be given all the facilities given to textile/garment industry on the ground of the employment generation. The control on cheap import is also causing major problems in the footwear sector.

PU Today: How is polyurethanes placed in the battle with competing substrates in the open sandals segments?

Mr. Razak: PU is a versatile raw material and can be molded in various densities, hardness etc. The raw material can be modified depending on the proper t ies

required. The basic performance and properties of PU are far better than the competing soling materials like PVC, Rubber and TPR. The climatic stability and safety aspects are also better. The productivity is much higher than competing materials. Now technology is available for making two density products which is not possible in many direct molding process. PU has a few disadvantages as well, one of the major disadvantages being the yellowing of PU soles.

PU Today: Could you please enlighten about your company’s future plans and specifically views on some of the overseas investments made?

Mr. Razak: Currently we have twenty-eight manufacturing units

in India and three overseas units in Sri Lanka, Sudan and Bangladesh. Around 65% of our total sales are now from Southern states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. We hope to expand into and tap the North Indian markets. We are currently exporting our products to Malaysia, Singapore, Middle East and African countries. The overseas units are also working well. Since we are now in a digital market economy and all the big players are having the data related to regional and demographic tastes of the consumers the first preference is to fill the gap in market. The business model has undergone significant changes to keep up with the market advancements. The market now has an increasing demand for casual and sports shoes. We plan to increase shoe production and tap into this segment in the coming years. Our first priority is domestic market.

PU Today: Footwear Industry is known traditionally to be a large size employment generator and how do you see its short term contribution to creating new jobs?

Mr. Razak: The Indian footwear industry is highly fragmented with almost 20,000 small and medium enterprises operating largely in unorganized segments. The industry employs about 1.1 million people both directly and indirectly. 20% of this workforce is employed in the organized sector of where female workers constitute 40%. The remaining 80% of the work force comprises of rural artisans, cottage units and household units. With improving manufacturing facilities, more

The Indian footwear industry is highly

fragmented with almost 20,000 small and

medium enterprises operating largely in

unorganized segments.

The inverted duty structure and delayed

GST refunds have pushed the footwear industry into a severe

working capital shortage.

28 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

29P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

and more people are becoming part of organized sector resulting in better employment & working conditions. We def initely see footwear sector as one of the top employments generating sector.

PU Today: Whilst P U open sandals growth has been a great success in an India led by companies like you, do you envisage any new emerging segments that has potentials?

Mr. Razak: India is currently the second fastest growing economy. More and more people are moving to urban areas and many small towns have been urbanized. The increase in reach of media has led to huge exposure and has resulted in consumers becoming more aware of latest trends and brands. The latest styles and trends in the west are now replicated almost immediately in Indian market. Our slogan quality products at affordable price was well accepted by the market resulting in our success so far. Now our loyal c u s t ome r s a r e d e m a nd i n g sneakers/sports shoes and closed shoes from us. Hence, we have introduced different products under Walkaroo, DeBongo brands to cater to the increasing demand of such segments. The success of every industry depends on adapting to changes in technology and delivering customer requirements.

PU Today: How do you see the footwear waste recycling challenge emerging and your views?

Mr. Razak: Footwear waste recycling is a major challenge. We are currently associated with various PU suppliers, education

and research organizations in conducting an in-depth study into the matter. Chemical and Physical recycling methods are under development, some of which are in the testing phase. Currently the waste from the industry is used as fuel in the cement industry. Once chemical recycling is successfully tested, the entire waste can be collected and recycled for a better economy and environment. But yet

to prove on the complete the study on the commercial viability.

We have focused on the following areas for better environmental, health and safety aspects. They are: 1. Utilization of PU Waste generated during the pre-cast process in the PU footwear Manufacturing process. We have implemented this in around half of our of manufacturing facilities already.

2. Our next focus is to replace Solvent Based Adhesives used in the manufacturing process by better and environmentally safer Water based adhesives.

3. We are also taken various steps to reduce VOC emissions like.

i. Eliminating Solvent based Mold Release Agent in the moldings process and replacing them with Water based Release Agent.

ii. Replacing Methylene Chloride (MCL) with Water to clean the PU Machine heads. This change was brought about through in-house R&D. This has been implemented in half of our manufacturing units.

‘Going Green’ in all possible ways is an area of importance for us and is also a part of our CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities.

Thank you so much for your time with us Mr. Razak, we really appreciate the sharing of facts and your story with our readers. We wish you many more milestones ahead.

The latest styles and trends in the west are now replicated almost immediately in Indian

market. Our slogan quality products at affordable price was well accepted by the

market resulting in our success so far.

Currently the waste from the footwear industry is used as fuel in the

cement industry. Once chemical recycling

is successfully tested,the entire waste can be collected

and recycled for a better economy and

environment.

INTERVIEW

30 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

INTERVIEW

An Interview with Mr. Brieux Boisdequin, Vice President - South Asia Automotive Businesses, Strategy & New Business Development - BASFMr. Brieux Boisdequin talks about customer needs and experience, a drive to push innovation, sustainability and a positive outlook for industry growth.

Interviewed by PU Today’s editorial members, Mr. Emmanuel, Mr. Mahajan and Ms. Fonseca

Dr. Brieux Boisdequin was born in 1980. He holds a BS in Management Science, MA in Business and Commerce (Corporate Strategy) and an Executive MBA in Business Management/ St rateg y f rom INSEAD (SG).

He currently lives in Mumbai with his wife and two sons.

PU Today: How do you view the outlook for the polyurethane industry for the next ten years in terms of Indian economy, GDP, and export market?

Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: It has been a tough economic environment in 2018-19 and perhaps one of the worst performing years for economic growth in the past decade. There have been various factors that triggered this economic slowdown. In my opinion, number one was lack of conf idence, whether from uncertainty in the political environment or from lack of confidence of financial institutions to give out credit. On the business side there were quite a few regulatory changes like the automotive industry’s transition from BS IV to BS VI - one that

happened probably too fast for what the Indian economy could handle.

I am positive that many of those challenges will disappear going forward. We have political stability for the next four to five years and will also get clarity on the vision that the government has for India. There is a clear and ambitious goal to grow the economy here and the regulatory framework is also getting clearer. Soon, we will also have the BS VI transition behind us and that will clarify things for consumers. Access to credit and

liquidity is being addressed by the government. The new budget is also partly addressing these topics and I hope confidence will come back so that the economy returns to high growth. I’m optimistic that in the coming years, India’s GDP could grow by six to seven percent which is substantial as we will soon hit the $3 trillion GDP milestone.

The domestic economic growth, the foreign direct investment into the country, all of that is going to increase the market for polyurethane solutions used into

31P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

INTERVIEW

multiple industries – automotive, consumer products like footwear, appliances, construction and health care related applications.

The Automotive segment is the number one application area for polyurethanes, and we expect the segment to grow at par with GDP. India is already the 4th largest car manufacturing country globally and we expect it will become the third largest manufacturer by 2025. When it comes to construction, there is a lot of demand for cold storage, for better insulation in buildings and construction. There are areas of improvement for building/insulation standards, however we increasingly see c u s t o m e r s r e q u e s t i n g f o r improvement in comfort and in insulation properties - all that can be supported by polyurethanes. With regards to exports, India still has untapped potential. Only a small percentage of vehicles produced in India are exported. Regulatory changes like BS VI norms and international safety norms will enable larger exports. With access to skilled labour force in India, access to the local ecosystem as well as local supply and value chains, there is a huge opportunity to further develop the manufacturing sector including export market for all polyurethane related segments: automotive, white goods, footwear, etc.

PU Today: How do you compare India with other Asian countries?

Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: The environment in Asia is changing rapidly. You have clear intent of growth in China and yet, there

are issues surrounding business in China. The recent outbreak of Covid-19 is one recent example where investors are looking to mitigate supply chain risk by investing outside China and here India has a huge opportunity. Whether India will be able to take it faster than other countries is to be seen, as Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia too are ver y well positioned to tap the opportunity. I think the Indian government has to act fast, continue the reforms and further promote foreign direct investment in the country.

PU Today: What are the key growth drivers for the polyurethane industry?

Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: For me it’s all about consumer needs. Indian consumers are among the most challenging ones globally. The disposable income here is growing but it is still at a low level. So how do we bring better quality products with better performance at an affordable price level to consumers in India? You look at design improvements to make products better and more user friendly. You look at performance like f lame retardancy, light weighting, and better longevity - all factors that will help grow the polyurethane industry. Youth demographics is a clear strength for India as the young population aspires to a better quality of life. They migrate from rural homes to cities, generating more needs for housing and for housing appliances. These people also want to enjoy freedom of movement, have fun and look good so transportation, fashion and footwear will for sure be growth areas in India.

Besides consumer needs, you have regulations. Here we need to work together as an industry and with the government to set up better regulatory framework and norms for polyurethane solutions.

PU Today: How can polyurethane industry tap the talent of the young generation looking for employment?

Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: Local polyurethane manufactur ing as part of the ‘Make in India’ policy will ensure employment oppor tunit ies for the young talents here. Simultaneously, we need to continue working on generating demand for products and making sure that this demand is served by local assets. BASF serves as a good example of local manufacturing. We produce pMDI, MDI and polyols locally as well as operate system houses in the country. Our competitors too are going in the same direction. I hope that the government can support even further localisation. As the economy and demand for commodities grow, I think there will be interest to invest in large plants. For now, raw materials are imported but hopefully once the market reaches a critical size, then the industry can justify a large investment in upstream feedstocks.

PU Today: What do you believe is the single most exciting opportunity for growth for the automotive sector and also for the polyurethane industry as a whole?

Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: It is the consumer! Consumers look for better and more, at an affordable

32 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

33P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

price. All the innovations related to the automotive industry for example are driven by providing a bet te r e x per ience for t he consumers. At the Auto Show in New Delhi, I saw how many car manufacturers displayed concept cars, displaying futuristic, exciting designs that may be launched in the Indian market. Young customers want to have something exciting with better performance, better safety, cheaper and with better design. That to me, is the single most exciting opportunity to create growth in the automotive industry as polyurethane has a huge role to play in that. At our Creation Center in Mumbai, you will see many examples of polyurethane solutions that go into automotive industry - for interior concepts, exterior components, light weighting that leads to fuel efficiency or even newer materials that give a better experience in the cabin of the car.

PU Today: How will the transition to BS VI affect the industry? How is BASF gearing up for the change?

Mr. Br ieux Boisdequin: A s mentioned earlier, the transition to BSVI has a huge impact on the industry and I will be glad when the transition is over. It’s a great initiative as we need better emission norms and it had to be done, but I do think it was a bit too fast for what the industry could take. Here the transition from BS IV to BS VI took only three years whereas in Europe it took about ten years and cost the industry ~$25 billion. It is a huge investment that will have to be recovered. Now the pain is hopefully behind us and we can look forward.

BASF is gearing up by adding capacity. We are a major supplier of mobile emission catalysts. In fact, BASF is the largest chemicals supplier for the auto industry globally. Here too, if you look at the $25 billion investment that was needed in India to enable BS VI, you have oil refineries and oil companies, mobile emission system manufacturers, and car manufacturers. At the core of this ecosystem, you find BASF that has developed technology and established local manufacturing for the various BS VI automotive cata ly s t s . We took a major responsibility on our shoulders and we are thankful for the trust that the industry has placed on us. We are extremely proud of how we contribute to cleaner air in India. While BS VI does not relate directly to polyurethane, by 2023 there will be a new set of norms what we call the CAFE norms or corporate average fuel economy norms where manufacturers will need to further reduce their emission on the fleet level. There they will be looking for many innovative solutions. One of them will be light weight and in this respect, polyurethane from BASF will play a big role. There are also trends like electric mobility where our battery materials and other solutions will be key.

When the goal is to provide better air quality and better environment for people to live in, we should not only look at cars but at all modes of transportation. In India for its large railway network, we have to come up with solutions to make travel more comfortable, safer and more convenient for everyone. One such innovation that we are working on

will be on display at PUTech – a railway seating foam. Our goal is to effectively replace the non-woven polyester fibres with flame retardant polyurethane solutions which are more cost effective, safer for train travellers yet comfortable. We need support from the railway board and from the government to approve such a solution and to use it widely. PU Today: Are there any changes with regard to government policies that will help Industry to grow in 2020 and beyond?

Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: Yes! In automotive, clearly the focus on emissions will help the industry to grow. In cold storage industry, I would love to see a stronger regulation defining specifications for cold storage. It has to be up to a certain standard where flame retardants and insulation properties will be key. For sleep products too, emission norms to do with everything that has contact with customers like pillows and mattresses, consumers need to be made aware of emissions and there should be regulations to curb them.

PU Today: What do you suggest as ideas for the polyurethane association to help drive advocacy?

Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: There’s always an opportunity to do more. We should not be overly ambitious and need to be realistic because promoting regulation also requires the whole supply chain to be ready. For example, BS VI came in three years and created a huge shock for the manufacturing industry and

INTERVIEW

34 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

the entire supply chain. Regulatory changes need to be accompanied by the asset strategy in the country and the ability to meet those regulatory changes. What we could do is identify one sector, like cold storage for example and as an industry lobby the government for certain norms and at the same time make sure that we get ready with our product innovation and with our local capability to manufacture those products.

PU Today: Are there any specification changes with regard to fire, safety, comfort and sustainability that will impact the PU industry? Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: We like to look at the solutions in established markets like Europe or United States (also well-regulated), where we are a major polyurethane supplier. We would love to bring those solutions into India and here, we need the government to help us in promoting those regulatory changes.

PU Today: Have there been any changes in customer preferences that force manufacturers / suppliers / OEM’s / tier’s to alter their thinking and processes?

Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: Especially in India, customers are well educated and informed about what they are purchasing. At the Auto Expo, local giants like Maruti Suzuki, Tata and Mahindra were promoting their vehicles based on safety. It’s not only about how fast the cars can drive anymore but increasingly about how many stars you achieve on safety standards. It’s interesting that safety is now

being considering in the broadest sense to include not just driver’s safety but also passenger, child and pedestrian safety. This is a very good example of consumers driving OEMs to change for the benefit of society.

PU Today: What do you think about India’s approach of moving towards electric vehicles?

Mr. Br ieu x Boisdequin: The government has tried to promote electric mobility and launched a couple of programs in the past years. However, these programs had limited impact so far. The government has optimised these programs with a trial and error approach towards e-mobility. Perhaps, it might be best to leave the decision to the car manufacturers about whether they go electric or not since the government’s role is to set targets for emissions. The OEM and car manufacturer’s duty is to meet those emission norms. Consumers will buy what is best for them. I don’t think Indian consumers are ready today to buy a fully electric vehicle because it is more expensive, not so convenient, and not available in a model of their choice. Safety is also a concern that needs to be addressed in the Indian context. So cost, convenience, choice and safety are the main factors for electric vehicles to develop in India. I do concur that electric mobility will pick up in India. Emission norms will be so strict that there will be a need for it but let the car manufacturers drive it themselves.

PU Today: How do you gauge the pulse of the customer?

Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: As a diversified company BASF has solut ions that go direct ly to consumers like nutrition, home care, beauty care, large agro business and we have contacts with various levels of the supply chain from tiers to OEMS and retailers. So, we get a fair amount of information from the market on what is happening and what are the trends. We also observe that some trends appear in mature markets first and then later come into emerging markets. Our global presence is an asset in that sense. For India, we have a pretty good understanding of where this is going and what kind of solutions we could offer here in the country.

We also have designers who research the consumer trends. In our Creation Center based at the BASF Innovation Campus in Mumbai, you can see pieces and components on display that are related to that research. We do research on colours for example to understand what the future colour preferences will be. We also do research on new materials to foresee what the consumers will prefer in terms of touch and feel. All this gives us mutilple contact points with end users.

PU Today: How can polyurethanes industry engage in sustainable social transformation, considering the hot topics of climate change and circular economy?

M r . B r i e u x B o i s d e q u i n : Sustainability is not only recycling. In fact, both closed loop systems a nd l inea r s y s tems c a n be considered sustainable. When it

INTERVIEW

35P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

comes to polyurethanes especially, we conduct research on how to recycle the material and that’s still at the early stage. However, we are not waiting for this research to come to an end. We are also looking at how polyurethane can help sustainability by light weighting in applications, by reducing CO2 emissions in the manufacturing process, by using renewable sources of energy to produce polyurethane, and by using renewable raw materials in preparation of polyurethanes. These are good examples of a linear approach to sustainability.

We have a few good examples where our missions have been successful. In India, BASF will soon announce the results of a feasibility study for a large petrochemical complex at Mundra, Gujarat. It will be the first manufacturing site for BASF globally with a CO2 neutral footprint and will be powered by renewable wind and solar energy. If that really happens, then we can prove that in a growing economy and a developing market like India, we can bring CO2 neutral investments and the latest products to the customers.

PU Today: Are we as an industry doing enough towards the social upliftment of the lower half of the pyramid?

Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: Clearly in India if you want to address environmental topics you need to address the bottom of the pyramid. There is no one size fits all when it comes to managing such topics and we consider 4 main pillars: infrastructure development

(de ve lop wa s te col le c t ion , segregat ion), innovat ion (in recycling processes and recycled products), education (engagement with people, governments) and clean-up (rivers, cities). To make a sustainable impact, these 4 pillars need to be addressed together.

We ran a pilot project with a community in West Bengal where we tried to establish a closed loop system. We educated the population on the need to segregate waste and collect it in compostable bags made of ecovio®- a certified compostable and partially bio-based plastic. By working with the local composting organization, we generated compost and distributed it to farmers. They then generated data out of their yield that we use in the development of standards and next generational products. We also have Water Labs and Kids’ Lab across sites that focus on sustainability, water, hygiene and education.

PU Today: How do you see the extended producer responsibility rules in waste management impacting the polyurethane industry?Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: It has to

be a team effort. While producers cannot be free of responsibility, consumers and retailers also must be sensitised about the need to handle waste properly. In my home country- Belgium, I’m not allowed to dispose of anything freely. There are waste collection areas in every city, and we have to segregate waste in many different categories. As a citizen, it is my responsibility to understand what is expected and to follow. In India, we are at the early stage regarding waste management. More awareness is required. We should start with educat ion in schools and by providing the infrastructure and then giving benefit to the society for following the rules.

PU Today: How is BASF handling Artificial Intelligence and digital transformation?

M r . B r i e u x B o i s d e q u i n : Digitalisation is the main driver for operat ions and business management going forward. We engage in digitalization in each part of the business wherever it makes sense. It is easy to use it as a catch word however at BASF, we look at it as a business case. For example, in operations, predictive maintenance is a big topic. With digitalization, we predict and fix issues before they occur so that we don’t disrupt manufacturing. We are very satisfied with the results in this area and will continue to work on this. In sales, teams are equipped with dashboards to provide a quick overview of the customers and pipeline of projects. Digitalisation therefore exists across the business, but we do it selectively where it makes sense.

INTERVIEW

In operations, predictive maintenance

is a big topic.With digitalization,we predict and fix

issues before they occur so that

we don’t disrupt manufacturing.

36 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

37P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

We are also very proud of our Supercomputer – Quriosity. It is one of the world largest computers and helps us speed up research. It allows us to conduct digital experiments, screen or narrow down options for scientists to work on and save resources, time and offers efficiency in our research.

PU Today: Do you think there is enough productive collaboration between industry and academia?

Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: It is happening but not as much as we’d like to see. The spend on R&D in India is comparatively low. What we need is more attention and spends on R&D in the country. When there’s a focus on innovation, only then will companies look for ways to become more efficient by engaging or collaborating with institutes and academia. When the spend on R&D increases, collaborations will happen. At BASF we have formalised collaborations with Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) and the National Chemical Laboratory Pune (NCL) as university partners by expanding the scope of our Network for Asian Open Research (NAO).

Globally our R&D budget is ~€2.2 billion among the largest R&D budgets for any chemical company, globally. We have more than ten thousand R&D personnel. We established Innovation Campuses in the most important markets in the world and here in India too. We recruit PhD and chemists from Indian institutes to work on topics relevant for India, mostly related to agro and industrial

solutions. We also do development for new applications in automotive, footwear, construction that are relevant to polyurethane here in Mumbai. We will keep on pushing and regularly ask our business units what else they need and whether we can do more research in India.

PU Today: Please share your message for our Pu Today readers.

Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: I wish we look at India as a market that requires innovation and that we bring more innovative solutions to this market. This is not just a large bottom of the pyramid market but a market that requires different approaches for different segments. So, let us all look at this from an innovation point of view. Let us bring more R&D,

local manufacturing and help this country develop further.

PU Today: We would like our readers to understand the personal Brieux. What makes you tick? Mr. Brieux Boisdequin: What drives me is the passion towards the businesses that I am handling. I’ve been in automotive for a long time and am very passionate about the changes happening in the industry. I am also very interested to discover new places. In fact, I have been privileged to work in five very different countries so far such as Japan, China and India as examples. I enjoy being able to discover how those countries operate, what are the values of the local population and I enjoy discovering the place together with my family.

In terms of my personal life, I have two young, and very active sons! They are active at school and at sports so usually we spend the weekends supporting them in their sports activities.

We also travel a lot. My wife is from the Philippines and so we often go back to see the family on both sides. There’s never a dull moment!

The India Performance Materials team at BASF will be participating at PUTech 2020 India event to showcase innovative applications for Polyurethane based materials around the theme ‘Empowering the future’, showcasing various products based on the industry segments of Mobility, Quality of Life, Energy & Environment and Infrastructure & Construction.

Our Supercomputer, Quriosity, one of the

world’s largest computers, allows us to screen or

narrow down options for scientists to work on andto save resources, timeand boost efficiency.

I wish we look at India as a market

that requires innovation

and that we bring more innovative

solutions to this market.

INTERVIEW

38 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

TPU: The Perfect Plastic for Sustainable Shoe Production The Recyclable SneakerRaw Materials for Concept Shoe Based on CO, and Biomass

Shoes usually consist of several k inds of mater ia ls t hat widely vary in their chemical

composition. In order to be able to recycle these materials, they would first have to be separated from one another in a time-consuming process. At the K 2019 trade fair, however, which takes place from October 16 – 23 in Dusseldorf, Covestro will demonstrate that trendy and functional shoes can be made from a single material type: at stand A 75, in hall 6, the company will present sneakers, designed by Chinese shoe designer Axis Liu, that are made entirely of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

The option to recycle the concept sneaker, however, is not the only reason why it sets new standards in terms of sustainability. Add to this the fact that it contains TPU types of the Desmopan® eco range, whose carbon content partly originates from biomass. Other types like the Desmopan® 37385A in use are based on polyethercarbonate polyols, which Covestro produces from COz using an innovative technology and sells under the name cardyon®, No compromise in quality and design.

“The advantage of sustainability d o e s n o t m e a n t h a t a n y compromises have to be made in the properties or the design of the

breathable properties

• TPU artificial leather also stands out in regards to recyclability compared to its substitutes and allows for a broad range of styles and applications.

• Also shoe eyelets, logos, quarters, toe caps and heels can be successfully made with Desmopan®.

About Covestro

With 2018 sales of EUR 14.6 billion, Covestro is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high- tech polymer mater ia ls and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industr ies. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. Covestro has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,800 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2018.

This press release is available for download from the Covestro press server at www.covestro.com. A photo is available there for download as well. Please

“The advantage of sustainability does not mean that any

compromises have to be made in the properties

or the design of the shoe,” emphasizes Wilson Chan, TPU

expert at Covestro in the Asia-Pacific region.

shoe,” emphasizes Wilson Chan, TPU expert at Covestro in the Asia-Pacific region. On the contrary:

• TPU fibers as material for the shoe upper are pleasantly soft and extremely durable. They also enable a seamless design, and Covestro’s innovative f ibers can be dyed almost any color, making them a unique product.

• Midsoles made of foamed or expanding TPU provide maximum comfort and protect against fatigue.

• Outer soles made of TPU are particularly abrasion- and slip-resistant.

• Coatings and films made of TPU can effectively protect the shoe upper against mechanical stress and moisture. If desired, they provide the upper material with

TECHNICAL UPDATES

39P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

acknowledge the source of any pictures used.

For more information please see www.covestro.com. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/covestroffr/ro = (2019-157E)

Forward-looking statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on cur rent assumptions and forecasts made by Covestro AG. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Covestro’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

At K 2019 Covestro will present a concept shoe made from recyclable t her moplast ic poly uret hane (TPU), which was in part derived from biomass. Another part is made from components, which were produced from CO2 and are marketed under the trade name of cardyon®, Image utilization: Photo may be used to accompany reports on Covestro provided the source is mentioned. Resale to third parties is prohibited.

The per fec t combinat ion of p e r f o r m a n c e , d e s i g n a n d sustainability.

Groundbreaking athletic shoes

Joint developments of footwear designer Axis Liu and Covestro.

C o v e s t r o w i l l u n v e i l groundbreaking material concepts for running and basketball shoes which it has created together with Chinese designer Axis Liu, at the K 2019 trade fair from October 16-23 in Diisseldorf. Both partners collaborated in the development of the customized concept shoes, in their design and technical features.

The shoes satisfy the wishes of athletically active people for a hea lt hy l i fe s t y le , improved performance and individuality. Various material solutions from Covestro are worked in a seamless design, exemplifying the individual benefits of each material: INSQIN® water-based polyurethane (PU) textile coatings and adhesives, PU foams, textile fibers and films made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and Maezio™ continuous f iber-reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTP).

“For me new materials are one of the most powerful driving forces for creative shoe design and for exploring new possibilities,” says Axis Liu. “Therefore, | appreciate the know-how of the experts at Covestro and | will continue to benefit from this in the future.” The cooperation between Liu and the Covestro team resulted in athletic shoe concepts that set standards in many respects: they are highly sustainable and light, yet extremely durable. They provide increased foot stability and help to compensate for the forces acting on the feet, in order to achieve improved athletic performance.

Running shoe with 3D-printed midsole

For the design of the running shoe, Axis Liu was inspired by a traditional figure from Chinese arts and craft: the “Multilayer Carved Ball” which has a dynamic structure handmade up of several layers. On the running shoe, the dynamic, extraordinary structure of the midsole was produced by a 3D printer.

Because running shoes are often worn outdoors for several hours at a time, it is particularly important for the upper material to be water resistant and breathable. This functionality is achieved on the concept running shoes by using a special INSQIN® coating.

Conventional adhesives based on Dispercoll® U dispersions join together the individual athletic shoe component s sec u re ly, easily and efficiently. This water- based adhesive technology helps

“For me newmaterials are one

of the most powerful driving forces

for creative shoe design and for exploring

new possibilities,”says Axis Liu.

TECHNICAL UPDATES

40 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

conserve energy and resources. It also contributes to making athletic shoe production more sustainable.

Basketball shoe with good shock absorption

Dur ing deve lopment of t he basketball shoe, however, the designer drew inspiration from the world of toys and the modular construction often found there. Of course, his designs also took into consideration that the feet and bodies of basketball players are strained in different ways than those of runners.

In accordance with the different requirements of both spor ts, there are also differences in the individual components of the materials used. For example, the midsole of the basketball shoe was made using in-mold foaming and contains expanding TPU (ETPU), which provides good shock absorption and at the same time features particularly high restoring forces. This enhances per formance for the jumping and quick acceleration that are common in basketball.

Both shoes use the newly developed Maezio™ carbon fiber-reinforced TPU (CFRTP), which is very light, but also extremely stiff and torsion resistant. This unique material combination offers a high degree of design freedom and a strong aesthetic appeal with unique, unidirectional carbon fiber optics; in addition, it is recyclable.

Other materials and their functionApart from that there are many similar it ies between the two

concept athletic shoes:

• The uppers of both shoes contain TPU fibers. These are highly resistant to abrasion and tearing, yet they feel extremely comfortable.

• The running shoe upper is applied with screen printing. This is the printing solution using INSQIN® technology which is now used by world-leading manufacturers and brand owners. It provides a visual-haptic effect and improves the performance of design and manufacture.

• The Shoe tongue label with Chinese Character “28”(ju) is

applied using a TPU hot-melt film with good printability. 32” means gather together, it Press Release demonstrates how well films of brand names Dureflex® and Platilon® adhere to textile materials with soft surface feel.

• Insoles made of viscoelastic PU foam effectively absorb mechanical loads.

About Covestro

With 2018 sales of EUR 14.6 billion, Covestro is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high- tech polymer mater ia ls and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industr ies. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. Covestro has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,800 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2018.

This press release is available for download from the Covestro press server at www.covestro.com. Photos are available there for download as well. Please acknowledge the source of any pictures used.

Find more information at www.covestro.com. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/covestro ffrlro (2019-156E).

During development of the basketball shoe, however, the designer drew inspiration from

the world of toys and the modular construction

often found there.

The midsole of the basketball shoe was made using in-mold

foaming and contains expanding TPU (ETPU),

which provides good shock absorption and at the same time features

particularly high restoring forces.

TECHNICAL UPDATES

41P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

TECHNICAL UPDATES

Texon Sets Out Ambition to Be Zero Waste Organization by 2025

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

Texon today announced that it is on a mission to become a zero waste organization by

2025 - reinforcing its long-standing commitment to the development of sustainable footwear components, materials for consumer accessories and performance fabrics.

Marking the start of a new decade, Texon has set out its sustainability ambitions for the next five years, which include: • Reducing its carbon footprint

by 50%.

• Cutt ing the use of v irg in materials by 50%.

• Ensur ing 90% of waste is recyclable or reusable.

• Reducing water usage and water waste by 20%.

Demonstrating its dedication to sustainability, Texon is wrapping its environmental efforts under the umbrella of “zerofootprint” - a banner that will tell the story of its ambitions and its achievements.

