Download - BASF Polyurethanes Asia Pacific

Global
PUR
Customer Magazine . Edition 2.2011 . No. 21
A smooth ride all
over the world.
50 years of Cellasto in cars.
Perfection in every detail.
Polyurethane in Scania trucks.
100 years of BASF in Brazil.
A South American success story.
Magnificent mannequins.
Display dummies made of polyurethane.

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“125 years of the automobile –
50 years of riding in comfort with Cellasto.”
Dr Uwe Hartwig, Senior Vice President
Polyurethanes Europe
Dear Readers,
PU makes cars lighter, more comfortable, more efficient and safer. As true as this
statement may be, for an adequate representation of what multi talented PU means
for modern automotive engineering, it is barely the tip of the iceberg. As lightweight
components for the body, as surfaces of instrument panels or center consoles and
door paneling, and as super-snug seat foam, hard-wearing trunk floors and – in the
ultimate display of versatility and technical finesse – as chassis and suspension
components made of Cellasto ® , PU today can be found throughout the car.
It’s now 50 years ago that Cellasto embarked on its triumphal march in the form of
vibration dampers, spring aids in the suspension, top mounts, spring pads, buffer
stops and roll restrictors. And the aim has always been to deliver even better quality
for even greater travel safety, even less vibration and, last but not least, for appre -
ciable improvements in comfort.
Reporting on this and on the many other multifaceted materials of BASF Polyurethanes,
this new issue of Global PUR Magazine keeps you, as usual, informatively
and entertainingly up-to-date with customer portraits, product stories, our
investment in the new TDI plant – the world’s biggest! – and many other topical
reports from the international world of polyurethane. And when you get to page 44,
you also have the chance to win one of three iPads.
As you can see, there are again plenty of good reasons for venturing into the exciting
world of polyurethane. And not least because it’s now 10 years that we’ve had
the privilege of keeping you abreast of developments with Global PUR Magazine.
Here’s wishing you an enjoyable read
Dr Uwe Hartwig and the Global PUR Editorial Team
3

Contents
Footwear
6 – 9
Global News
News in brief from all over the world,
people and positions, data, facts and
figures.
20 – 21
22 – 23
Giving rubber the boot.
How polyurethane has revolutio nized
the classic workboot.
Bompel work boot and safety shoes.
A PU success story from Brazil.
Consumer Products
10 – 13
14 – 17
Automotive
50 years of Cellasto. 50 years of
greater vehicle safety and comfort.
Lightweight construction in cars.
Polyure thane ideas for the cars of
the future.
24 – 25
26 – 27
A good night’s sleep for relaxed
guests. CosyPUR pillows undergo
a hotel test.
Wrapped up. PU rigid foams
in modern fridges.
New Products & Markets
18 –19
Scania trucks. The polyurethane
interior of high-performance giants.
28 – 29
Conquering conventional markets
with unconventional ideas.
4

Store Window Displays
30 – 31
True-to-life and made to last.
Mannequins made of polyurethane.
32 – 33
34 – 35
36 – 37
38 – 39
40 – 41
42 – 45
43– 44
Construction
SPS in Canada. New deck for
the Dawson Bridge.
PU binders for the wood-based
panel industry. Faster, stronger and
longer-lasting.
Tougher than steel. New transmission
towers made of polyurethane composite.
Paving the way for the environment.
With FilterPave ® .
Multifunctional Application
For all components which need strength
and rigidity: Elastolit ® D und Elastolit ® K.
Aviation
Top-flight products for top flyers.
PU in the aviation industry.
Reader Competition
3 iPads for just 4 answers.
There’s no easier way to get one.
Publisher:
BASF Coordination Center Comm. V.
Drève Richelle 161 E/F
1410 Waterloo, Belgium
www.pu.basf.eu
Editor and project manager:
Dr Sylvia Kaufmann, Phone: +49 544312 2238,
e-mail: sylvia.kaufmann@basf.com
Contributors:
Asia: Yan Ng, e-mail: yan.ng@basf.com
Brazil: Rubem Balan Junior, e-mail: rubem.balan@basf.com
USA: Stacey L. Russell, e-mail: stacey.l.russell@basf.com
Concept and design:
Alder Koenig, Konzept Text Art, Hamburg, Germany, Phone: +49 40 286 698 23
Photography:
Alder Koenig, BASF SE, BASF Polyurethanes GmbH, Bekina, Bompel,
Corbis, Dreamstime, Fotolia, Getty Images, Imagesource, iStockphoto LP,
Presto Products Company, Scania, Wintershall, Wikipedia
Lithography:
bockermann medien.repro, Bünde, Germany
Printer:
Kirchner Print.Media GmbH & Co. KG, Kirchlengern, Germany
We wish to thank our customers and partners for their kind support.
The PUR Magazine contains links to external third-party websites. Since
we have no control over the content of such websites, we cannot accept
any liability for this outside content. Responsibility for the content of linked
sites always lies with the provider or operator of the sites in question. The
linked sites were checked for possible infringements of the law at the time
of linking. Illegal content was not apparent at the time of linking. However,
constant control of the content of linked sites is not acceptable unless
there is definite evidence of legal infringements. Should we become aware
of any legal infringements, we shall remove such links without delay.
® = registered trademark
5

