Lubrizol's Engineered Polymers business has announced a performance upgrade of its Pearlstick thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) for adhesives in footwear and DIY end applications.

Lanxess announced that it will open a new applications development and technical services (AD & TS) laboratory for polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) in Latina, Italy. As part of the existing Urethane Systems AD & TS centre, the new lab will operate as a standalone facility dedicated to PUDs. Start of operation will be in the third quarter of 2018.

The Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) has announced its newly elected Board of Directors for 2018 – 2020. Encompassing industry leaders from both the contractor and manufacturer sides of the business, the 16-member Board includes an Executive Committee and 12 additional voting members.

Covestro plans to build its own chlorine production plant in Tarragona, Spain. With the so-called oxygen depolarized cathode (ODC) technology, a sustainable manufacturing process is to be used. In Tarragona, the company is building the first industrial-scale plant based solely on this technology. According to the company, Covestro is currently investing around EUR 200 million at Tarragona in order to increase the competitiveness of the location.

Perstorp, who was the first to introduce pro-environment polyols (Voxtar) and also has a strong portfolio of acids for synthetic lubricants, is now extending its market lead with the introduction of several new pro-environment grades for polyol esters (POE) and lubricant producers. With no loss in efficiency, safety or other performance criteria these pro-environment polyols give POE formulators an instant opportunity to sharpen their sustainability profile, so the company. This environmental advantage can then be passed on to customers and through the lubricant value chain.

Icynene-Lapolla, a global supplier and manufacturer of high performance, energy efficient insulation for construction, introduced Lapolla Foam-LOK 450 spray polyurethane foam insulation. An open-cell solution for homes and commercial structures, the high-performance material is notable for providing high yield and enhanced energy efficiency, passing benefits to builders, contractors and building owners, so the company.

Albrecht Bäumer GmbH & Co. KG, a manufacturer focusing on special machines and automated systems for cutting, processing and transporting polyurethane foams and similar materials, founded in 2007 the joint-venture Greenacres-Bäumer Cutting Media (Pty) Ltd to develop market potentials in the African region. In addition to sales, service activities were expanded to include on-site knife production in order to offer customers an even faster service for spare parts from stock.

At this year's European Technical Coatings Congress (ETCC) in Amsterdam, Covestro received the Alain Clause Award of the Belgian Association of Technicians from the Paint and Allied Industries ATIPIC for the best lecture on ecological and environmentally compatible developments. The award is endowed with EUR 1,000.

BASF is investigating the possibility of building a highly-integrated “Verbund” chemical production site in the South Chinese province of Guangdong. Today, Martin Brudermüller, BASF’s Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, and Lin Shaochun, Executive Vice Governor of Guangdong Province, signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding in Berlin, in the presence of Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.