Jelle Tolsma, Texon CEO, explains more: “We’ve been helping our customers to keep the world moving for more than 70 years. Every day, millions of people step out to play, train, compete and explore wearing garments

and footwear based on our materials. Sustainability has always driven how we think, what we produce, and who we work with. It is in our DNA. Today is no different. At the start of a new decade, we’re renewing our c o m m i t m e n t t o sustainabilit y and pledging to do more in col laborat ion with our customers and supply base. As a business we’ve identified a series of sustainability g o a l s t h a t w i l l f u r t h e r accelerate our j o u r n e y t o becoming a world c lass sustainable company and drive us closer towards our ambition of zero waste.”

“As always, our aim is to keep

our standards high and our impact low for our planet, our communities and our future. We’ll do this by embedding the five Rs of sustainability into everything we do: Rethink, Reduce, Re-use,

42 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

TECHNICAL UPDATES

Recycle and Recover. There are already lots of great examples of the five Rs across our business. When it comes to raw materials, we’re reducing our use of virgin cellulose - pioneering new solutions that allow us to take less from the planet and optimise what we already have. In terms of water consumption, we’re going above and beyond to limit what we use. Where we do use water, we make sure we recycle and return it back to nature even cleaner than when it came out so it can be reused. And, when it comes to transport, we’re continually looking for ways to reduce our CO2 emissions - whether that’s placing our factories near to customers or rethinking how our products are shipped, choosing ocean freight over air freight. Zerofootprint will serve as a constant reminder to us, and to our customers, that there is always more that companies can do - collectively and individually.”

Texon’s Sustainability Efforts

• Texon creates innovative and sustainable structural products that can help customers maximize produc t ion e f f ic ienc ies and throughput, while minimizing cost and waste = 80% of the polyester fibre Texon uses comes from recycled sources.

• Sustainability is built into every aspect of Texon’s product design and development processes = the result is products with a strong sustainability element including

Texon Halo, a zero waste heel counter mater ial; and Texon Reform - the world’s first 100% recyclable closed loop heel counter.

• Texon recycles post-production waste and offers recycling programs to its customers for a number of key products = Texon Reform, Texon 87 Series, Texon Rite and Texon XO.

• All Texon production facilities are compliant with business and env ironmenta l management

Our aim is to keep our standards high and

our impact low for our planet, our communities and our future. We’ll do this by embedding the five Rs of sustainability into everything we do:

Rethink, Reduce, Re-use, Recycle and Recover.

Texon practices LEAN management principles

to reduce its process waste and increase production output, improve working

conditions, save energy, and filter and re-use

wastewater.

sy s tems a nd acc red it at ions = Texon’s Skelton, UK site has reduced CO2 emissions by 26% since 2015.

• Te x o n p r a c t i c e s L E A N management principles to reduce its process waste and increase produc t ion output , improve working conditions, save energy, and filter and re-use wastewater = 100% of all wastewater at Texon’s Dongguan factory in China is treated and re-used.

Find out more about Texon’s sust a inabi l it y ambit ions at Lineapelle, which runs f rom 19-21 February 2020 in Milan, Italy. A lternatively, for more information, visit www.texon.com

About Texon

For over 70 years, Texon has been a leading supplier of sustainable, high quality, high performance material solutions. These include non-woven saturated felts, extruded filmic materials, wet-web saturated cellulose paperboard, technical fabrics and consumables. You’ll find our products used in footwear and consumer applications, such as fashion accessories, clothing, luggage, labels, tags and many home and of f ice accessor ies. We provide dedicated technical support in all major production locations and you can access our sales, marketing and customer care teams in over 90 countries. For more information visit www.texon.com

43P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

OPEN INNOVATION

‘Bridging the Gap’ Between Chemical Industry and Academia in India through Open InnovationDietmar Hueglin

ABSTRACT

India offers a thriving breeding ground for industrial innovation, yet its potential remains untapped. While instances of market-relevant innovations are few in the country, there is much to be learnt from countries leading in translational research. In this article the author explores issues facing both the Indian academia and the Indian chemical industry in this regard and also offers valuable solutions to help promote collaboration between the two. Open Innovations, Inviting Collaboration with external R&D Institutes and academic technology universities and institutes, have proven to be very succesfull as it helps to overcome the traditional silo mentality of corporate research units. The BASF experience is also recounted here.

INTRODUCTION

Fo r a n i m p o r t a n t a n d populous country like India, innovation holds the key to

increase the nation’s prosperity and to overcome poverty. It is said, that the Indian economy straightaway leapfrogged from being an agrarian to one driven by the service economy and missed out on the manufacturing driven growth. Thus, unlike developed nations, India lacks a track record of world-class innovation, e.g. patented products and unique product ion processes, which provide superior positions in global markets.

It is well documented that ‘success breeds success’, an advantage for developed countr ies like Germany and Switzerland which have had a long history of break-

through innovation. Driven by the spurt in industrialization and manufacturing, these countries have a history of profound scientific and technological capabilities. Over many years they developed an ecosystem where R&D-driven industry and academic institutions continuously collaborate to deliver market-relevant and powerful innovat ions , inc luding new products and processes in the chemical industry. Also countries like the US, Israel and Japan are top-class examples of the success of such R&D par tnerships in chemistry. In recent years, nations like Taiwan, South Korea and now China are gathering the dividend of having created highly integrated R&D networks.

The chemical industr y of fers the primary raw materials on which most other advanced

manufacturing industries build upon. Therefore, the chemical sector is of strategic importance to the sustainable development of national economies and plays a v ital role in the economic development. Historically, one of the key pre-requisites for a f lourishing chemical industry has been a large quantity of innovations produced by a close relationship between industry and academia. To describe the benefits of embracing external cooperation the term ‘Open Innovation’ has been coined by Henry Chesbrough from the University of California [1] and since has caught attention of the industry at large. ‘Bridging the gap’ between an application and market driven chemical industry and basic research in stitutions like universities is part of Open Innovation. This has proven to be very successful as it helps to

44 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

45P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

overcome the traditional silo mentality of corporate research units. In the recent years the boundar ies between chemical firms like BASF and its academic environment have become even more permeable and inventions from academia can now easily transfer inward, like customer’s feedbac k conce r n ing unmet ma rket needs reaches corporate R&D.

Ty pic a l l y, t he re a r e two valleys of death in t ranslational R&D: (i) from invention (research) to development and (ii) from development to the market. Successful collaboration between academia and industry needs to focus on how to bridge these valleys of death. Ideally, academia provides samples, demonstrators or prototypes regarding a new and potentially market-relevant invention and industry develops and produces the product and launches it into the market.

A challenge in India’s current approach towards translational, ma rke t-re leva nt innovat ion

Dr. Dietmar Hueglin is Vice President Advanced Materials & Systems Research at BASF and Head of the Innovation Campus Mumbai (India). In his 30 years of research career he has held several senior management positions which include Head of BASF Research Center Basel (Switzerland) and Global Head of R&D of Segment Home & Personal Care at Ciba SC. Examples for his key innovations are new photo-polyimides for semiconductors (OCG, Providence, Rhode Island, USA) and new cosmetic UV-absorbers. Dr. Hueglin is the main inventor in more than 40 US patents. For his contributions to applied chemical sciences he received the Sandmeyer Award of the Swiss Chemical Society (2004) and the BASF Innovation Award (2011). Dr. Hueglin holds a Diploma in Chemistry and a PhD in Natural Sciences, both from University Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.

origins from its low investment in research and development. India’s R&D expenditure is low not only when compared with developed economies but also compared with other emerging markets. Currently, the country only invests 0.7 % of GDP in R&D while mature economies like the US, Germany, Japan etc. invest around 3-4 per cent. Moreover, in mature economies, and also in China, only 30 % of research funds are allocated to public institutions like universities, 70 % is spent in the

private sector. In contrast, the situation in India is opposite: 75 % of spending is done by the government and only 25 % comes from the private sector. This results in a very low share in international patent f ilings: 1 % come from India as compared to 21 % from China. Although, in the short to mid-term, it may not be possible to raise public spending for research to Chinese levels, it is vital to strongly incentivize the Indian private sector to increase investments in R&D either in-house or through collaboration with Indian research institutions.

Issues concerning industry-academia collaboration in India

In a recent article Prof. Dr. Rahul Nabar from IIT Bombay published the concept for a white paper on ‘Building an Innovation Ecosystem in the Chemicals Sector’ which provides not only an analysis of the drawbacks of the Indian industry-academia collaborative ecosystem but also insight on how to improve the situation [2].

A challenge in India’s current approach towards translational, market - re levant innovat ion origins from its low investment in research and development. India’s R&D expenditure is low not only when compared with developed economies but also compared with other emerging markets. Currently, the country only invests 0.7 % of GDP in R&D while mature economies like the US, Germany, Japan etc. invest around 3-4 per cent.

46 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

47P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

48 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

According to my own experience, the first and foremost i s sue to be addressed in India is the development of its industry-academia collaborative system. Around the world universities are key hubs for education, research and innovation and exhibit two main function: knowledge creation and knowledge transfer. In India the latter is often overlooked and the impact of knowledge t r a n s f e r b e t w e e n universities and industry is very limited. Moreover,

The first and foremost issue to be addressed in India is the development of its industry-academia collaborative system. Around the world universities are key hubs for education, research and innovation and exhibit two main function: knowledge creation and knowledge transfer. In India the latter is often overlooked and the impact of knowledge transfer between universities and industry is very limited. Moreover, the Indian education system is hardly industry-oriented due to lack of interaction between the two.

the Indian educat ion system is hardly industry-oriented due to lack of interaction between the two. In my opinion, both, industry and government, should address this issue, s u p p o r t i n g m u t u a l collaboration between industry and academia that would foster not only knowledge creation, but also dissemination and translation of knowledge to create superior products a nd pro c e s s e s w i t h commercial relevance.

Learning from Best-practice Abroad

In order to achieve this goal some fundamental changes are necessary. Having experienced the successful German and the Swiss industry-academia collaborative ecosystem, I would recommend the following measures:

• Establishing strong industry-academia R&D networks: Joint R&D activities between industry and academia in India are mostly project specific. Such activities need to be expanded and fields need to be defined where long term science & technology partnerships would be of mutual interest and beneficial for India as well.

• Inducing change of mindset in Indian academia and industry: Trust and mutual respect are the cornerstones of successful human cooperation, hence of fundamental importance in any R&D cooperation. Both academia and industry are two sides of same coin when it comes to success in R&D and both should improve dealing with each oth77er. Biases against academia are still widespread in Indian industry (‘academia is an ivory tower with no practical relevance’) and vice versa in Indian academia (‘industrial research themes are not interesting’). Translational R&D includes applied research and aims to meet market needs, must receive the same level of appreciation as basic research. Both are of equal importance.

• Initiating change of attitude in government and society towards academia: Compared to Germany and Switzerland the common understanding of the fundamental importance of universities and institutes for the development and well-being of economy and society is still missing in India. Bureaucrats must change their attitude and act as facilitators (and not as inhibitors) of progress. ‘Ease of doing business’ should receive first priority in government, academia and industry.

• Fostering strong bonds between students and the chemical industry: Often the excitement of research fields like chemicals remain hidden to the young generation. For instance, the smartphone is powered by exciting chemistry [3], but this is widely unknown. Therefore, industry and academia need to do more to make our

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

49P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

sector attractive to students. In the German and Swiss model we have many initiatives such as the ‘Schweizer Jugend Forscht’ and ‘Kids’ Lab’ which catch the attention of young people already at school level and inject enthusiasm for the chemical sciences. Together, industry and academia must initiate more of such initiatives in India to attract the best talent.

• Changing a risk-averse culture: Investments in India are predominantly allocated for off-the-shelf patents and in-licensing of existing technology. R&D is considered as a cost rather than an investment. Present research activities focus on short-term, low-risk, incremental innovation and long-term, high-risk, breakthrough innovation is largely missing. Therefore, Indian academia and research- oriented industry needs to change its innovation culture: An attitude of curiosity and discovery should be established, a culture which embraces failures as stepping stones for future successes. Modern leadership models, based on trust and ‘directed autonomy’, will be instrumental for successful transformation of the ecosystem. Up-to-date leadership practice results in more self-motivated and risk-taking students and employees. With this, an ‘autocatalytic process’ will start: Every success breeds new successes.

• Establishing a complete set of institutions from basic to translational research: In contrast to India, the German ecosystem has strong players with clear focus on research at a different stage of the innovation process, working ‘hand-in-hand’: Helmholtz Association, Max Planck institutes, Technical Universities and other universities are there for basic research; Fraunhofer institutes and Universities for Applied Sciences focus on translational research. Switzerland has a similar setup with ETH, EPFL and Universities for basic research and EMPA, PSI and several Universities for Applied Sciences for translational research. Societies like Fraunhofer in Germany and EMPA in Switzerland have evolved as the critical missing link between industry and academia with respect to applied research, and a similar model can be adopted in India to foster industry-academia partnership and to ‘bridge the gap’ between chemical industry and academia.

• Modifying the incentive structure in academia: The low number of patents granted to Indian universities suggests that research is academic and does not have real-world applications. The traditional university model in India rewards and focuses on metrics like number and quality of publications or citation indexes which disadvantages researchers who focus on industrial projects in applied areas. Tweaking the incentive system by introducing metrics like ‘number of granted patents’ and ‘number of joint projects with industry’ can be a crucial factor to encourage academia to work on industrially relevant problems and to actively promote academia-industry collaboration. Complete or high funding quota through government ensures ‘protected and safe’ research but does not focus on demands of the industry and of the market, hence becomes supply driven and not driven by unmet market needs. Therefore, applied research institutes in India should generate own income at least to the level of 50%.

• Enhancing mobility between industry and academia: This is a key factor for successful collaboration and India still lacks such mobility. Moving R&D managers, professors and scientists from academia to industry and vice versa is rather common in Germany and Switzerland as it facilitates close interaction between industry and academia.

• Enhancing international mobility of professors and students: Exchange programs for students with industry and academia in other countries (student transfer) are common in countries like Germany and Switzerland. At a higher level, the cross mobility of professors between India and other countries should also increase. Learning from best practices will help India to strengthen its own innovation power.

• Providing flexibility in sharing of intellectual property: This can be a real sticking point for industry sponsored research projects in India. Often IP ownership guidelines exclusively favor academic R&D, irrespective of industry R&D’s IP used to generate the additional, application-driven IP. Present guidelines need to be tweaked to accommodate industry concerns on jointly generated IP.

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

50 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Conclusion

I t i s w ide ly ac ce pte d t hat successful research in applied and market-oriented chemical research involves increasingly close interaction between leading industry and academia. ‘Bridging t he gap’ be t ween c hemic a l industry and academia through open innovation is a successful

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

way to reach this goal which is also beneficial for India as it seeks to have a $ 1 trillion manufacturingeconomy in order to reach its goal of becoming a $ 5 trillion economy by 2025.

Acknowledgement

I received valuable input through discussions with colleagues\ from

Indian academia, Indian associations (e.g. ICC, CII, FICCI, GITA) and from research-driven chemical enterprises in India, including my own company. Some suggestions from Prof. Dr. Rahul Nabar from IIT Bombay on how to build a successful industrial-academic ecosystem in India have been included in the article and are gratefully acknowledged.