Global News
10 PUR
Years
Read all about it in PUR.
The international customer magazine of BASF Poly urethanes
GmbH celebrates its 10th anniversary.
August 2001. The first PUR customer magazine goes to
press. With a bright and distinctive design, and with all the
key issues, stories and news from the world of polyurethane
so important for our customers and often decisive for their
business success as well. The lead stories of the first issue
are the Sandwich Plate System SPS, Elastocoat ® , the noble
coating for automotive interiors, and the universal CosyPUR ®
foam for the furniture industry. Since then, ten years and
many different themes have come and gone. What has
remained is the pleasure of reading the magazine, its easyto-grasp
style, the many potential solutions, its directness
and its complete competence in everything to do with
polyurethane. This is what BASF polyurethane stands for,
and Global PUR Magazine will continue to report on it at
length and with all the essential details.
PUR
Customer Magazine . Edition 1/2006 . No.10
!"#$%&'(#)
Schiffsbau
SPS: mit Sandwichtechnik
mehr Sicherheit
Shipbuilding – SPS: more safety with sandwich technology
Auto: neuer Glanz für die Nobelklasse
Cars: new coating for the upper class
Möbel: CosyPUR
Furniture: high style with high tech
Shining example –
PU makes its mark on the new Atomium
On the road –
the high-spec PU moulded skin in the
new S-Class
Keeping cosy –
beating poor insulation with ISOTRIE
and PU
The BASF PUR Magazine celebrates 10 years of success. No. 1/2001, No. 10/2006 and the relaunched magazine No. 19/2010.
6

The world’s biggest TDI plant will be built in Antwerp (Belgium) or Ludwigshafen (Germany).
A giant step into the future.
The world’s biggest single-train TDI plant will be in
Europe as of 2014.
TDI (toluene diisocyanate) is a key component for the polyurethane
industry. A large proportion of it is used in the
automotive industry for such items as seat upholstery and
interior linings, and in the furniture industry for flexible
foams in mattresses and upholstery and for wood coatings.
As one of the leading suppliers of basic products for polyurethanes,
BASF operates TDI plants in Geismar in the
USA, Schwarzheide in Germany, Yeosu in South Korea and
in Caojing in China.
BASF now intends to build the world’s biggest single-train
production plant for TDI in Europe. The plant will have an
annual capacity of 300,000 metric tons and be fully inte-
grated with the production plants for the required precursors.
The TDI plant will be located at one of the BASF
Verbundsites in Antwerp, Belgium, or in Ludwigshafen,
Germany, going into production from 2014. The choice of
location will be announced shortly. Planning for the TDI
plant is already underway.
Dr Martin Brudermüller, Vice Chairman of the Board of
Executive Directors of BASF SE, who is responsible for the
Plastics segment, says: “This new investment supports
BASF’s growth strategy, underlines our leading position as
the world’s biggest TDI producer and reinforces our strong
commitment to the TDI market. BASF will have the ability
to meet its customers’ demands through local world-scale
production in the largest markets, i.e., North America, Europe
and Asia, and China particularly.”
Trade fairs:
The top three in fall 2011.
Fairs you can’t afford to miss.
A&A: International Trade Fair for Safety, Security and
Health at Work, Düsseldorf, Germany, from 18th through
21st of October 2011, hall 5, booth 5K 32.
Further information: www.aplusa-online.com
Simac: International Trade Fair for the Footwear
and Leather Goods Industry, Bologna, Italy, from
18th through 20th of October 2011, hall 33, booth B23.
Further information: www.simac-fair.it
Fakuma: International Trade Fair for Plastics Processing,
Friedrichshafen, Germany, from 18th through 22nd
of October 2011, hall 84, booth B4-4306.
Further information: www.fakuma-messe.com
7

Global News
BASF Brazil celebrates
its centenary.
100 years of progress in nutrition, health, construction,
home maintenance, energy, resources, mobility and
communication.
Under the motto “BASF Brazil 100 years: We create chemistry”,
the world market leader has held an extensive program
of events to remind us of its challenges and achievements in
The BASF plant in Guarantinguetá between São Paulo, Minas Gerais and
Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil and South America. There has also been a series of
activities that underline the contribution of chemistry and
BASF to the development of society.
A book by Ivan Angelo tells the story of BASF and highlights
BASF’s accomplishments and milestones over the last
100 years. Weekly reports in “Valor Econômico”, the most
important Brazilian magazine for economics, finance and
trade, tell the BASF story, report on innovations and afford
insights into the transformative and the trivial. An exclusive
concert given by the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra. In the
course of its history, BASF has sponsored national art and
culture and, in this spirit, has chosen music as the symbol for
the celebration of its 100th anniversary in the Sala São Paulo
with customers and partners. A strong online presence.
The company’s profile on Facebook and Twitter along with
its interactive website www.basf.com.br/100anos present
the BASF innovations that marked this era. Apart from the
website, there is also an interactive room with chemistryrelated
games and activities for children.
Incidentally, the centenary celebration coincides with the
International Year of Chemistry, which is being coordinated
by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural
Organization) and IUPAC (International Union for Pure
and Applied Chemistry). This event commemorates the
100th anniversary of the award of the Nobel Prize for
Chemistry to Marie Curie – an occasion to acknowledge
this extraordinary woman’s contribution to the advancement
of science.
A good reason to celebrate: 100 years BASF Brazil.
Further information:
http://twitter.com/#!/BASF_Brasil
http://pt-br.facebook.com/BASF.Brasil
8

