Recticel and Covestro join forces on new CO2 based polyol

New material to be used for the production of flexible foams, furniture and mattresses

Recticel, the global manufacturer of high performance polyurethane foam products, is proud to announce that it will use the innovative CO2 based cardyon® polyol developed by Covestro – formerly Bayer MaterialScience – for the production of its flexible foams and more specifically for furniture and mattresses. The new technology will be implemented in the fourth quarter of this year with increasing quantities in the coming years as they become available.

20% CO2 instead of crude oil

Polyol and isocyanate are oil-based derivates and the main components of polyurethane. Covestro has succeeded in developing a new type of polyol based on CO2. This gas has one thing in common with oil: it contains the carbon element, a central building block for the chemical industry. The new cardyon® polyol contains about 20% CO2 by weight and as such saves finite natural resources and contributes to mitigating global warming by significantly reducing a product’s carbon footprint.

Olivier Chapelle, Chief Executive Officer: “We fully endorse initiatives that bring solutions for global challenges such as climate change and depletion of resources. That is why we have supported the Covestro development from the beginning and have worked with joint teams during the extensive application testing phase. I am proud that Recticel and Covestro are partners on this exciting journey towards creating more sustainable buildings blocks for our chemistry.”

Partnership throughout the value chain

The CO2 that Covestro uses to manufacture the new cardyon® polyol is sourced from a nearby production plant, a perfect example of how material cycles can be closed to create value for the company and for society. By capturing CO2 and transforming it in a useful raw material, its release into the atmosphere is avoided.

Jean-Pierre De Kesel, Chief Sustainable Innovation Officer: “Carbon footprint analysis has helped us to prioritise actions especially in the use of raw materials and at the end-of-life stage of our solutions. We are firmly committed to sustainable innovation in the coming years with the help of partners such as Covestro who push existing boundaries.”

Source

Recticel, press release, 2016-07-12.

Supplier

Covestro AG

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