plastics - The customer magazine from BASF 2/2007

Markets and products
Riding high
Happiness is sitting pretty on the back of a horse – and that is where
a rider should stay. Terblend N lends a helping hand here.
I
t made the Hyer Boot Company
world famous: the cowboy boot. Too
uncomfortable to walk around in but
perfect for riding horses – thanks to
the trademark slanted heel that ensures
a secure hold in the stirrup. Now
this Western classic made of leather is
getting some competition: new stirrup
inserts made of Terblend ® N, BASF’s
ABS/PA blend, provide the necessary
grip as equestrians ride over hill and
dale.
Charles H. Hyer invented the now-familiar
cowboy boot in 1875. It was in the
town of Olathe, Kansas that he founded
a small cobbling shop together with his
brother Edward. One day, according to
the company’s history, a cowboy who
remains unknown to this day entered the
shop and complained about his old boots,
explaining that he wanted a new pair
the likes of which had never been seen
before: a pointed toe that he could slide
more quickly and easily into a stirrup. This
order revolutionized the world of footwear.
Demand grew briskly and that is how the
brothers came to found the Hyer Boot
Company.
Galloping
made easy
Not to slip out of the stirrups, especially at a
full gallop, this remains a challenge even for
today’s horseback riders. But uncomfortable
shoes are no longer necessary since
this task is now mastered by stirrup inserts
made of Terblend N, BASF’s ABS/PA blend.
As of recently, they are being produced and
sold under the name Compositi by the Bel-
gian injection-molding company Polymar.
“We aim to use as much plastic as possible
for horseback riding equipment, not
only because of its durability and freedom
of design, but also because of its cost-efficiency,”
explains Polymar’s Jacques Guily.
The advantage: the parts are lightweight
and simple to install. Thanks to Terblend N,
a plastic that is being used for the first time
in this function, the product is much easier
to maintain, cheaper and dimensionally
stable. Terblend N combines a high-quality
surface with a pleasant feel. It is easy
to process, without any need for pre-treatment
or after-treatment, and it is also very
sturdy. It especially helps children learn not
to put their feet too far into the stirrups.
Terblend ® N can be easily colored, so that
children can choose small stirrup inserts in
all the colors of the rainbow. Celebrities like
Madonna have made cowboy boots into a
fashion accessory but they are no longer
needed for horseback riding.
Weitere Informationen:
www.terblend-n.de
Background
Terblend N
Material:
Blend on the basis of ABS and polyamide
Applications:
automotive interiors, motorcycle fairing
Properties:
(impact-)resistance, ease of processing,
chemical resistance, good dimensional
stability under heat, high surface
quality, pleasant feel
Stirrup inserts made of Terblend N.
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