The extra mile for quality.
BASF Polyurethanes is now also an associated member
of EPAQ.
In response to growing consumer demand for quality products,
BASF Polyurethanes GmbH has joined the European
Quality Assurance Association for Panels and Profiles, or
EPAQ for short. The aim of this association is to create a
common list of requirements in order to safeguard the high
quality of lightweight metal sandwich elements and profiles.
EPAQ members have created the EPAQ quality label, a certification
mark for sandwich elements and panels, in order to
demonstrate to end users that the product in question not
only complies with the associated European standards, but
also satisfies requirements that go beyond them.
Companies that apply for the EPAQ seal of quality have
their products tested by independent auditors, test laboratories
and experts. If the criteria for sustainability, design,
strength, air-tightness, thermal conductivity, reaction to fire
and many other aspects are fulfilled, the company is permitted
to use the EPAQ seal of quality. The seal enjoys a
high level of trustworthiness, as it is awarded by the EPAQ
in close cooperation with leading European laboratories.
And this clearly sets it apart from the plethora of other seals
and publicity claims that manufacturers resort to when
marketing their products.
Further information: www.epaq.eu
There wherever you
need us.
BASF opens its second polyurethane location in Russia.
BASF is strengthening its worldwide network of PU system
houses close to the customer by establishing its second
Russian location. When the new application technology
center near St. Petersburg goes into operation in spring
2012, polyurethane customers will obtain comprehensive
local service in distribution and technology. Together with
the system house in Nizhnekamsk, which has been up and
running since 2000, this location also belongs to the joint
venture with the Russian company OAO Nizhnekams
k neftekhim (NKNC). By resorting to local polyol production
in Russia, BASF is thus improving its reliability as a partner
and sustainable supplier of PU products.
With 38 system houses and production locations for the
main precursors, PU system market leader BASF can dependably
provide its customers around the globe with
locally manufactured products.
9

10
Automotive
Safety & Comfort

Cellasto components add to vehicle safety and comfort – and have been doing so for half a century.
50 years of
“good vibrations”
in cars.
By absorbing drumming, jolts, vibration and bumping
from the chassis, Cellasto has been ensuring greater
comfort and safety for over 50 years.
In the design of their vehicles, nine out of ten
car makers worldwide now tune their chassis
and suspension systems with Cellasto ® from
BASF Polyurethanes. This achieves the optimum
ride comfort, athleticism and safety. Be cause
this material offers simply everything that makes driving safer
and smoother. For instance, with vibration damping, spring
aids in the suspension, top mounts, spring pads, buffer stops
and roll restrictors.
11

www.tvservice.basf.com/en/clip/pageListTopic/1/category/automotive/topic/cellastoR-components-for-greater-comfort-and-safety/clip/download-video-cellasto-components-plastics-for-greater-confort-and-safety.html
www.polyurethanes.asiapacific.basf.com/apex/KUAPortal/KUA/en/function/conversions:/publish/KUA/content/Download/Industries/Automotive/BASF_Auto_cn.pdf
Automotive
Safety & Comfort
Opel Rekord
Mercedes 220 S
An end to sloppy cornering and annoying background
noise – for greater safety and nothing but good vibrations.
Improved comfort, safety and athleticism are the overriding
goals in automotive engineering today. And the standards
that materials and components in this sensitive area have
to meet are exceptionally high. BASF Polyurethanes’ Cellasto,
a material composed of microcellular polyurethane elastomers,
offers a whole range of beneficial features for the
tuning of the chassis and suspension system – because
components made of Cellasto come with not just one, but
a whole series of very special advantages.
locations worldwide, in North and South America, Europe
and Asia, keep things running smoothly. Flexible and competitive
single-source solutions are assured by global key
account management. The local contacts are development
and project engineers familiar with regional differences and
local needs. Cellasto – a global success story that has been
running for 50 years.
Further information:
The joy of driving that leaves noise behind.
When compressed, Cellasto components show only minimal
lateral expansion – unlike rubber, for instance, that expands
under pressure. This way, Cellasto absorbers can do their
job much better than other materials, even in confined
spaces. They minimize vibrations and largely exclude the
background noise emanating from the engine, chassis and
car body. In short, Cellasto, the NVH system, quietly delivers
greater safety and comfort.
Cellasto: High quality for every customer, wherever he
may be.
Whatever your requirements, however exacting, you’re
sure to find the perfect solution for any type of vehicle
with Cellasto and the applications specialists of BASF
Poly ure tha nes – and virtually anywhere in the world.
Today, there’s hardly a car that doesn’t come off the prod
uction line with Cellasto components. The six production
Call our number: Thomas Burlage,
General Manager European Business
Unit Automotive, Special Elastomers
(Cellasto), +49 5443 122 124
or send an e-mail to:
thomas.burlage@basf.com
12

DKW 1000
DKW Mungo
50 years of successful mass production for the automotive industry.
1960s
Launch of Cellasto production with suspension and damping
elements. Foamed PU components are produced for
the first time in Lemförde. The first customers are DKW
and Auto Union. In the mid-sixties, Cellasto production
gets underway in Japan. Mercedes, BMW and Porsche
are also customers.
1970s
Automation of production. Opel and VW are the next
customers. Development of a new medium-rigid, closedcell
formula with cold flexibility, which is used for the first
time in the VW Passat. In addition to damping, Cellasto is
also ideal for noise reduction. This opens up a totally new
market.
1980s
Used in the Ur-Quattro and Passat. BASF is meanwhile
supplier to the entire German car industry. Export business
and internationalization are stepped up, the first top
mounts are fitted in the Jaguar. Construction of the plant
in Wyandotte, USA. GM Oldsmobile Ciera, Buick Century
and Chevrolet Celebrity are the first American vehicles
with Cellasto.
1990s
Further extension of automation, huge output with consistently
high quality. New markets and fields of application
are tapped. Cellasto conquers the Korean market. The first
body mount in the Kia Sportage. Used in further models at
Kia, Hyundai and Daewoo. The first Chinese system house
in Nansha opens as a joint venture with Headway in 1999.
A new central research center in Lemförde.
2000 to 2011
Along with spring aids, customers trust increasingly in
top mounts and spring pads made of Cellasto. Via direct
digital data interchange, BASF employees serve as codesigners
in close contact with the customer. Global key
account teams develop matching solutions for each
customer in each region. There are now six production
locations and five distribution bases worldwide. Extension
of production capacity in Europe and the USA. A new
production location opens in Shanghai in October 2011.
13

Automotive
Lightweight Construction
Less is more.
Front bumper
Elastolit R
Engine cover
Elastoflex W
Structural parts
(radiator module,
air filter casing)
Elastolit K
Filter, air filter,
radial filter
Elastofoam I
Cable casing set
Elastofoam I
Cable sheathing,
ABS ESP systems
Elastollan
Flat flexible cables
Elastollan
Center console
Elastoflex E
Door side panel
foam backing
Elastoflex E
Coating of fine
hardwood trims
Elastocoat C
Dashboard, doorside
panel surfaces
Elastoskin,
Elastollan
Dashboard
foam backing
Elastoflex E
Steering wheel
Elastofoam I,
Elastollan
Seats, headrests,
armrests
Elastoflex W
Headrests
Elastofoam I
Driver airbag cover
Elastollan
14

BASF’s efficient polyurethane ideas propel lightweight car construction into the fast lane.
The car has been in existence for 125 years. And for much of this time, developers, designers and
engineers have been preoccupied with ways of boosting performance with less weight and
signifi cantly reduced fuel consumption. The models of the future will have to be lighter, faster,
more economical and, above all, eco-friendlier. But this is easier said than done, because increasing
comfort and electronic devices don’t come with inbuilt economies.
Roof module/hardtop
Elastoflex E
Headliner
Elastoflex E
Trunk floor,
rear shelf
Elastoflex E
Windscreen and
window bonding
Elastolit R
Rear bumper
Elastolit R
Rear spoiler/
Rear spoiler lip
Elastolit K
Doorsills
Elastolit R
Carpet foam backing
Elastoflex W
Lumbar support
Elastollan
Gear lever knob
Elastofoam I
Gear lever knob/
handbrake/controls
Elastollan
Wing mirror
Elastolit D,
Elastolit R
Cupholder, shutter,
door handle
Elastollan
Mudguard
Elastolit R
Auxiliary springs,
support bearings,
chassis components
Cellasto
15

Automotive
Lightweight Construction
Lean is the name of the game. But which is the
best diet?
For decades now, lightweight construction has been one of
the prime goals in automobile development. This is done
by using aluminum, carbon fiber, composites, polyure
thane and other weight-reducing materials, or frames
made of special steel alloys known as tailored blanks. In
this process, various steel sheets are lasered or welded to
yield frame components. One thing is certain: If the car’s
weight is to be cut, savings have to be made across the
board – involving everything from the frame components
and body parts, engine, transmission, chassis & suspension,
brakes and interior fittings to the instrument panel.
And all this without in any way compromising safety or the
joy of driving.
Incredible what the most creative automotive minds
dream up when they’re given free rein.
Futuristic automotive visions on wheels that have nothing
in common with conventional tires – electrically driven, of
course, or with fuel cells. Weight a mere 500 kilos. Cars
knitted by robots out of carbon fibers. Or others, like a
Mercedes sports car, that are to be grown in greenhouses
like fruit or vegetables. Other whiz kids and visionaries have
put forward gliders with pneumatic drives and body parts
made of ivy fibers. And others still propose using carbon
fiber and seaweed panels that also supply the power for
the electric motor with undisclosed biochemical processes.
A pity, though, that most of these ingenious yet wacky
ideas will most likely never make it to the production line.
And a good thing, too, that there are already a whole host
of realistic alternative ways of cutting weight. With polyurethane,
for instance, the universal material from BASF:
Much of what was just a pipe dream only a few years ago
is now already feasible.
Anything’s possible when cars are put on a diet of polyurethane.
Everything’s got to be lighter, faster, less complicated and, of
course, less expensive as well. In the last few years, the
chemists and product developers of BASF Polyurethanes
have developed materials that take some beating. For when
it comes to the development of lighter vehicles with the associated
lower fuel consumption and reduced CO 2 emissions,
16

Lightweight, polyurethane-based components can be found in many car models today – in the sporty Artega, for instance.
BASF Polyurethanes has got plenty to offer. The magic word
is “composites”. What this means is, among other things,
high-grade sandwich panels of filament-reinforced cover
layers with a lightweight foam core of Elastolit ® D.
These are used for the production of extra-strong, compression-resis
tant, temperature-resistant and above all lightweight
high-performance components. Fiber composites
reinforced with filaments currently harbor the biggest
potential for highly efficient lightweight construction.
A dream for followers of the star. Even the fenders are
of the finest quality – made of the Elastolit high-speed
RIM system from BASF Polyurethanes.
Saving weight is the order of the day. So what could be
more obvious than to use a material on the SLK 55 AMG
Black Series that has already slashed the weight of the
McLaren race car? This is the Elastolit ® R PU system
(known as RIM or Reinforced Injection Molding systems),
a microcellular, virtually solid material noted for its high
impact strength.
Interior surfaces high on performance, low on weight.
Honeycomb technology makes light of trunk floors,
spare wheel covers and sunroofs.
Two glass mats sandwiching a honeycomb of paper are
sprayed with the Elastoflex ® E PU system. The entire sandwich
is then laid in a hot mold where the chemical reaction,
the curing, of the part takes place. Out comes a super-light
car component.
300 hp packed into an extra-light PU body. The Artega
GT sets standards with its weight, acceleration and,
more importantly, fuel consumption.
300 hp inside and a layer of polyurethane on the outside –
this is how to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.8 s. The
Artega is the world’s first standard-production vehicle to
have a body made entirely of polyurethane (PU) – resorting
consistently to lightweight construction innovations from
BASF Polyurethanes GmbH.
Further information:
www.automotive.basf.com/p02/Automotive/de_DE/portal
17

