Huntsman announced that since the Covid-19 pandemic began, the company has been producing thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers for manufacturers of essential medical personal protective equipment (PPE) around the world. The TPUs are being used to produce hospital gowns, face masks, mattress covers, tubes, valves, cable jackets and, notably, powered air purifying respirators (PAPR).

According to Rampf Group, vehicles must be reliably sealed to keep moisture outside of the car. When driving in wet conditions, the water should always run off the car and not finds its way through the car door into the interior. Sealing foams based on polyurethane and silicone from Rampf Polymer Solutions play a central role in keeping cars dry.

Systems supplier ProTec Polymer Processing GmbH announced that it is enjoying great success in Asia with its pultrusion lines for producing long fiber reinforced thermoplastic (LFT) compounds. Suzhou Sunway Polymer Co. Ltd. from the city of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province is one of the satisfied Chinese customers and is now producing pellets using its two ProTec LFT pultrusion lines.

On 14 May 2020, the JEC Group announced that it will offer an exclusive online experience by organizing the JEC Composites Technical Conferences, initially planned during JEC World 2020, via webinars. According to the organizer, high-profile experts and speakers will share their expertise, vision, and perspective on the composites industry, starting from 20 May 2020 until 24 June 2020.

Foams produced by moulding are used for example in packaging for electrical appliances, bicycle and motorcycle helmets, armrests in cars and many other applications. In the production process, foamed plastic beads are sintered using steam in order to form components. The choice of materials is therefore limited to those that can be joined within the temperature and pressure range of classic steam molding processes (between 1-8 bar), for example polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP) or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

According to the Hamburg-based Lehvoss Group, the market for professional respiratory masks has been emptied by the Covid-19 pandemic and remains so. This is resulting in some very creative solutions, e.g., masks for the weekly farmers’ market are been sewn together at home from old T-shirts. In order to maintain production in industry, however, more professional solutions are required – suitable for implementation at short notice now that industry is resuming production.

On 28 April 2020, TactoTek and Alps Alpine, a designer and manufacturer of electronic products, announced that they have collaborated to develop an IMSE human-machine interface (HMI) solution for a premium German automotive OEM. The Finland-based company TactoTek is a specialist for in-mold structural electronics (IMSE).

Mondi announced that its Personal Care Components team has found a way to convert a production line at its Gronau plant in Germany to manufacture soft, elastic straps which are now being used for face masks and used by medical professionals and consumers globally.

The Mindelheim-based German company BBG GmbH & Co. KG announced that it is continuing to manufacture, maintain and repair moulds and mould carriers and to deliver spare parts without any constraints despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Notwithstanding the difficult situation, all contact persons are available during the usual business hours under the known contact details. In case of technical problems, employees will help via remote maintenance and, if desired, also travel to customers’ sites for support, said the company.

Lubrizol announced that together with Nike, Inc. it is helping protect frontline medical workers fighting against COVID-19. To support Nike’s efforts to develop and donate full-face shields and powered, air-purifying respirator (PAPR) lenses to hospitals across several U.S. cities, Lubrizol donated Estane thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), an important element in both pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE).