Elastomer-based electronics components and accessories, cables and wires, industrial equipment, safety wear, tires, and many other specific rubber and silicone applications stretch the requirements and expectations for conductive additives. But the issue of how to combine conductivity with improvements in the mechanical properties of elastomers remained difficult for the industry until recently.

Invista‘s site in Orange, TX, USA set a 12-month production record for adiponitrile (ADN), a key ingredient for nylon 6,6 plastics and fibres. ADN is also a key precursor to hexamethylenediamine (HMDA) production. According to IHS Markit about 90 % of HMDA is consumed in the nylon 66 chain, with non-nylon use mostly in hexamethylene diisocyanate for high-performance polyurethane paints, coatings, and epoxy curing agents.

Era Polymers announced that they are now distributors for Saip Machinery in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.

The European diisocyanate and polyol producers association Isopa and the European aliphatic isocyanates producers association Alipa have launched a new website on the safe use of diisocyanates: www.safeusediisocyanates.eu. The new website aims at informing about the regulatory process on the proposed restriction on diisocyanates under REACH.

Rampf Polymer Solutions is presenting its range of silicone, polyurethane, and epoxy casting resins with high thermal conductivity at electronica 2018 (hall A5, stand 224) from 13 – 16 November 2018 in Munich, Germany.

Carcoustics announced that it has established a polyurethane box foaming plant in Bludenz, Austria, about 30 km from its existing production site in Klaus. At the new facility, polyurethane box foam blocks are produced on an area of about 800 m2. These are then further processed at the site in Klaus, which specialises in thermoforming technology.

For the third time, Covestro has received a Sustainability Award from Henkel Adhesive Technologies. With this prize, the adhesive manufacturer acknowledges its supplier's ongoing commitment to a sustainable product and process pipeline. Particular focus was placed on the cooperation in the development of bio-based polyurethane raw materials and concepts to increase product safety, as well as the very good rating of Covestro's sustainability by the international rating agency EcoVadis.

The IPUA Technical Center is organising the technical training “Slabstock Polyurethane Foam” for the east region in Kolkata, India, from 22 – 23 November 2018.

Foam Expo Europe, trade fair and conference for the supply chain of technical foam production, and Composites Europe, European trade fair and forum for composites, technology and applications, will take place in parallel in Stuttgart, Germany, from 2019. This was announced by the two organisers, Smarter Shows and Reed Exhibitions.