Automotive
Composite Materials
Breaking the mold with LFI.
BASF has been energetically pursuing the development
of LFI technology for vehicle components
in buses, trucks, special-purpose machinery and
cars since 2006.
BASF Asia Pacific is now celebrating
success with the application of this
technology in China as well. An
important customer here is Yangzi
Motor Decoration Company Ltd.
Long fiber injection (LFI) is used in
this field to reinforce light and strong PU parts with long glass fibers – the
instrument panel carrier material in the new Scania buses, for example. In an
LFI system, glass fibers are cut from a reel and chopped into superfine fibers
that are then mixed with the PU reaction system. The mix is then fed into an
open mold. The mold is closed and the component is formed under pressure,
with the glass fibers and PU system combining to yield an extra-strong composite
material.
Quicker, harder, more durable and ultimately cheaper. Every production
step benefits from the LFI process.
Long-fiber-reinforced PU comes with a host of significant advantages. These
include new design scope for interior and exterior parts. By modifying various
machine parameters, it is even possible to change the material’s mechanical
characteristics in some cases. With the aid of various decorative materials
(PVC, TPO, ASA/PC, to name but a few), it’s possible to adapt the surface to
the application in question. This means appreciable savings in expenditure
and time – firstly, through the use of inexpensive glass fiber filaments, with
reduced waste thanks to optimized distribution by robot. The cutting and preforming
of the glass fiber mats is no longer necessary. And secondly, the
individual components no longer have to be produced in a laborious manual
lamination process. Now all it takes is a single work cycle, even for compo nents
with extra-large surfaces. To this end, an already thermoformed thermoplastic
sheet is laid in the mold, and the polyurethane – in this case Elastoflex ® E – and
finely chopped glass fibers are laid on top. Then the mold is closed, the material
cures, metal reinforcements and fasteners are fitted to the inside, and the
new Scania component is finished. The process couldn’t be faster or more
precise.
Further information: www.scania.com
Contact: Jan Yang, BASF Polyurethanes Specialties, BASF Asia Pacific, Shanghai,
China, e-mail: jan.yang@basf.com
18

Long-fiber-reinforced PU using LFI technology can be
found in many modern interior features in new Scania
buses and trucks.
19

Footwear
Safety Shoes
BASF in Europe has been successfully involved in the
production of rubber boots for about 10 years.
20

Rubber gets
the boot.
work boot production, the universal material
is being used increasingly in rubber boots –
at Bekina in Belgium and Sievin-Jalkine in
Finland, for example. And, as of late, the
market for rubber boots has been growing
strongly in Asia and in other regions as well –
albeit with a decisive difference: The new generation
of the models in use worldwide gets along
® PU
system that has a whole series of remarkable advantages
over conventional rubber.
Two systems to boot.
The Elastopan PU system is available in two different variants:
a polyester system for safety boots, and a polyether
system for leisure boots. BASF Polyurethanes has thus
for production in Europe, Asia and South America and
is the leading international supplier today for this kind of
footwear. On top of this, the new-generation boots can be
made entirely of PU or combined with other materials such
as TPU or rubber for the outsole.
There’s a strong trend toward rubber boots without rubber – but with
Elastopan instead.
With Elastopan the boot is on the other foot.
They are up to three times more durable, they’re cool in summer
and warm in winter, they display high wearing comfort
and are extremely slip resistant, contain sweat-absorbent
insoles and are up to 40 percent lighter than their rubber
counterparts. At the same time, they are as immune to oil,
grease and fertilizer as one would expect of a top-quality
work boot. Boots made of Elastopan are a pleasure to wear
– and also a pleasure to work in.
Further information: www.bekina.be/en
Contact (Asia): Massimo Patrignani, Phone: +852 2731 4356,
e-mail: massimo.patrignani@basf.com
Call our number (Europe): Jean-Paul
Roux, BASF Polyuréthanes France,
European Segment Leader Safety
Shoes, +33 1 6021 4217 or send an
e-mail to: jean-paul.roux@basf.com
21

Footwear
Safety Shoes
Safety shoes from Bompel provide a firm footing on many
construction sites worldwide.
Meteoric rise from shoemaker
to footwear manufacturer.
From 1" to 7,500 pairs per day – Bompel, the Brazilian
company for safety shoes, is a classic example of successful
private enterprise.
30 years back, a tiny shoemaker’s workshop in Toledo in
the Brazilian state of Paraná managed a meager one and a
half pairs of shoes per day. And, time permitting, it repaired
four more pairs as well. No one at the time could have foreseen
the transformation that the business would undergo in
the intervening years to become what it is today:
BOMBONATTO INDÚSTRIA E COMÈRCIO DE CALÇADOS
LTDA., still based in Toledo, now one of Brazil’s leading
manufacturers of safety shoes.
A change in fortunes – coupled with plenty of expertise
and commitment.
Today, Bompel, as it is now known, stands for quality,
innovation, advanced design and first-rate technology. And
it, too, has turned to intelligent
high-tech sole systems from
BASF Polyurethanes. The turning
point occurred in 1978 when another
company, also located in
Toledo, placed orders for roughly
100 highly specialized safety shoes per month. To expand
its output, the small shoemaking shop purchased its first
professional machine – a machine, incidentally, that was
capable of sewing shoe soles made of tire rubber, an absolute
novelty at the time.
640 highly skilled employees produce the quality that is
Bompel’s hallmark.
Today, Bompel achieves an output of 7,500 pairs per day.
On what is now a 5,800 m! plant site, it runs its own tannery,
foundry and laboratories to control the consistently high
quality of its products. Working at the plant are 640 highly
skilled employees who are involved in the production
process and have a major hand in the quality of the shoes.
22