BASF’s Networks of open Innovation

Projects between academic and industrial partners can be highly effective when the setup is optimized for close interaction, focused on interesting topics and uses the strengths of the partners effectively. Topics need to be well-defined. They need to be both of industrial relevance and of academic interest. Simple outsourcing to the academic partner is considerably less beneficial, and coming up with creative answers to unimportant problems just causes frustration on the side of the academic partner.

Well trained and equipped university laboratories can deliver unique preliminary solutions such as proof of concept, prototypes or demonstrators. Such solutions, however, can often be tailored in such a way that industrial development later is straight forward. Knowing what is needed in the development phase is the strength of an industrial partner like BASF. Consequently, the industrial partner must provide professional and continuous input, as opposed to the highly inefficient method of throwing a task and money over the fence and waiting for the, hopefully, suitable answer to come back.

Over many years the combination of industrial experience and market orientation with basic research capabilities from academic partners has proven to be very fruitful. BASF has established a significant track record over the last 150 years of successful joint innovations with academia.

Academic Research Alliances

In 2006, BASF star ted a new and more systematic approach on open innovation with leading academia. This was achieved by forming eight strategic networks in the different geographies, called Academic Research Alliances. CaRLa (Catalysis Research Laboratory) was the first such alliance (in 2006, with Heidelberg University) [4], followed

51P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

by JONAS, iL, BasCat and BELLA in Europe, NORA in North America, CARA in California and NAO in Asia.

Cooperation between academic groups and BASF was frequently done before these alliances existed. In such ‘classical’ collaborations, the projects were carried out with an appropriate university providing the right skills for the task. In most cases, the research was performed in the laboratories of the academic partner and funded by BASF. Exchange in the project with the industrial partner usually occurred a couple of times, and the collaboration partner was usually different from project to project. Despite achieving good results with this approach over the years, a new way of partnership for open innovation between academia and industry was initiated with the concept of the Academic Research Alliances.

The topics for the projects are usually defined by BASF’s industrial needs for new chemistries, materials, particles, interfaces, formulations or new processes in chemistry or biotechnology which are of significant academic interest. Another important aspect of the collaboration is that the academic researchers learn about the specific industrial problems, details which are impossible to obtain without such a close collaboration. The projects must also fulfill some other requirements to be appropriate for BASF. As it is about academic−industrial partnerships, the projects should be long term (>1 year) to provide the scientist enough material for publication (e.g. thesis for PhD). In addition, BASF tries to patent all relevant results for a possible industrial application prior to scientific publication. These are usually shared patent applications with inventors from both partners, industry and academia. The academic partners do not carry out short-term projects, custom synthesis, or pure screening projects.

Launched in March 2014, BASF’s Network for Asian Open Research (NAO) drives open innovation for BASF in Asia Pacific region through scientific collaboration and creation of new ideas with academia. The program promotes development of long-term partnerships that can drive innovation mindset within BASF and leads to scouting of high quality post-doctoral talent.

Since inauguration, BASF and its partners have completed more than 40 joint research projects under the NAO framework, in the field of advanced materials and systems research, bioscience research, process research and chemical engineering as well as digitalization of R&D. Over 20% of the projects have already been transferred to BASF business units for further development regarding their market potential. Others have been integrated to BASF’s global technology portfolio or led to scientific publications. 11 post-doctoral students have joined BASF after the completion of the NAO projects.

Partenership with Industries R&D Academics

Most recently, BASF expanded the scope of NAO by including the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) and the National Chemical Laboratory Pune (NCL) as university partners in India. Additional Indian academia are foreseen to join in the coming years. The expansion of NAO to India underpins BASF’s objective to tap into the leading Indian academia and its talent pool. The two additions from India expands the network to now 12 partner universities across China, Japan, Korea and India, further enhancing BASF’s open innovation approach in the Asia Pacific region.

References

1. H. Chesbrough, W. Vanhaverbeke and J. West (Eds.), New Frontiers in Open Innovation. Oxford University Press. Oxford/UK. 20142. R. Nabar, Chemical Engineering World. www.cewindia.com. 2019, 54, 5, 42-493. https://www.ted.com/talks/cathy_mulzer_the_incredible_chemistry_powering_your_smartphone. 20194. T. Schaub, A. S. K. Hashmi and R. A. Paciello. Tackling Challenges in Industrially Relevant Homogeneous Catalysis: The Catalysis Research Laboratory (CaRLa), an Industrial−Academic Partnership. J. Org. Chem. 2019, 84, 8, 4604-4614

52 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

53P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Yongming Gu, Dr. Guobin Sun, Erika Zhu, Di Wu, Sean XiaoCovestro Polymers (China) Co., Ltd

Dr. Klaus Coves Ftrroa nDkeeunt,s cDhilrakn Sdo AoGnt jens

Dr. Roland Stoer, Heiko HartfielWINDnovation Engineering Solutions GmbH

An Advanced Polyurethane Resin for Wind Turbine Blades: Enhanced Performance with Lower Blade Cost

Abstract

A m a j o r o b j e c t i v e f o r developing and expanding the use of renewable energies

is to focus on technologies and products that also bring societal benefits. While wind power showssignificant advantages as a clean energy source, its broader use faces challenges on a cost basis. This paper evaluates new developments in the production of sustainable wind energy based on advances in polyurethane materials, while also noting that a related objective is toreduce wind power cost.

Making Wind Power Competitive

C o v e s t r o i s a w o r l d w i d e manufacturer of high-tech polymer materials for a range of industries, while WINDnovation is a leading designer of rotor blades for multi-megawatt wind turbines. Covestro requested a study to evaluate the potential benefits of using polyurethane (PU) as a laminate matrix in wind turbine blades. Together, the two companies have combined efforts to evaluate new

PU materials for advanced uses in various components of wind blades. The goal has been to assess these materials in applications thatrequire greater blade speed and higher output, while also meeting the industry challenge for future, long term development.

A critical objective is to demonstrate the “workability” of wind power as a cost-effective, more sustainable energy source. Reaching this goal requires an integrated approach along the entire value chain, including production, marketing, and monitoring during service. Current research and development ventures point to the renewable property of wind energy as a majorcomponent in the worldwide energy market. This objective depends on making wind energy more competitive by reducing elements or streamlining the supply chain—as well as developing approaches to innovate for higher energy output.

The trend toward longer blades has led to new material innovation to meet needs associated with this development. From a material perspective, one essential research focus has been lighter weight

blades. In turn, such blades incorporate less raw material, which leads to better product performance.

Another objective is faster, more e f f ic ient produc t ion, which ultimately relies on shorter infusion and curing times. Combined with minimized cycle time for producing an entire wind blade, the overall result is a reduced use of energy associated with each. Ultimately, this process can lead to better air quality that results from a higher component of renewable energy.

I n t h i s way, r e s e a rc h a nd development associated with these efforts aligns with a number of United Nations Sustainable Development goals (UN SDGs), including:

Affordable clean energy• Decent work and economic

growth• Indust r y, innovat ion and

infrastructure• S u s t a i n a b l e c i t i e s a n d

communities• Responsible consumption and

production• Climate action

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

54 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

The result is a lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE).a That is, if production cost for blades is 10% to 15% less, along with lower weight, and consistent performance is combined with increased length, LCOE could be further reduced.

The shape and dimensions of wind turbine blades are determined by the aerodynamic performance required to eff iciently extract energy from the wind, and by the strength required to resist forces on the blade. The latter is where a stronger material could play its role.

Figure 1 indicates blade length and mass development over past years.For modern blade designs, stiffness

Figure 1. Global trend of blade length and mass (source: WINDnovation).

in combination with compressive strength and fatigue characteristics are the design driving parameters. All developments that extend the limits of existing glass/epoxy laminates are welcomed by rotor blade designers and manufacturers.Over past years, challenges have been identified for the structural design of blades:

• Slender blades offer very limited internal space to accommodate

the blade structure.• Blade mass should be as low

as possible (in order to reduce loads and minimize cost).

• Long, slender blades often face tip-to-tower clearance problems, indicating the need for high performance glass fiber and carbon fiber as well as sophisticated analysis methods.

Research and New Materials Propel Development and Progress

In 2009, based on a grant from the US Department of Energy (US DoE), Covestro began research on an innovative polyurethane

(PU) solution to allow the wind power industry to move beyond a major challenge for its future development. Given wind power growth trends in China and Europe, this effort clearly holds promise. Wind blades account for 20% to 25% of wind turbine cost, so cost reduction of blades can support reduced LCOE for the wind industry.

Development progress started from PU resin chemistry research, and it

extends to PU infusion process development. The first commercial product was introduced in 2019. Asignif icant component of the research associated with this breakthrough was conducted by Covestro and partners in the entire wind energy industry value chain. These included wind turbine and blade manufacturers, a fiberglass supplier, a machine producer andWINDnovation, a blade designer.

A key development in the advance of blade technology is related to the use of the polyurethane (PU) resins. Because lightweight design allows for longer rotor blades, essential design requirements can be met with the new resins. WINDnovation initially expressedinterest in enhancing blade design by exploiting PU characteristics and advantages.

As that work indicated, PU resin is suitable for wind turbine blade manufacture, and it offers blade cost advantages. For ease in assembly, it also is possible to substitute PU as a replacement for another infusion resin, or consider full design implementation to ma x i m i z e ove ra l l s av i ng s . Covestro is currently working with WINDnovation to calculate the full design advantages and options for use of the PU resin.

Figure 2 shows a wind turbine installation at the Datang wind farm in northern China. The 55.2 m wind blade with PU spar cap and shear web has been operating since October 2018. The accompanying graph shows kwh of electricity generated f rom insta l lat ion through mid May 2019.

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

55P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Agile Designability and its Advantages

The new PU resin offers advantages in terms of fast infusion and fast curing performance in production of the very large-fiber composites used in blades. The initial viscosity of PU resin is very low, which brings the advantage of fast infusion during wind blade production. Figure 3 shows the viscosity of PU resin is only 58 mPa.s at 25oC, which is significantly lower than that of conventional epoxy infusion resin.

Figure 2. This wind turbine with its PU wind blade continues to run well while experiencing high use.

Total ca. 3000k kwh electricity generated until mid May 2019Average turbine use 99.6%

Figure 3. Initial viscosity at different temperatures.

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

56 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Under the same condit ions, polyurethane resin has better flow characteristics than epoxy resin due to its low viscosity, which can result in greater infusion speed. Figure 4 shows the viscosity of PU is below 600 mPa.s in 140 minutes at 25°C after mixing, which is suitable for large wind blade production. Particularly at the beginning of 90 minutes, the viscosity of polyurethane remains below 300 mPa.s, which means PU will be infused much faster than conventional epoxy infusion resin during wind blade production.

The cur ing behav ior of t he polyurethane resin offers additional advantages. A lmost complete curing is possible in less than 4 h at 80°C, and pre-curing time can be even shorter, potentially saving valuable processing time.

Summary of Property Evaluations

Several blade properties were evaluated as part of a benchmark study conducted by WINDnovation.b1 These evaluations were based on the SR552-2 rotor blade design.

Material Data. PU-based composite in combination with the PU infusion process leads to higher fiber matrix ratios, potentially offering superior mechanical properties compared to convention al epoxy-based composite, where there is potential to reduce blade mass (Figure 5). Analyses based on two scenarios were conducted by WINDnovation: (a) 1-to-1 replacement of resin without any form of optimization, and (b) structure optimization by the use of mechanical property advantages associated with the use of PU. Figure

1b Source: Doc. No. 00220-00, Covestro PU Benchmark Study

Figure 4. Viscosity curves at different temperatures.

Figure 5. Mechanical property comparisons. (EP: epoxy resin PU: polyurethane resin TM: TM fiberglass from CPIC.)

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

57P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Structural Configuratio. The design PU-1on1 (1-to-1 replacement of re s in w it hout a ny for m of optimization) has the same structural configuration as the original blade SR552-2, with the exception that PU resin is substituted for EP resin throughout

Figure 6. Distribution of spar cap layers.

Figure 7. Comparison of potential weight reduction.

the entire blade. The result is a blade design with lower efforts, less deflection, better fatigue properties and increased stability. For mass reduction, the blade structure would need to be adjusted according to the new strength properties. This is for design PU-opt (structure

optimization by the use of PU mechanical property advantages), mainly by reducing the layers of the spar cap and by adjusting the layup at the root, in order to maintain a valid comparison. Figure 6 shows the layer distribution along the blade.

Blade Weight. Calculations show blade weight can initially be reduced by 1.1% as a result of direct resin substitution, while maintaining necessary strength. Figure 7 shows blade weight can be reduced up to 5.0% with the PU-opt blade design.

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

58 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

59P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Blade Deflection. With increasing blade length at a given power rating, blade deflection becomes more crucial. This key design parameter is necessary to avoid collision between blade tips and the tower. Figure 8 compares values when using higher fiber matrix ratios (FMRs). With PU as a matrix, deflection in design PU-1on1 is considerably reduced by 2.1%. The resulting deflection of the optimized design PU-opt is maintained, and it is similar to theoriginal SR552-2, with a difference of just -0.03%.

Figure 8. Deflection comparison.

Figure 10. Maximum overall IFF efforts.

Static Moment. With reduced blade weight, static moment also decreases, as Figure 9 indicates. While the weight optimized design

Figure 9. Static moment comparison.

PU-opt achieves a static moment reduction of 2.54%, the design PU-1on1 already shows a static moment reduction of 1.76%, only by substituting the resin. A reduction in static moment has the positive effect that fatigue loads on the turbine are reduced, and the operational life of certain components can be prolonged.

Interfiber Failure (IFF). IFF can be one of the most critical failure cases in a rotor blade design. In Figure 10, the maximum overall IFF efforts are shown for all blade components for each design. The

higher stiffness of the spar cap leads to a redistribution of load in the blade and therefore to a significantly reduced IFF effort in

every component of design PU-1on1.

The significant reduction in IFF efforts, with the optimized design PU-opt, represent a positive result and thus increase the safety margins considerably. Instead of 0.98, the ef for ts could be reduced to 0.87, a reduction of 11.2%, indicating even further optimization potential.

Conclusions

When substituting each standard laminate ply by a PU/TM ply in a 1:1 scenario (design PU- 1on1), blade weight decreased slightly. As a result, IFF and deflection safety margins improved considerably. The effect on the fatigue analysis was quite small, and it cannot be evaluated, as fatigue test data for the PU/TM material were not available.

Carrying out an optimization of the design PU-1on1, which leads to design PU-opt, the PU reduced material use for the entire blade considerably at 5.0%. A very important result (particularly for large wind turbines) is the fact that this mass reduction leads to a reduction in fatigue loads. Again, this allows designers not only to further reduce blade mass, but also the mass of other wind turbine components (especially the hub) in proportion. Additionally, a reduction in the number of layers enables a faster and easier infusion process.

In summary, the optimization of the SR552-2 according to the capabilities of the PU material was performed successfully, and it resulted in a lighter blade.

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

60 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

COVER STORY

Growth Outlook for Polyurethane in IndiaBy Priya Fonseca

The Indian polyurethane market is poised to be the second largest polyurethane

market in Asia cater ing to a vast range of industries such as automotive, two wheelers, railways, refrigeration, footwear, insulation, bedding, building construction, coatings, adhesives and sealants, and elastomers. India will break through to its leadership position riding on the strengths of the three core areas that are crucial to ensure successful growth namely, safety, sustainability and comfort.

Safety – To include safe practices and safe handling of materials.

Sustainabilit y – Sustainable chemistr y covers the design, m a n u f a c t u r e a n d u s e o f efficient, effective, safe and more environmentally benign chemical products and processes.

Comfort – Touching lives through housing, foam for mattresses, footwear, mobility and so much more.

These all-encompassing three dimensions of polyurethanes are the backbone of g rowth for the industry. Polyurethane industry in India has registered double digit growth during the last five years. By ensuring best practices in each dimension, this number is expected to double every four years in the coming

decade. According to the IPuA, the cumulative growth expected in the next three years is 60%. The per capita polyurethane consumption in India is 440gm and this is set to increase due to factors such as mandatory building codes that will see the growth of opportunities for insulation, aggressive push towards polyurethane foam in the automotive industr y, and government reforms that will likely boost consumption, with reforms like GST expected to improve compliance and growth in the organised sector.

With growth being the f inal vector in the prismatic realm of polyurethane, we at Pu Today reached out to industry members to give us their views related to the vital segments of Transport, C on s t r uc t ion , F u r n i t u re & Sleep Products, Footwear and Appliances. What follows is a 360 degree perspective on the growth outlook for polyurethane in India.

TRANSPORT

Mr. Pravin MahajanPerformance Materials, BASF

Polyurethanes will dr ive the mobility of tomorrow.

Polyurethanes have tremendous potential to drive the future of the automotive industry with their versatile properties and unlimited

application possibilities. With polyurethanes, car innovations in construction and design can turn from ideas into ideal solutions to bring about the mobility of tomorrow.

A s i g n i f i c a n t p a r t o f t h e growing chatter about the ACES (Autonomous – Connected – Electric –Shared mobility) trends is driven by customer’s need for sustainability, affordability and safe solutions. Stricter emission norms, increased awareness about sustainability and climate change have accelerated the demand for cleaner transport solutions, putting additional pressure on automotive manufacturers to launch innovative products. This market t rend has t r iggered a huge interest from OEMs in new mobile emission technologies, light weighting solutions as well as in electrification - all key fields that can bank upon innovation in chemistry. Polyurethanes as well as engineering plastics are great examples of how chemistry can help replace traditional materials in car interiors and body, making them lighter. These materials have the potential to make the mobility of today and tomorrow, more efficient, cleaner, safer, more comfortable and more beautiful. In fact, a simple reduction of 100kg from a car weight leads to eliminating emissions of approx. 8.5mg of CO

2 per km.

61P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

COVER STORY

Another example of chemistry-driven innovations is the advanced mobile emission catalysts solutions to meet the new BS VI norms. As the 1st April 2020 deadline looms near, the Indian automotive industry is gearing up to meet BS VI. It is expected that BS VI regulations will indeed reduce CO, HC, NOx and PM levels considerably, together with CAFE’s stricter requirement in reducing CO

2. Complying with BS VI regulations will also take India closer to the country’s vision of electric vehicles. At the same time, the significant cost savings will make the transition towards EVs smoother.

FY 2019 was disappointing for the overall automotive industry in India in terms of vehicle production due to declining demand by customers across all segments. We believe that once the market moves towards BS VI coming up in April 2020, the demand for chemistry-driven innovations and in particular demand for polyurethanes will likely stabilize as the industry returns to positive growth. As the overall automotive market ownership per capita is still comparatively low, the Indian market has tremendous potential for long term growth.

Mr. Rohit RelanManaging Director Bharat Seats Ltd

The key to success in a global market is ensur ing seamless movement of goods across the country. This is true for exports as well. India’s transport network requires a lot of improvement and preparedness to handle

this growth. Despite substantial investments for infrastructure development in the last few years and the present government’s thrust on infrastructure, the increase in freight movement has rendered the network of roadways, railways and inland waterways insufficient.

India should pursue a transport in f rast r uc ture s t rateg y t hat maximizes cost efficiency, reduces losses and enhances energ y efficiency. This focus will ensure a thrust to the use of polyurethane in the transportation industry for

automotive, railways, defense, submarines, shipping and aircraft. The Indian auto indust r y is considered one of the main industries for creating employment as well as contributing towards the national GDP. This sector however, due to various reasons is not showing any remarkable rise in production as was predicted earlier. The production figures for the passenger car, commercial vehicles, 3-wheeler and 2-wheeler in the year 2019-2020 is at 26845630 going up marginally to 27883458 for the year 2020-2021 and further to 30548225 for the year 2022-23.

Indian Railway used by a major chunk of India’s population is being modernised and upgraded across the country. The switch back to polyurethane in all their seats and berths is good news for the polyurethane industry. Further, railway tracks are also being modernized and it here that polyurethane will serve the purpose of NVH.

Polyurethane is used in every form of transportation throughout the world and brings with it benefits like comfort, weight saving, safety and design freedom.

In today’s world every industry is working towards protecting our environment. Lightweight and fuel efficiency is the order of the day with a stress on bringing down the weight be it for the automotive industry or the Indian railways. The idea that heavier is safer no longer holds. This means not only using alternate materials, but also

The key to success in a global market is ensuring seamless movement of goods across the country.

This is true for exports as well. India’s transport

network requires a lot of improvement and

preparedness to handle this growth.

The switch back to polyurethane in all

their seats and berths is good news for the polyurethane

industry.

62 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

making parts and components in such a way that is more fuel ef f icient that will reduce the industry’s carbon footprints.

Polyurethane plays an important role in reducing the cost of the vehicle. The densities of the foam have reduced up to 30% to 40% in seating systems while retaining its mechanical properties.

The factors mentioned above, along with the newly initiated vehicle scrappage policy (Capping the life of the vehicles in terms of years of kilometres run) which should be through soon, will help reduce pollution as well as induce demand for new vehicles. Thus, polyurethane will continue to grow in India in the transportation industry.

CONSTRUCTION

Mr. Isaac EmmanuelH e a d - I n c l u s i v e B u s i n e s s (Construction) & Advocacy, Covestro (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Making India future ready with polyurethane insulation is the goal of rigid foamers in partnership with raw material suppliers. It is a sobering fact that the average life of a building in India is half that of those in developed countries. Factors like climate change along with poor ventilation and high heat transfer are responsible for condensat ion and st ructural damages. Effective protection from local climate cannot be realized without thermal insulation. It is important to ensure that the buildings of today and tomorrow

(70% of India’s buildings are still to be built) are energy efficient in terms of design.

In today’s polymer landscape polyurethane is the best insulating material with heat transfer co-efficiency and thermal conductivity being the two core benefits of polyurethane rigid foam.

In order to simultaneously achieve the objectives of sustainability, energy security and business competitiveness of the energy efficiency (EE) market, innovation and energy utilization needs to be

reviewed both from the demand and supply side. The key factor in the development and diffusion of innovations to mitigate climate change is policy support, especially in implementation. On the demand side, policy measures to promote innovation in energy efficiency can address the barr iers and market imperfections that prevent the uptake of energy efficiency innovations. Such barriers include information asymmetries, split incentives, lack of interaction between user and producer, lack of awareness, and lack of capabilities to define needs or respond to innovation.

The McKinsey Global Institute estimates that at the beginning of 2014, India had only tapped into 5 per cent of its potential energy savings capacity, and the resulting savings are US$14.8 billion.

By improving energy efficiency in buildings alone (including s t a nda rd e ne r g y- e f f ic ie nc y measures in new construction and retrofits in existing ones) the estimated savings are around 2,988 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity, savings worth $42 billion per annum. The costs of these EE improvements will range from $5 to 10 billion, with payback periods of five to ten years. When compared to costs of building new power plants or operate existing ones, the case for saving energy is even more evident.

The challenge lies in the fact that as it is still not mandatory as per ECBC Code, it is not considered a compulsory item. Ideally, BEE,

COVER STORY

The densities of the foam have reduced up

to 30% to 40% in seating systems while

retaining its mechanical properties.

The costs of these EE improvements will range

from $5 to 10 billion, with payback periods of five to ten years. When

compared to costs of building new power

plants or operate existing ones, the case for saving

energy is even more evident.

63P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

building designers / architects as well as specialised trade agencies should ensure product application. The scope for product application in the next f ive years is vast considering the rising popularity of building Energy Efficient Green Building and ult imate cover savings. As a consolation, it is also part of energy conservation code of India and National Building code Sustainability Chapter as well as CPWD and PWD DSR.

Dr. Satish KumarPresident & Executive Director, Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE)

AEEE is a policy advocacy and energy efficiency market enabler engaged in creating awareness on energy efficiency as a resource.

It is crucial for India to transition to a responsibly built and cooled environment. To achieve this, at AEEE we believe in a lean, mean and green ideological pyramid to achieve thermal comfort for all in the space cooling sector. Buildings need to be lean with better building designs including insulation, shading and insulation that comply with adaptive thermal comfort and ECBC.

By ‘mean,’ we mean, achieving thermal and visual comfort with energy efficient appliances and equipment, behavioral change to embrace adaptive thermal comfort etc.

With green, we mean reducing the carbon footprint using climate-friendly refrigerants, renewable

e n e r g y, R & D a n d m a r k e t transformation to encourage and reward disruptors and innovators.

FURNITURE AND SLEEP PRODUCTS

Mr. Govind GuptaMarketing Manager, Dow Polyurethane

B u o y e d r i s i n g h o u s e h o l d income, the coming of age of a new generat ion, and other socioeconomic forces, overall consumer spending in India is likely to expand 3.6 times from USD 991bn in 2010 to USD 3.6

trillion by 2020. The projected 14% growth rate is much faster than the anticipated annual global growth of 5.5% and even faster than the anticipated growth in emerging economies of 9%. This outlook has increased discretionary spending on products and solutions that bring comfort in urban living. In India, consumers seek durability as much as comfort. Polyurethanes are uniquely positioned to create solutions that meet these unique demands.

O v e r t h e l a s t f e w y e a r s ma nu fac t u re r s a re look ing for a blend of innovation and collaboration for furniture and bedding solut ions that of fer additional properties such as odour control, temperature control, wash-ability, look and feel.

Dow Polyurethanes is combining its knowledge of material science with an understanding of how human beings think, feel, sense and behave – collectively called ComfortScience.

Mr. Siddharth MalaniManaging Director, Shree Malani Foams (P) Ltd.

India’s mattress market is estimated to be a sum of about 7 million factory made mattresses and about 13 million mattresses which are made in the unorganised sector, totalling to nearly 20 million mattresses per year. The foam consumption in the mattress segment is approximately 5 kgs/mattress in the factory made mattresses (i.e. 35,000 tons/

COVER STORY

The scope for product application in the

next five years is vast considering the rising popularity of building Energy Efficient Green Building and ultimate

cover savings.

To achieve this, at AEEE we believe in a lean, mean and green ideological pyramid to

achieve thermal comfort for all in the space

cooling sector.

64 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

year) and 2.5 kgs/mattress in the unorganised sector (i.e. 32,500 tons / year); totalling to nearly 67,500 tons/year in mattress sector.The mattress sector on the whole is expected to grow at about 5% on volume basis in the near to mid-term with the organised sector growing faster at 7% and unorganised sector a bit slower at 4% per annum. Historically, the foam content in a mattress has also been growing quite fast, basis which the foam growth in mattress was nearly 12% per annum.

However, last 1 to 2 years has seen the increase of EPE content outpace the increase of foam content in a mattress. Out of the 20 million mattresses made per year, as high as 10 million mattresses could have EPE content as a layer of the mattress. This trend is on an upswing even with branded mattresses. K e e p i n g i n m i n d t h e s e developments, the outlook for foam growth in the mattress sector is a range of 5 to 7% per annum only.

FOOTWEAR

Dr. John R HobdellTechnology & Innovation Director, ISC, Huntsman International (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Footwear continues to be an enormously important market for PU in India. Historically this has been driven by the combination of excellent materials properties and the high production efficiency which can be obtained with PU.

In the past, the India footwear market has been dominated by open shoes (chappals). However, there is a transition to closed shoes, especially ath-leisure type products, driven by both fashion and consumer preferences.

Initially footwear manufacturers will use their existing installed pouring type equipment to start making the transition to closed footwear and, over time, investment in new injection equipment and machinery will allow even more versatility in design to be achieved. At the recent Kerala Footwear

Expo footwear manufacturers met to share experiences with the manufacture of closed footwear and were encouraged to set their ambition to serve not only the emerging domestic market but also the export market.

With these new segments opening up for PU footwear in India we can continue to expect growth rates well into double figures for the coming years.

Mr. Neeraj Garg MD, JBLD International Private Ltd.

Market outlook for PU in footwear: At another turning point.

The growth in demand of PU for making slippers and chappals is taking a pause after more than one decade of unprecedented double digit growth. During this tenure however, PU demand in other segments like unit soles and safety shoe is keeping the momentum.

Key g row th dr ivers for this phenomenal growth in slipper segment were new designs, stylish, light weighted and durable slippers at reasonable prices which became a decent value proposition for the wearer. At the same time, low cost manufac tur ing set up, low production cost and hig h produc t iv it y at t rac ted manufac ture r s to se r ve t he requirement. The entire ecosystem from upper to availability of PU chemicals and low cost machine to moulds came forward and supported this growth.

Whole journey of PU penetration

COVER STORY

Out of the 20 million mattresses made per year,

as high as 10 million mattresses could

have EPE content as a layer of the mattress. This trend is on an upswing even with branded mattresses.

The India footwear market has been

dominated by open shoes (chappals). However, there is a transition to closed shoes, especially

ath-leisure type products, driven by both fashion and consumer

preferences.

65P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

from less than 2% in 2005 to 10% in 2017 was joyful except for some painful areas which may not have received the right amount of importance over the years like sustainability in term of disposal of PU waste, competitiveness against other substrates, innovation to expand the use in sport shoes etc.

In re ce nt t ime s , consu me r behaviour is changing. People are more conscious about health and lifestyle. They prefer wearing trendy, colourful, light weighted, comfortable, antiskid and sporty shoes. Unfortunately, low cost imported shoes were able to serve the requirement pushing a pause button to locally made PU slipper demand. Imports of footwear is increasing month on month and PU demand is slowing down with time.

Now, this is the time to get together and come up with solutions. Solutions that include right upper, innovative PU systems, modern moulds and skills to produce a trendy and comfortable shoe to meet the ever-changing customer expectations.