In ongoing training, all employees are motivated to maintain and, if possible,
improve on the already high standards. The Brazilians are convinced that the
investment in manpower is the best company philosophy.
If you want to conquer markets, you need a clear-cut approach.
You could say: an approach like Bompel’s. Because in Toledo, nothing is left
to chance. For instance, its products can be traced continuously within the
production and delivery process at any time. This applies to the purchase of
the raw materials, the various production steps, quality controls and labora tory
analysis to the shipment of the ordered goods to the customer. Transparency
through and through coupled with superlative quality. It’s understandable that
so much attention to detail, expertise and commitment is welcomed by the
market.
The safety shoes manufactured by Bompel are sold today not only in Brazil,
but also in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia, Spain and Portugal.
And, as we can see from its humble beginnings, this could be just the start of
something even bigger.
Further information: www.bompel.com.br
Call our number: Rubem Balan
Junior, Regional Marketing
Coordinator, BASF Poliuretanos,
Brazil, +55 11 45427288 or send an
e-mail to: rubem.balan@basf.com
23

Consumer Products
Flexible Foam
Guests of Business Hotel René Bohn in Ludwigshafen, Germany,
have been getting a really good night’s sleep since May.

A dream come true …
... a night on CosyPUR.
A very special test campaign has just been carried out at Business Hotel René
Bohn in Ludwigshafen. The 4-star establishment is one of BASF’s own business
enterprises and is the preferred hotel of many BASF employees from all
over the world, although it is also open to the general public.
All 80 rooms were provided with pillows and bolsters made of CosyPUR ®
(1 Visco, 1 Supersoft) for a testing period of five months. Guests could choose
from six different pillows and also have the chance to test the two CosyPUR
variants. Information cards supplied details of the two PU flexible foam products.
The guest filled in a brief questionnaire to give his or her assessment of
the CosyPUR pillows.
If you want an honest assessment of your product, ask the end consumer.
Jens Müller, responsible at BASF Polyurethanes for flexible foam marketing and
sales, explains: “The idea was to find out what the end consumer thinks about
our systems and particularly about newly developed Supersoft.” And Melina
Rübbelke, in charge of system development, adds: “We as the devel opers eventually
reach the point where we’re unable to accurately assess the product. This
is why it’s so important to test its profile of characteristics.” Hotel manager
Alexander Schaden was immediately taken by the idea of using BASF products
at the hotel. “This is not only an outstanding image booster for BASF, but it also
gives guests an idea of what BASF actually does.” They have a choice between
traditional pillows and the latest developments, like the breathable or very soft
variants of CosyPUR. The campaign met with huge interest, and guests
appreciated the highly original opportunity to participate.
After only about five months, there’s only one verdict for CosyPUR Visco
and CosyPUR Supersoft: A dream.
Jens Müller is delighted: “The whole campaign has exceeded our expect -
a tions. We’ve picked up a great deal of valuable information and suggestions,
and these will be useful for development and application technology. The
assessments have been very positive and show a high level of satisfaction
with the product. The campaign tells us that we’re on the right track and that
we can now get down to the fine tuning – with modifications to suit national
tastes, for instance. We’ve been given the confirmation that the market is
interested in Supersoft.” Incidentally, work is already in progress on the next
generation – viscoelastic foams that are temperature-insensitive and low on
emissions and odors. As the incentive has been such an outstanding success
the CosyPUR team is already thinking about follow-up activities.
Further information: www.wirtschaftsbetriebe.basf.de/de/gastro/hotel_bohn
Left: Jens Müller and Melina Rübbelke of BASF
Polyurethanes hand hotel manager Alexander
Schaden two brand-new CosyPUR pillows.
Contact: Jens Müller, Head of European Segment Specialties,
e-mail: jens.mueller@basf.com
Melina Rübbelke, Technical Service Viscoelastic Foams,
e-mail: melina.ruebbelke@basf.com
25

Consumer Products
Insulation
Putting a freeze on
energy consumption.
The new insulant made of Elastocool wraps it up.
Refrigerators are designed to cool – continuously, with high
insulation values, energy-efficiently and thus inexpensively
for the consumer. A key element in this is the fridge’s or
freezer’s insulation material of polyurethane that keeps the
chill inside and warm air outside. With improvements in the
thermal insulation and refrigerant compressors, the insulation
values achievable today are chillingly superior to those of
the previous generation. The power consumption of fridges
and freezers has thus been slashed by about 75 percent
in the last 10 years. Since the introduction of energy-efficiency
classes, sales have risen markedly, and demand for
energy-efficient appliances has increased appreciably.
Taking everything into account, Elastocool sets today’s
standard.
There’s now a new generation of PU rigid foam systems by
the name of Elastocool ® that achieve utterly astonishing
results with their optimized properties. With a further improvement
in the already excellent thermal conductivity
26