As far as PU systems are concerned, system suppliers are ready with extremely responsive PU systems for making trendy and stylish shoes. Recent innovations in hybrid PU system can deliver properties like longer shelf life, unmatchable rebound (70%), excellent wear and tear resistance, superior abrasion resistance (< 80 Mg weight loss), antiskid, rich soft feel, good shock absorption, and easy to use.

Hybrid systems are not new and have been commercially available for more than three decades but they were never as robust as they are now. Let us hope for a better future with upcoming trends in footwear.

APPLIANCES

Mr Sanjay GandhiSenior Vice President & Head Sourcing, Godrej - Appliances

Polyurethane - A big move on the green manufacturing front.

Today, the Indian consumer durables market stands at an inflection point given the major policy changes and macroeconomic factors in play, coupled with technological advancements, digital inf luence and growing aspirations of the Indian consumer.

The Indian consumer durables segment is valued at INR 55000 Cr. and is expected to achieve a 15% growth rate by the end of this fiscal year. Currently, the penetration levels stand at 30% for refrigerators and 12% for washing machines, followed by air conditioners at 5%. The India growth story is set for a major push given the low penetration levels of consumer durables.

The consumer durables segment is a high volume and low margin business. The growing competition in this globally connected economy has raised a host of challenges for the industry. The external forces comprising of the 4Cs - Consumer sentiments, Commodity volatility, Cl imate c hange and g loba l Competition (from countries like Korea, US, Japan & China). This is constantly putting immense pressure on the players in the market to innovate in order to meet consumer demands.

The key advantage of aesthetically de sig ned appl ia nces i s t he augmented perception of product quality and user exper ience. The per formance and energ y efficiency of the product also plays a significant role in enhancing the longevity of the product.

COVER STORY

In recent times, consumer behaviour is changing. People are more conscious about health and lifestyle.They prefer wearing

trendy, colourful, light weighted,

comfortable, antiskid and sporty shoes.

The consumer durables segment is a high

volume and low margin business. The growing

competition in this globally connected

economy has raised a host of challenges for the industry.

66 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Given the petrochemical industry’s g lobal integ rat ion, reg ional demand-supply imbalances have an impact on international prices. Hence the commencement of production at new capacities, f luctuation in crude oil prices and seasonal demand in a region affects international prices. Tariff levels for some of the FTA related imports have gradually fallen in the past decade and the domestic prices are closely linked to global prices and determined by the landed costs. Hence the choice of material, grade and its usage play a critical role in delivering the product performance and meeting the energy efficiency norms.

B o t h t h e r m o p l a s t i c s a n d thermosets have been widely used in the design and manufacturing of appliances. Thermoplastics are used in high volumes and have a wide range of applications, exhibiting higher performance in areas of heat resistance, chemical re si s t ance , impac t and f i re retardancy. On the other hand, thermosets (like polyurethane) are used in appliances like refrigerator and chest freezers, for its insulating properties.

A few data points to shed more light on the market opportunity for polyurethanes:

Godrej Appliances has been a pioneer in introducing PUF technology in refrigerators and was the first to use 100% CFC/HCFC/HFC free foaming and refrigerant material. Our manufacturing units in Shirwal and Mohali are the first to achieve the prestigious Platinum Plus Green Co. rating by CII Green Business Council. Developing green and energy-efficient solutions is at the core of the brand’s product development process. We collaborated and engaged with reputed global and domestic partners to meet our demand for polyurethanes. As one of the leading players, we bring out innovative products with a great performance which are robust, cost-efficient and at the same time are more appealing to the consumers. This has helped the brand in creating customer satisfaction and gaining competitive advantage.

Godrej Appliances is deeply committed to sustainable business deve lopment by integ rat ing concepts of circular economy, responsible and sustainable supply chain in our business strategy, setting new industry benchmarks in sustainability.

Innovative solutions to meet the dynamic demands of the customer and new governmental policies or reforms constitute the underlying key factors to growth of polyurethane in all the major sectors. To ensure growth is well planned and achieved, industry members will come together at the premier think tank platform to explore unlimited business opportunities.

The largest edit ion of IPUA’s flagship event, Pu Tech 2020 is set to highlight the prismatic realm of polyurethanes. The 6th edition of the triennial polyurethane exhibition and conference in India will witness the convergence of industry players. Companies will highlight innovations, new equ ipment a nd mac hine r y, processes and products. The conference will bring to the fore f ront cutt ing edge solut ions, knowledge and presentations by experts. Pu Tech 2020 will usher in synergy towards collective growth.

COVER STORY

Innovative solutions to meet the dynamic

demands of the customer and new governmental

policies or reforms constitute the underlying key factors to growth of polyurethane in all the

major sectors.

Category

Refrigerators

Chest Freezers

Market Sizeby Volume

1.2 Cr units

6.15 lacs

Projected CAGR for next 3 Years

12%

17%

Demand for Polyurethanes in MTPA

75600

6755

67P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Energy Efficiency Mobile App

The IPUA, as a mentor of the India Insulation Forum (IIF), is proud to announce the

launch of the Energy Efficiency Mobile App, a much needed tool for the building and construction industry in today’s ecosystem demanding sustainability. This is a joint initiative of certain members BASF, Covestro, BASF, Expanded Polymer Systems, and Huntsman, who are all active members of the IIF and sponsors of the software development. The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) 2007 for commercial bu i ld i ng s t hat e s t abl i she d minimum energy performance standards has been updated in 2017 to set higher performance benchmarks for building energy efficiency. This initiative to curb the carbon footprint of buildings is not limited to the commercial sector, as the BEE, Ministry of Power, is also in the process to unveil the ECBC for residential buildings in 2018.

However, the sector is beset by a neglect of this potential contributor to the country’s GDP through material, manpower and mind. The IPUA & IIF, having understood that the lacuna was primarily caused by a knowledge gap, commissioned the development of the Mobile App. The aim was to educate the stakeholders – architects, builders, developers and owners – on the benefits environmentally, economically and healthily through a tool available at their fingertips!

1. About: Introducing the concept of building insulation, its relation to energy efficiency & conservation and how to understand the implications.

2. Calculator: the actual algorithms with inputs on location,

construction type, etc., and output of energy and cost savings.

3. Technical: Tips on how to improve efficiency

4. Health & Safety: Tips on how to apply insulation safely. Very basic to start with and later on additions.

5. Advocacy: Regulations and how IIF is working with the authorities and the stakeholders.

Features:

1. The APP users are those in the Metros and Smart Cities in India.

2. We will have its availability in Android to start with and then iPhone.

3. The App will be free initially a nd late r needs to be enhanced for payments.

4. The App will have dynamic contents.

5. Parameters for the cool roof calculator are given below.

Scope: Mobile App has been designed and developed for the following objectives:

IPUA VENTURES

68 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

S.No. Parameter Input value

1. Location Total 100+ Indian locations provided in ISHRAE Weather Data book. 2. Orientation Min 0, Max 360, Step 5 degree3. Building type Office, Retail, Residential, Institute4. Number of floors Min 1, Max 90, Step 15. Height of each floor Floor to Floor height 6. Builtup area Min 2000 sqft, Max 50,000 sqft per floor7. Aspect Ratio Min 1, Max 5 8. Window area and type for Regular Windows or Strip windows, Window to Wall Ratio each façade Window construction Single, Double glazed (Properties: U value, Shading

Coefficient, and Visible Light Transmittance)9. Overhang and fin Depth of shade, Distance from Window10. Roof construction Construction layers11. External wall construction Construction layers12. Reflectivity of external surfaces White, Grey, Dark, or input exact known value 13. Insulation material properties Thermal Conductivity, Specific Heat, Density14. HVAC Type PSZ, PTHP, Packaged DX, Central system with air cooled

chiller, Central system with water cooled chiller. 15. Cost of insulation Rs. per area or volume16. Electricity Charges kWh and kW charges

The tool would have following inputs for 5 zone core and parameter model –

IPUA VENTURES

69P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

IPUA VENTURES

Output parameters –

1. Electricity Consumption per year

2. Cost of electricity use3. Payback of using insulation

material over provided base construction

IPUA has over a period of time evolved as the voice of the Industry and this initiative is a clear step towards demonstrating that we

BACKEND

walk the talk, thus strengthening our leadership position to influence core economic & fiscal policies of the Government and its implications to the industry at large.

Under t he IPUA , t he India Insulation Forum was launched in 2013 with the support of Bureau of Energy Efficiency to consolidate and strengthen the insulation implementat ion in building

sector. It conducts programs for awareness, applicator training and building the ecosystem to support implementation of the ECBC. Through this App, we believe the building and construction industry will receive the much needed fillip to benefit from the most efficient insulation material made by man so far – polyurethanes.

70 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

71P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

GBU-IPUA Sign Up For Strategic Industry Program Launch IPUA

INDIAN POLYURETHANE ASSOCIATION

IPUA VENTURES

The Indian Polyurethane Associat ion (IPUA) was founded about 27 years ago.

The vision of IPUA was to grow the usage of Polyurethane applications in diverse segments and thereby create a significant market volume for this versatile polymer.

Polyurethane is a compound derived by the mixing of various chemicals and has a large number of applicat ions which makes this the most versatile polymer. Polyurethane end use applications range from refrigeration, insulation, cold chain, automotive, footwear, specialty engineering, adhesive, binders, elastomers & many more. The Knowledge and awareness of Polyurethane as a product is by far less as compared to the conventional Plastics.

It is in this context that Indian Polyurethane Association decided to expand its functioning by first setting up a Virtual Technical Centre at the Venture Centre Complex, next to National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) in 2017. The primary function of Virtual Technical Centre is to carry out training programs for the industry, alongwith writing Project Reports, doing trouble shooting and referring Polyurethane industry people to subject matter experts. There are no structured academic Polyurethane chemistry programs or its applications taught in Indian Universities. Indian Polyurethane Association and Gautam Buddha

University (GBU), Greater Noida partnered to introduce a Post-Graduate Diploma Program of one year duration (2 semesters) with Industrial internship. This will make candidates available to fulfill the technical requirements of the Industry. This is also an attempt in the skill development effort by

the Association. To the best of our knowledge this is the first mega effort in PU industry across the world.

The Polyurethane industry is a growing industry and it is the need of the hour to have skilled man power who will be responsible to

72 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

One-Day Seminar on Foam Blowing Agents (Rigid foam sector) 10 February 2020- New Delhi

IPUAINDIAN POLYURETHANE ASSOCIATION

In 1987, the Montreal Protocol was signed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the

production of several substances responsible for Ozone depletion such as, CFCs, HCFCs. CFCs has been phased out since 1996 in industrialized countries, and recently in developing countries. The t ransit ion process f rom HCFC-141b to alternate blowing agent has been taking place in most industrialized countries in the beginning of previous decade. In Indian perspective use of HCFC141b has been stopped from 1st Jan 2020.Examining

alternatives for HCFC-141b it was important to consider the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of the replacement blowing agents, since the Kyoto protocol had identified HFCs as industrial gases requiring emission control due to their high GWP, several producers have started the development of HFOs . HFOs have very low GWP but their availability on industrial scale is expected to take few years and they do not provide a very cost-effective solution. So, to know the opinion of Indian Industries about what are the alternative solutions available and how is the performance of the

available solutions with respect to the physical and mechanical properties of the finished product, IPUA had organized a One-Day Seminar on 10th February 2020 at New Delhi. There were eight presenters from various industries, such as the blowing agent producers companies, the companies which produce the blended the polyol, using alternative blowing agent. Also, there was a presenter from the machinery manufacturer who retrofits the equipments, to suit new blowing agents.

The first presenter Dr. Sudipto Chakraborty from Honeywell explained about his company’s

IPUA VENTURES

run the industry in the future. This is in line with the “Make India” initiative to support the manufacturing Industry with right level of knowledge, skill and experience. This joint exercise between an Industry Association and a University to offer a full -fledged Post Graduate Diploma is also unique in its own way with both shouldering responsibility.

GBU & IPUA have signed the MOU on 08th January 2020 at the former’s campus. This will be a beginning of a strategic collaboration that will put India as the global skill capital for Polyurethane Industry.IPUA & its members will also

support in creating a state of the art laboratory for Polyurethane, as well as creating the course curriculum and its adoption.

“The signing marks a milestone for the Polyurethane Industry in India and a unique academia-Industry collaboration. On maturity this program will expand as a global resource pool for the industry”, says Dr. G N Mahesh, Chairman of IPUA.

Gautam Buddha University (GBU), a state university established by the Uttar Pradesh Act (9) of 2002, commenced its f irst academic session in 2008 at its 511 acre state-of art infrastructure campus,

Greater Noida. The University is recognized by the University Grants Commission under UGC Act and is a member of the Association of Indian Universities.

IPUA is the sole Polyurethane Industry Association in India which promotes the growth of polyurethanes through multiple ac t iv i t ie s . T he A s soc iat ion represents the whole spectrum of Polyurethane industry from r aw m at e r i a l s , e q u ipme nt manufacturers, processors, additive suppliers, Academics, Laboratories and to a whole host of end users.

73P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

portfolio including Solstice LBA, Solstice GBA, Enovate 245fa and HFOs . The second presenter Vikas Mehta from Chemours talked about OpteonTM 1100. The third speaker Anil Bansal, from Foam Supplies Inc. talked about Ecomate the blowing agent based of methyl formate. Dr. Parag Kapdi from Expanded Polymer systems was the fourth presenter. He talked about Pentanes, used as blowing agents in blended polyols. Rajesh Rajagopal & Mohit Bansal of KPL International spoke about Solvay’s HFC based Solkane blowing agents. Thomas Nesamani of Dow Chemicals shed some light on choosing an appropriate blowing agent. He also described about the comparative advantages and limitations of different blowing agents such as HFC-245fa and HFC- 365mfc/227ea blend HFC-134a. Mr. Yogesh Shinde, from BASF, discussed about the role of blowing agent and how it affects the final properties of the finished product (Rigid Foam).He also discussed about the comparative properties of different blowing agents. Finally Ashok Kandalkar, CEH group and RIM Polymers talked about the machinery involved and retro fitting possibilities for usage of different kinds of blowing agents. He also presented his views about the safety and care one should take when transforming from HCFC141b to Cyclopentane or any other bowing agent. It was indeed a very interactive session and the response for the Blowing Agents seminar was overwhelming.

Yogesh Shinde (BASF)

Ashok Kandalkar (RIM)

Sudipto Chakraborty (Honeywell) Vikas Mehta (Chemours)

Mr. Anil Bansal (Foam Supplies Inc.)

Mr. R. Rajgopal & Mohit Bansal (KPL presented on behalf of Solvay)

Mr. T.Nesamani and Mr. S Jha (Dow Chemicals)

Dr. Parag Kapadi (Expanded Polymer systems)

IPUA VENTURES

74 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Daniel Fu- Currently working as a market ing manager i n C ove s t ro E l a s t ome r Department-APAC (China). He has a vast experience of 18 years working with multinational companies. Previously he was associated with BASF, Plastic additives department for 5 years, DuPont-Sustainable solution 3 years and Cabot international for 3 years in technical sales.

Aurélie Perrenot has joined COVESTRO – Baulé almost 17 years ago as lab engineer. Currently she is Heading the Global R&D Depar tment w i t h i n C O V E S T R O Elastomers, developing the Innovat ion C ommu nit y across regions with resources in APAC, NAFTA and EMLA, and leading cross-functional developments to ensure the high per formance of our elastomers end products.

Mickael Biscione has joined COVESTRO – Baul 15 years ago, star ted his career in Sales department. At present Mickael is directly leading all complex or specific projects for the machine division and support globally the sales force in their different projects. He is basically a mechanical engineer with a MBA degree in sales from Paris Sup de Vente.

Webinar on PU Elastomers,Organized by IPUA Technical

IPUATC organized the fifth webinar of the webinar series on 20th December 2019 on the

topic PU Elastomers. The webinar was presented by three subjected matter experts from Covestro AG, Mr. Mickael S. and Ms. Aurelie P. from France and Mr. Daniel Fu from China. Ms. Aurelie explained the preliminary chemical reactions between Diisocyanate and Polyol including the chain extension, crosslinking reactions, formation of allophanate and formation of biuret etc. She also explained how multi component system work for synthesis of PU cast elastomers. Mr. Mickael explained the differences of hand casting and machine casting. He emphasized on the three key

parameters for machine casting such as constant viscosity, constant speed and constant pressure which make the accurate dosing of the raw materials, reactants possible. He described about the Baule Machines models such as Baule® compact, Baule® alpha and Baule® Omega series. How they can be used for tailor making the elastomeric products.

Mr.Daniel Fu was supposed to brief about the main market and application, but due to loss of connectivity his part was taken over by Mr. Mickael briefing about the application such as mines and quarries, scrapers, flip-flop screens etc. in the field of oil and gas

application, industrial applications such as conveyer rolls, conveyer belts, wheels etc. He also updated that, now a days MDI based systems are being slowly replaced by TDI and MOCA crosslinker based systems which leads to improvement in operators working condition and provides business opportunities to the companies as well. The presentation was for one hour followed by 15 min Q&A session. The participants asked few questions which were satisfactorily answered by the presenters. 13 people registered for the webinar and all of them joined in the meeting. Overall it was an informative session.

IPUA VENTURES

75P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

SHE – Training for IPUA MembersIPUATC is organizing a one-day SHE training for members in East Zone

Indian Polyurethane Associations Technical Center (IPUATC) has organized a training on ‘Safety, health and Environment’ for all its members in East Zone. This training is aimed at educating the members about important aspects of health, safety and environment pertaining to polyurethane industry. Faculty

for this training are subject experts from leading industries. When: 20 March 2020Where: KolkataContent: Safety management, health and safety during isocyanate handling, storage, transportation and distribution, fire safety Who should attend: Supervisors, plant operators and senior executives of foam, sandwich panel, cast polyurethane, footwear and allied polyurethane industries.Duration: 10:00 hrs to 17hrs (Lunch will be provided at the venue) Capacity: 30 No.s

Registration: There are no registration charges for this training. However members need to register by sending email with details (name of participants, name of organization, designation, phone number and email ID) to snehalata@ipuatc.com before 18th March 2020. Registered members will get confirmation by 19 March 2020. The registration will be on the first come first serve basis.

IPUA VENTURES

76 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Can The ‘Marie Antoinette’ of India’s Economy Turn It Around?

Because the economy of one of the world’s biggest countries is in shambles.

By Maroosha Muzaffar THE DAILY DOSE DECEMBER 15, 2019

On a December morning w h e n o p p o s i t i o n members of Parliament

questioned Indian finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman about the measures the government was taking to combat the rising prices of onions, her expression turned disdainful. “I come from a family that doesn’t eat much onion,” she said.

Sitharaman’s Marie Antoinette moment , as branded by the opposition Congress party, gave rise to a flood of criticism tagging her as out of touch. Former finance minister P. Chidambaram asked if she ate avocados instead. To opponents, her comment also ser ved as a reminder of her Brahmin privilege – many upper caste Indians avoid onions as studiously as they shun beef.

But the 60-year-old, one of only two female finance ministers in the G20 – alongside Indonesia’s Sri Mulyani Indrawati – faces a challenge far more complex than opposition criticism: turning around the trajectory of the world’s sixth-largest economy. India’s GDP growth rate slumped to 4.5 percent in the July–September quarter – low marks for the developing world. The unemployment rate is the highest in four decades. India has plunged from among the top three or four fastest-growing economies in the world to being outside the top 30 or 40, points out former World Bank chief economist Kaushik Basu, now a professor at Cornell University. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise of making India a $5 trillion economy by 2024, up from $2.7 trillion now, is fast

turning into a pipe dream under Sitharaman’s watch.

That’s all surprising to Basu, who was chief economic adviser to Modi’s predecessor, Manmohan Singh, from 2009 to 2012. He says he didn’t know much of Sitharaman during his stint with the Indian government. But “she seemed like an intelligent, well-meaning person,” he says. “So I am totally baffled by her poor management of the economy.”

“SITHARAMAN WAS NOT CHOSEN TO BE [FINANCE MINISTER] FOR HER IDEAS OR EXPERTISE. SHE WAS CHOSEN FOR HER LACK OF IDEAS AND EXPERTISE.”

– Sadanand Dhume, American Enterprise Institute

ECONOMIC UPDATE

77P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Sitharaman has much going for her. Even her critics admire her perseverance — and her rapid polit ical r ise. It was only 13 years ago that she joined the Hindu nationalist BJP and was a spokesperson until 2014, when she became commerce minister in Modi’s first government. Then, in 2017, she broke gender barriers as India’s first full-time female defense minister — and the images of her flying a supersonic fighter jet went viral.

Born in Tiruchirappalli in southern Tamil Nadu state, Sitharaman has a degree in economics and studied at Jawaharlal Nehru University, where, according to 2019 economics Nobel Laureate Abhijit Banerjee, they were friends. She then worked as an assistant economist in the Agricultural Engineers Association in the U.K., and as a senior manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers, London. Sitharaman was also a part of the National Commission for Women for two years. It was during this time that Sitharaman met the late BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, who – impressed with her outspokenness – became an important ally in the party.

She has also tried to portray a more everyday image, using Twitter to talk about her favorite saris and about how she used to make pickles at home.

But to many analysts, Sitharaman’s credentials aren’t strong enough for the task she faces. “When it comes to the economy, Nirmala Sitharaman may be well-meaning, but unfortunately she doesn’t

know her knee from her elbow,” says Sadanand Dhume of the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute. “The Indian economy is sputtering, and it’s not clear if this government has the faintest idea of how to turn things around.”

Not that she isn’t t r y ing. In September, Sitharaman slashed the corporate tax from 35 percent to around 25 percent, in an attempt to attract investment. Yet it’s a move others have tried, and several economists have quest ioned whether India’s approach will work. After all, they argue, if consumers aren’t buying, investors are likely to wait until the market sentiment improves before putting more money in. She has also released $10 billion in capital infusion to public sector finance firms in a bid to boost lending. There’s little evidence yet that this move is working either.

That lack of fresh ideas is part

Nirmala Sitharaman, SOURCE PRADEEP GAUR/MINT VIA GETTY

of the problem. But it ’s not surprising, suggests Dhume, in a government where ministers are largely expected to sing paeans to Modi, who has often introduced damaging economic polic ies without consulting economic professionals. Modi’s overnight ban on high-value currency notes in November 2016, for instance, brought the GDP growth rate down by about 2 percent. “Sitharaman was not chosen to be [finance minister] for her ideas or expertise. She was chosen for her lack of ideas and expertise,” says Dhume.

She hasn’t helped herself with serial gaffes – the comment on onions was just the latest. In the wake of India’s unfolding automobile industry crisis, she blamed the slowdown on millennials who prefer ride-sharing apps over buying cars. Soon, #BoycottMillennials started trending, and hundreds of anti-Sitharaman memes were churned out and shared on Twitter and Facebook.

ECONOMIC UPDATE

78 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

79P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

ECONOMIC UPDATE

Still, even with India’s savings and investment rates going down steadily and the growth rate expected to continue below 5 percent, Sitharaman has an opportunity, say experts. “India has huge fundamental strengths, and there is no good reason why the economy should stall. The slowdown is a tragic illustration of what politics can do to the economy,” Basu says, adding that with the right mix of fiscal and monetary policies, the country could return to high growth.

For that, he says, politics must be se t a side a nd t he Modi government must encourage the best professionals “to bring their ideas to the finance minister’s table,” he says. That would mean a break from Modi’s approach of pushing away Ivy League experts and relying instead on relative

economic quacks. Modi has said he prefers hard work to Harvard.

“There is a trust deficiency in India, which is making this hard,” says Basu. “Can Nirmala Sitharaman correct this? All I can say is, I hope she can.”

Courtesy: OZY -- https://www.ozy.com/the-new-and-the-next/can-the-marie-antoinette-of-indias-economy-launch-a-comeback/255156/?utm_term=OZY&utm_

source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm campaign=DD_2019_12_15&utm_content=Final

Country’s Economy not Showing Good Signs: SwamyPTI, JAN 06 2020, 09:44AM IST UPDATED: 06 JANUARY, 2020

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy. (File Photo)

Senior Bharatiya Janata Par ty leader Subramanian Swamy on Sunday said the country’s economy is not showing good

signs though Prime Minister Narendra Modi has manifested tremendous leadership skills in fighting terror and in social welfare projects.

The fiscal decisions of the government have not yielded the desired results, the Rajya Sabha MP said here.

“Modi had shown tremendous leadership skill in fighting terror, in several social areas, micro areas like bringing toilets to every village home. But the economy is a complex system...,” he said while taking part in a discussion.

While every minister is talking about a 5 trillion dollar economy by 2024, but the current GDP growth has to be multiplied in four years to achieve that, the former Union minister said.

He said, if wages are slashed as a measure to cope with the situation, labor will become cheap but that will also cut down the people’s

purchasing power triggering dip in demand, closing down factories and rise in unemployment.

“This is one problem for which you really need an economist,” he said.

Swamy said in jest, “I think Modi has one problem with me. Not only I am an economist but also a politician.”

80 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

ECONOMIC UPDATE

Ho n o r a b l e F i n a n c e Minister, Ms. Nirmala S e e t h a r a m a n , h a s

delivered the Union budget 2020 with a dash of optimism, especially at a time when many are looking at the Indian economy with skepticism.

Let us look at what it means for the Indian chemical industry, and for manufacturers of polymers and specialty chemicals like Covestro. The government has taken quite a few direct measures to give impetus to the ‘Make in India’ drive. Higher customs duty imposed on the import of electric vehicles, import of completely built commercial vehicles and import of various automobile parts, will propel the automobile industry in India. This will generate higher demand for advanced polymers with higher efficiencies, such as polycarbonates and polyurethanes.

In the technolog y segment ,

Impact of Union Budget 2020 on the Indian Chemical Industry

schemes focused on encouraging manufacture of mobile phones, e l e c t ron ic e q u ipme nt a nd semiconductor packaging will be announced. New initiatives and policies in this sector are set to spur the growth in advanced polymers and specialty chemicals, as the manufacture of semi-conductors, si l icon chips, IC -processing chemicals, chemicals used for semi-conductor packaging, and 3D printing chemicals, will be on the rise.

There is a continued focus on investment in infrastructure, which will surely inject momentum into industries manufacturing construction chemicals, paints and coatings, PVC, vinyl compounds and water treatment chemicals and additives, to name a few.

An emphasis on sustainable sources of energy, smart meters to reduce power distribution losses and installation of solar panels are a few areas, which hold a lot

of promise for the chemical and polymer industries.

A s c h e m e t o e n c o u r a g e manufacturing of medical devices in India will be announced. Many other measures will be taken to encourage Indian manufacturers of components of medical equipment and hospital infrastructure. Here too, there’s room for applications of advanced chemical technology. The National Technical Textile Mission is proposed to boost manufac tur ing of tec hnica l textiles in India and its exports, whic h w i l l prope l dema nd among manufacturers of dyes and intermediaries, colorants and paints and specialty chemicals, among others.

Overall, the budget holds promise for the manufacturing industries at large and if implemented well, it will certainly have a positive impact on the Indian chemical industry.

81P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Company Collects 80% of City’s Recyclable Plastics and Turns It All into LumberBy Mckinley Corbley | 15 Jan, 2020

This trailblazing Canadian company is building a new standard for sustainability

since they started recycling the bulk of their municipal plastic waste into lumber.

Roughly 80% of the plast ic recyclables collected throughout Halifax, Nova Scotia are now being processed by Goodwood Plastic Products Ltd so they can be turned into building blocks.

The plastic lumber can be drilled, nailed, glued, and handled the same way as wooden lumber – but without any of the same deterioration.

The other 20% of municipal plastics are reportedly being sent to other Canadian recycling markets, but Halifax Solid Waste Division Manager Andrew Philopoulos says that provincial legislators are par t icularly g rateful for Goodwood’s initiative.

“We are very, very fortunate here in Nova Scotia to have that local company taking the material,” he told CBC’s Information Morning. “Without them, I think we would find it challenging to find a market for a lot of the plastic packaging that we are collecting.”

Goodwood also made a name for themselves back in December

when they partnered with a Sobeys grocery store in order to create one of the nation’s first parking lots made entirely out of post-consumer plastics saved from local landfills.

Although the bulk of Goodwood’s recycled plastic comes from single-use bags, they also process food jars and other common consumer packaging.

Thus fa r, CBC says that the lumber has been used to make everything from picnic tables and park benches to agricultural posting and guardrail structures – and Goodwood vice president Mike Chassie says he hopes their

business model will inspire other regions to launch similar ventures.“We can take this business – the knowledge and our skills – and we can export it and take it to other places,” he told the news outlet. “Post-consumer plastic is not going away, so we need to continue to find ways to give it a new life so it becomes a resource, instead of a waste.”

Photos by Mike Chassie

SAFETY HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT

82 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

SAFETY HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT

83P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

Tough Combinatorial Poly (urethane-isocyanurate) Polymer Networks and Hydrogels Synthesized by the Trimerization of Mixtures of NCO-Prepolymers

The development of tough hydrogels is an essential but challenging topic in

biomaterials research that has received much attention over the past years. By the combinatorial synthesis of polymer networks and hydrogels based on prepolymers with different properties, new materials with widely varying characteristics and unexpected properties may be identified. In this paper, we report on the properties of combinatorial poly (urethane-isocyanurate) (PUI) type polymer networks that were synthesized by the trimerization of mixtures of NCO-functionalized poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG), poly(propylene gylcol) (PPG), poly (g-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly (trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) prepolymers in solution.

The resulting polymer networks showed widely varying material properties. Combinatorial PUI networks containing at least one hydrophilic PEG component showed high water uptakes of >100wt%. The resulting hydrogels demonstrated elastic moduli of up to 10.1 MPa, ultimate tensile strengths of up to 9.8 MPa, elongation at break values of up to 624.0% and toughness values of up to 53.4 MJ•m-3. These values

are exceptionally high and show that combinatorial PUI hydrogels are among the toughest hydrogels reported in the literature. Also, the simple two-step synthesis and wide range of suitable starting materials make this synthesis method more versatile and widely applicable than the existing methods for synthesizing tough hydrogels.