www.polyurethanes.basf.de/pu/solutions/en/content/group/News_und_Medien/Presseinformationen/Kuehlkette_K2010
values of the new rigid foam system, energy consumption
has been lowered yet again. Elastocool also benefits
production, e.g., by cutting demolding time and thus
boosting the capacity of the foaming line and injecting
greater flexibility into the production process. On top of
this, the system’s pressure resistance has been enhanced,
thus making it possible to lower the density and reduce
ma terial input. The bottom line is that these properties
already set the standard for coming models.
It takes close cooperation with the customer to turn
a good idea into a successful one.
Market launch for Europe and Asia, to be followed by
North America and the rest of the world, is currently in
preparation. The goal is also to implement the globally
proven BASF strategy: continuously improving prod ucts,
sharing success and identifying problems together with
the customer, and thus offering the best solutions and
developing collective approaches for the future. At the
plants of our customers Liebherr Domestic Appliances,
Lienz, Atlant, Minsk, and Bosch and Siemens Domestic
Appliances in Giengen, Germany, series production is just
getting underway; further refrigerator manufacturers are
all set to follow their example. Production of the new
Elastocool rigid foam generation kicked off a few weeks
ago at BASF in Schwarzheide, Germany.
Further information:
Call our number: Heiner Wiecher,
European segment leader Domestic
Refrigeration, +49 5443 12 4203
or send an e-mail to:
heiner.wiecher@basf.com
27

New Business Development
New Products, New Markets
How BASF’s experts come up with totally new product
ideas with unconventional approaches.
Rules are there to be broken. “As a strategic unit, we’re tackling
our projects in totally new ways,” says Martin Lange,
describing New Business Development at BASF Poly ure
thanes. Apart from Lange, “we” refers in this case to Arno
Volkmann and Denis Vugrek for Elastocoast ® , Thomas
Stührenberg for Elastopave ® , Georg Knoblauch for solar
applications and Christophe Hebette for wind energy. The
goal of these new approaches is to take a large stock of ideas
and choose the right ones for polyurethane applications
for CASE products and develop efficient
business models in line with BASF guidelines.
But it’s a matter not only of develop
ing new ideas, but also of tapping new
fields of application. Here, it’s often important
to enter into strategic partnerships, to bring enterprises
and entrepreneurs with different mindsets together,
in order to arrive at promising new product developments.
No out-of-hand rejection – all ideas are worthy of consideration.
New Business Development at EBM-A underwent reorgan -
ization a good eighteen months ago. The foremost task was
28

Thinking outside the box.
Above: Which way is solar technology moving? And how can PU contribute?
One of the many subjects handled by the Business Development
Team.
Left: BASF experts from left to right: Thomas Stührenberg, Dennis Vugrek,
Martin Lange, Georg Knoblauch, Arno Volkmann and Christophe Hebette.
We want our customers to be successful. Our strategy for this
is business development.
to examine existing topics, restructure them and, if necessary,
give them a new direction. This also involved developing
clear-cut criteria to permit ongoing reappraisals. The
compromise takes account of the fact that a lot of work has
already been invested in Elastopave, Elastocoast and solar
applications and this represents a solid foundation. “We do
of course build on existing structures. However, for each new
idea, we examine the issues of competitive advantage and
the right timing of market launch,” Lange explains.
The thinking also then ranges from suitable business models,
and customer and market analyses, to searching for and
finding the right partners for successful practical realization.
The allocation of tasks in the New Business Development
team is clearly defined. Each member is in charge of a
topic. “And only when the existing business fields are strategically
organized so that we can implement them in distribution,
marketing and sales do we move on to one of the
many other new ideas that are already on hand,” says
Lange, outlining the procedure. And what is also important
for the BASF ideas scouts is that all projects are regularly
subjected to a “health check”. It then becomes possible to
immediately nudge the thinking on each subject in a new
direction or into a new dimension, if necessary, and to search
for even more efficient and practicable product or business
models. And this is something from which every single
customer of BASF Polyurethanes ultimately benefits – in
terms of the quality of their products, their possible applications,
their sustainability and of course the business
success that comes almost inevitably in view of the wealth
of creativity and sound knowledge.
Contact: martin.lange@basf.com
29

Store Window Displays
Mannequins Made of Polyurethane
Fusion Specialties doesn’t just create mannequins, it creates
works of art. Polyurethane allows each mannequin to be a
a one-of-a-kind, brand-tailored sculpture. And it makes the
process efficient. So efficient, in fact, that Fusion Specialties
is able to create 1,200 mannequins a day (that’s close to half
a million annually). “Our mannequins are fine art translated
into something commercial. We have full-time sculptors on
staff. We take something artistic and emotional and turn it
into multiple replications,” said Peter Huston, Vice President
of Fusion.
Pick a part:
The business of polyurethane
and custom mannequins.
30