An important finding of this work is that the presence of a hydrophobic network component significantly enhances the toughness and tensile strength of the combinatorial PUI hydrogels in the hydrated state. This enhancement is the largest when the hydrophobic network component is crystallizable in nature. In fact, the PUI hydrogels containing a crystallizable hydrophobic network component are shown to be semi-crystalline in the water-swollen state. Due to their high toughness values in the water-swollen state together with their water uptake values, elastic moduli and ultimate tensile strengths, the developed hydrogels are expected to be promising materials for biomedical coating- and adhesive applications, as well as for tissue-engineering.

January 2020 Acta Biomaterialia DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2020.01.025

Dimitrios StamatialisD.W. Grijpma

Piet Driest

Dirk Dijkstra

TWITTER TRENDS

84 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

85P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

PREVIEWS & REPORTS

Huntsman at JEC World 2020: Enabling The Solutions of Tomorrow

JANUARY 21, 2020

Huntsman, Booth M 31, Hall 6, JEC World, Paris, 3rd-5th March 2020

Huntsman will attend JEC World 2020, highlighting it s evolv ing range of

composite solutions, void fillers and adhesives for automotive, aerospace and industrial applications. Visit Booth M31, Hall 6 to see how Huntsman’s innovative solutions, processes and services can help bring the products of tomorrow to life.

With more than 60 years of experience developing composite resin technologies, Huntsman sc ie nt i s t s col laborate w it h automotive experts to enable inc reased per for mance and accelerated development times. At the event, Huntsman will showcase pressure vessels based on ARALDITE® composite solutions with high thermo-mechanical performance, alongside leaf springs using its AR ALDITE® epoxy resin system and VITROX® RTM polyurethane resin system.

Huntsman’s booth will a lso feature the versatile RIMLINE® HC+ polyurethane resin system, e n abl i ng u l t r a - l ig ht we ig ht automotive interior components from fiberglass reinforced material, and the new RIMLINE® FC rigid foam technology for composite cores. For e-mobility, Huntsman will display several applications of potting and encapsulating resins, which provide improved thermal capabilities.

For the wind energy, marine and outdoor assembly industr ies, Huntsman will show applications of its latest acrylic adhesives. These will feature a wind-blade repair application using ARALDITE® 2050 epoxy resin, a product which can be applied in extreme low temperatures, enabling a downtime

reduction of up to 50 percent, and a mock-up sandwich panel structure for boat-building utilizing the non-sagging, high gap-filling ARALDITE® 2023 epoxy resin.

Huntsman’s new EPIBOND® epoxy adhesive will also be featured. These solutions were developed to meet changing engineering, regulatory and economic requirements within the aerospace industry. EPIBOND® 215 A/B structural adhesive can replace up to f ive competitive adhesives. For vertical and overhead applications, EPIBOND® 200 A/B epoxy adhesive, also on display, delivers leading thermo-mechanical performance.

Additionally, economy-class airline seats will be on show, illustrating ARALDITE® FST 40002/40006 composite, a ready-to-use solution for cost-effective manufacturing via direct processes of aerospace interior composite parts.

Finally, Huntsman will unveil a new electrically conductive adhesive modified with MIRALON® carbon nanotube mater ials and demonstrate its CNT-based MIRALON® sheets that can be embedded in composite structures, such as heat-generators, and require very low voltage.

For more information, speak to Huntsman’s experts at Booth M 31, Hall 6.

At the event, Huntsman will showcase pressure

vessels based on ARALDITE® composite

solutions with high thermo-mechanical

performance, alongside leaf springs using its

ARALDITE® epoxy resin system and VITROX®

RTM polyurethane resin system.

At the event, Huntsman will showcase pressure

vessels based on ARALDITE® composite

solutions with high thermo-mechanical

performance.

86 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

EVENTS & TRENDS

International

05 Oct, 2020 to 07 Oct, 2020

CPI CONFERENCESan Antonio - Texas, USA

12 Nov, 2020 to 12 Nov, 2020

FOAM EXPO - EUROPEStuttgart, Germany

28 Oct, 2020 to 29 Oct, 2020

PU TECH AFRICALagos, Nigeria

24 March, 2020 to 26 March, 2020

FOAM EXPO - NORTH AMERICANovi - Michigan, USA

11 February, 2020 to 14 February, 2020

SPRAYFOAM SHOW 2020Pasadena, California, USA

17 Sept, 2020 to 19 Sept, 2020

PU TECH 2020Greater Noida, Near New Delhi, India

19 May, 2020 to 21 May, 2020

U TECH NORTH AMERICA CONFERENCEIllinois, USA

03 June, 2020 to 04 June, 2020

PU TECH ASIA 2020Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

29 July, 2020 to 31 July, 2020

PU CHINA Shanghai, China

87P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

by Robert T. Kiyosaki

Be Rich & Happy

BOOK REVIEW / READERS’ FEEDBACK

The book “Be Rich and Happy” is a critique on the present educat iona l system. The

author Robert Kiyosaki says that the purpose of this book is to shed some light on how the educational system is affecting young people and how we can change. first ourselves and secondly the educational system by putting a little effort. The book has total 26 small chapters. The first three chapters namely 1. Charting a new course 2. Education’s biggest mistake and 3.What do you want to be when you grow up, point to the shortcomings of the present educational system. That the student who can survive competition and get good marks, gain confidence and can do something better, going forward in life. On the other hand, the student who could not do well, suffers from an uncertain future. Our education system prepares the student based on theory and tries to make them knowledgeable in their subject matter. But the students, when faced with real-life scenario star t struggling with questions like “how to cope with the little finance available, how and where to invest money?” Such questions or confusion would have never crossed their minds in student life.

In our education system all the students are instructed to do well, but not expected to make mistakes, and hence children lack the opportunity to realize and learn from their own mistakes. Many parents expect their child to accomplish what they failed to do in their lives. So, in this case child is under tremendous pressure and they may indulge in activities undesirable to escape the pressure.

What do you want to be when you grow up? This is an open-ended question. For a student there can be many answers to this question. However, in present situation, the students who eventually become employees feel trapped in one kind of job as his education has made him too specialized for that kind of job only. But the need of the hour is to have an education system which would open all horizons instead of narrowing them and sticking to one profession. Hence based on student’s skill sets, his creativity, he should be able to grab a variety of jobs. This aspect is lacking in today’s education system.

“My child is doing well” is the fourth chapter of the book, revealing the bitter fact that in today’s education system, we examine their ability by providing grades to them. Students who get excellent grades or marks start feeling that they are better than others who have not obtained such grades or marks. Hence the measure of success comes not from each person’s accomplishment so much as from others failure. In modern academia everyone competes for the grades. Author strongly believes that the most profound solution will come through changing the way we educate our children. It is possible to create learning environment where students are excited about learning, not worried about the competition and where everyone is a winner.

The fifth chapter “Where is my paycheck” describes about the present status of the educational system. It teaches the students to study hard, work hard. If they do just as they are told, without making

any mistake, they will get their specialized Qualification and get some good, secure job. They will get their pay checks regularly and live peaceful life. This was a very good idea 25 years back. But in this rapidly changing world, there is no such thing as a secure job. The only way we can have security is through our own knowledge. We need to know, how to learn new skills and adapt them quickly. We need to know how to be flexible and make changes when it is necessary, we should be ready to cope-up with all such circumstances. Present educational system does not fulfill this criterion.

Also, in schools when the students undergo examinations the teachers expect the students to write only those answers which they have been taught in the class. And all the other answers are wrong in their opinion. This attitude of the teachers kills the innate ability of students to think from all the aspects of the problem. The problems of real world do not have single perfect answers, so when the children face real world problems, they struggle

88 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

BOOK REVIEW / READERS’ FEEDBACK

to think from all possible angles and come to a correct, independent conclusion. This is the subject of the sixth chapter “If I have all the right answers, why can’t I think”.

It is always said that the lure for money is the cause for all the evils. But the first lesson human being should learn is that money by itself can create no harm. If it is put into wrong use, for any reason that causes harm then it will be the cause for many evils. Money is a tool, say, just like a writing instrument. We can use a writing instrument to make a beautiful sketch or make some malafide report. However, it all depends on the motive of the person to make use of money for good or evil reasons. But our education system must practically teach the students how to make good and efficient use of money and this very important aspect is not seen to be taught in present day education system.

Once the student passes out from school, they apprehend the risk of job security, because they do not believe that, the security is not in the job but in their ability to perform their duty diligently and perfectly. Change in job profile has become so rapid, that one cannot survive being expert in a specialized field and not knowing the allied businesses. So, it’s good to become generalist and create alternatives instead of being trapped in same field which is eventually going to be obsolete. This is summarized in seventh and eighth chapters namely “Money is evil” and “what is financial security?”

Ninth chapter says “Who say women are the weaker sex” describes about women empowerment. The idea that “women are the weaker sex” has been one of the biggest cons in the history of humanity. If we measure

the strength in terms of muscles and potential of violence we might agree, but those strengths are not enough in today’s era, one must change the yardstick by which we measure the strength. Women are Climbing the corporate ladder as much as men. But instead of becoming emasculate, women should bring their power, qualities and talents into the business. Then there will be a balance and a combination of assets what both sexes can uniquely offer.

Too often in education, the over emphasis is g iven on menta l learning and memorizing. Schools produce employees by teaching them what employers want. By being taught how to memorize instead of how to learn, students eventually, may forget how to make use of the natural learning process, with which each human being is born. Hence the students, who are the future employees of our businesses, lose the sense of hearing their own inner resources and gain a sense of dependency and insecurity. They fail to apply their own ideas and skills in their work field. So, they lack the confidence to stand up on their own or start their own enterprise. The author has described this as “fear of the first flight” and depicted it by a figure (Fig 1) in chapter 10, namely “Teaching people to be mindless parrots”.

In Chapter 11 “When being wrong is right” he highlights the value of learning from your own mistakes, and to accomplish these learnings, first people should risk making mistakes. People do many pranks to cover-up their own mistakes such as pretending he did not make any mistake or blaming something or someone else for the mistake done. But they just don’t realize that somet imes “being wrong

and learning from the mistakes is perfectly fine”.

Fig 1: Fear of the first flight

Our educat ional system must possess the courage to create new learning env ironments where mistakes are applauded (at least shouldn’t get punished) and seen as the invaluable source for future corrective action and wisdom. Today we have wisdom of world famous researchers showing the data of their research on a number of students, that one child will excel in one area while others excel in other areas depending on their capabilities and interests, but still our educational system measures them on their proficiency in Mathematics, Science and English. Strongest are labelled “above average” and pushed to higher levels. Weakest are labelled “Below average” and abandoned. This is very sad and unnecessary too, in author’s perspective. The author proposes a system of co-operative education where the children will study in groups, where one student of the group may be good in Maths, the other may be good in music or language. Hence when two or more children co-operate each person not only learns but gains a sense

89P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

BOOK REVIEW / READERS’ FEEDBACK

of their own self-worth, through helping others. This new strategy is proposed in chapter 12 “God doesn’t create stupid people-our educational system does”.

Further two chapters, 13 and 14, “Why most people die poor” and “How rich people can be poor” educate us on money matters. In the young age we don’t realize that the quality of our lives in our retirement years will depend on how we prepare for it in our youth. It requires only preliminary education…may be undergraduate or graduate studies, to become financially independent. Unfor tunately, our educat ion system does not focus on these financial aspects of life. Moreover, the need of money, should not be over emphasized as well. Afterall, keeping the physical needs apart, money cannot buy you happiness. So, it is important in one’s life to keep proper balance and give adequate importance to money. Chapters 15 to 18 convey the message that - the traditional way of teaching tells us that 1+1=2 and there is no other answer acceptable, it must be always 2. Mathematically correct though, but this attitude kills the inherent curiosity of the children to think for all the other possible answers. In this changing world, we require new people in the business who can think out of box and unless we change the traditional way of teaching and adopt new techniques of teaching-learning, where will the new ideas come from? Where will the visionary leaders come from? So, it is time to take a close look not only on the thoughts but on our actions too.

T h o u g h t e a c h e r s b e a r t h e responsibi l it y to educate t he children, the whole society including t he pa rent s , pol it ic ia ns a nd administrators must start looking

at it, in this new way, only then we can reap the benefits of a new educational and cultural reforms.

How to efficiently utilize your time and your money is explained in chapter 19 namely “How to become wealthy on a small budget”. The author gives a genuine example: he wanted to buy a TV set. If he would have bought a big screen, it would have consumed a big chunk of his money and he would have been tempted to waste his time sitting in front of the TV set. So, it was a loss of both time and money. Hence, before taking any step think twice in terms of time as well as money, after all time is money. Author also has advised readers, that if you want to start a business, you choose a business that you would love to be in, for the rest of your life. Your budget may be small, but you should take great interest in what you do.

Chapters 20 to 24 discusses on subjects like I Deserve a raise, Who causes poverty, Unlearning the lessons that keep you down, If I could change the schools and Should I send my child to school, respectively. They emphasize on human ability to embrace the change. We must stop confusing the money with wealth. In the information age, wealth is what a person knows, knowledge is the real wealth. Information is more important than material resources such as gold, land or money. You cannot keep afloat in a technical world, if you expect more and you do not do things differently. It takes more efforts from your side to stay tuned to the current knowledge and current trends. You must stop thinking in the same traditional way in which you have been brought-up. You should be ready to do, whatever it takes to keep the pace with this changing world.

The last two chapters, 25 and 26, talks on “What to tell the children” and “Embrace your own genius”, respectively. They summarize the lessons learned through whole book and concludes that: every one of us came into this world with a wide array of potential interests. Due to the competition or due to the traditional education and grading system or parental pressure these potentials are not truly discovered. One must take a close look into his own self, learn from his mistakes and try continuously refining and improving the way of working and living. Though the educational system do lack in making the students learn some aspects of life but it’s not the sole responsibility of the educational system or teachers, its also the responsibility of each individual to discover and embrace your innate qualities and utilize them for your living, then only a perfect genius will emerge out of you.

About the author :Robert Toru Kiyosaki is an American businessman and author. Kiyosaki is the founder of Rich Global LLC and the Rich Dad Company, a private financial education company that provides personal f inance and business education to people through books and videos. The company’s main revenues come from franchisees of the Rich Dad seminars that are conducted by independent people using Kiyosaki’s brand name for a fee. He is also the creator of the Cashflow board and software games to educate adults and children about business and financial concepts. Kiyosaki is the author of more than 26 books, including the international self-published personal finance Rich Dad Poor Dad series of books which has been translated into 51 languages and sold over 27 million copies worldwide

90 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

91P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0

92 P U T o d a y M a r c h 2 0 2 0 FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY. Edited by Ms Medha Bhuta Published by K. Ramamurthy for Indian Polyurethane Association

Printed by