Fusion Specialties and BASF technology help retailers
build a better brand.
A custom-tailored process.
Established in 1986, Fusion Specialties Inc., with the help of
BASF technology, pioneered mannequin making out of polyurethane.
With custom orders representing 95 percent of
its business, Fusion Specialties works with each client to
create a line of mannequins that is unique to each brand. No
two companies receive the same product. Fitness gear can
be displayed on athletic mannequins practicing their golf
swing or running in mid-stride. Plus-size vendors can display
mannequins that represent their customers and their clothing.
More avant-garde companies can create mannequins
with abstract features in limitless colors and forms. Fusion
mannequins are not just a backdrop. They are designed to
personify a brand.
Built to last.
Once crafted from wood and wax, the average mannequin
today is made of fiberglass. More efficient to produce,
Fusion can produce four polyurethane mannequins for
every fiberglass model. And unlike their fiberglass counterparts,
polyurethane mannequins won’t break if dropped.
Polyurethane mannequins can also be infused with color,
so customers don’t need to worry about chipping paint
down the road.
The polyurethane advantage.
Custom products are often associated with slow production.
Because of polyurethane, “we were able to put 13,000 mannequins
in 1,000 stores in three months,” said Huston. “We
just could not do that with fiberglass. Polyurethane allows
speed to market, capacity and collaboration on design.”
Because of the material’s versatility, clients can be involved
in the design process without slowing things down. No
request is impossible. “In one instance, a customer saw an
image of a prototype created by a sculptor with clay. The
customer liked the stroke marks from the sculpting tools.
Because polyurethanes are so versatile, we were able to
incorporate that texture into our mold so the mannequin
looked like it was made of clay. Polyurethane gives us that
level of flexibility,” said Huston.
A form for every function.
The world of mannequins can be divided into four parts:
1. Cloth-covered forms: These mannequins are widely
known as “dressmaker forms” and are comprised of a
bust and torso held up with a stand. They are traditionally
used in the fashion industry as a tool for crafting garments
but today are becoming popular in retail displays.
2. The basic mannequin: The most popular mannequin is
the featureless and often headless model. With a rise in
popularity in the eighties, these models are easy to dress
and require no pinning and primping. These forms are
tailored to an economy in which window dressers and
visual merchandisers are a thing of the past. Fusion
Specialties has engineered magnetic arm fittings, making
dressing efficient for any store employee.
3. Abstract: These mannequins represent the human form
but are not completely realistic. Some may have distorte
d heads or elongated fingers. These forms are popular
in the fashion world.
4. Highly realistic: The
most expensive kind of
mannequin, these forms
mimic the subtle intricacies
of the human body
and can include muscle
tone, makeup and hair.
Further information:
www.fusionspecialties.com
Call our number: Joseph Shirmer,
Business Director, Polyurethane
Systems, BASF Corporation, USA,
+1 734 324 5323 or send an
e-mail to: joseph.shirmer@basf.com
31

Construction
Sandwich Plate System (SPS)
Clearing the deck.
With an impressive SPS deck rehabilitation project,
the City of Edmonton in Canada restored its historic
Dawson Bridge to its former glory.
Edmonton, capital of the Canadian province of
Alberta, has a population of over a million. The
historic Dawson Bridge today carries an important
traffic artery that was so important for the
city’s industrial growth in the last century. Built in
1912 and initially used for the transportation of coal, the twolane
bridge today handles some 17,000 vehicles per day.
Dawson Bridge
project has won the
CISC Steel Design
Award 2011.
In 2007, a detailed structural examination commissioned by
the city revealed that the entire almost century-old deck
had to be replaced along with some of the members of the
steel trusses. The steel structure was in need of repainting,
and the very narrow sidewalks were a source of safety
prob lems as well.
32

New lease on life for an old bridge – achieved with
70 percent less weight than with reinforced concrete.
Originally developed for the marine industry, SPS technology
is now also finding applications in the construction of
bridges and of stands in stadiums. 776 ft long and 26.8 ft
wide, the Dawson Bridge is so far the first major bridge
project to have made use of SPS technology. No less
remarkable is that it does entirely without welding.
Workers fit an SPS panel on the Dawson Bridge in summer 2010.
SPS has now been used in 180 projects on six continents.
SPS itself consists of two steel face plates sandwiching a
core of polyurethane. The finished product is a composite
panel of high rigidity and strength. Thanks to the elastomer
core, the PU system Elastocore ® , SPS also absorbs vibration
and displays high tolerance to jolts and impacts. SPS
panels weigh up to 70 percent less than reinforced concrete
while being at least as strong and more durable in
addition. Consequently, today’s bridges with SPS panels
may yet be used by our grandchildren.
Faster construction, less stress and lower costs – SPS
is the best solution in every respect.
SPS panels can be prefabricated off-site and are then
bolted together on the bridge. The overall rehabilitation of
this bridge was accomplished at high speed – without
time-consuming welding and without annoying, long-term
closures to traffic.
Making light work of a burdensome problem.
After an examination of all options, it soon became clear that
the best rehabilitation approach was to limit the bridge’s
dead load with a lightweight deck – a traditional concrete
deck would have been too costly and too heavy for the aging
existing steel structure. The design team therefore recommended
an entirely new, lightweight sol ution, the Sandwich
Plate System (SPS) from Intelligent Engineering Ltd. This represented
the best possible combination of weight savings,
a thin profile and simple and above all swift execution of the
job. As this is a pretty new technology, the city was also
recommended an extensive risk control package, which SPS
effortlessly satisfied on all counts.
Photo: Smackaay (Wikipedia)
Michael Kennedy, e-mail:
enquries@ie-sps.com
The bridge deck was replaced in
just six weeks, in July and August
2010. The entire project was completed
in only 12 months from
January to December 2010. A traditional
bridge repair would have
taken at least 18 months and have
been much more expensive because
of the additional steel member
replacements. Michael Kennedy, CEO of Intelligent
Engin eering, was delighted that the project has won the
CISC Award for excellence in steel structures: “To have
success fully completed this project in the city where the
three founders of IE went
to college and where SPS
was initially developed
makes it a special achievement.”
Further information:
www.ie-sps.com
Call our number: Gunther Lukat,
Technical Sales Elastomers,
Germany, +49 5443 12 4190
or send an e-mail to:
gunther.lukat@basf.com
33

Construction
Raw Materials
Benefits across the board.

Using PU materials, the woodworking industry today produces boards
and panels that are markedly superior to conventional products.
If you want to stay ahead in the wood-based panel industry,
it’s best to rely on machines and basic products that do
more than their rivals. What really counts here are mechanical
characteristics, strength, durability, speed in production
and high reliability as well as, for example, the costeffective
use of binders that, all things considered, are
simply better than other materials. For years now, BASF
Polyurethanes has been supplying such all-rounders with
growing success and is continuously improving their processing
characteristics.
Greater speed, strength, economy and eco-friendliness
– polyurethane raw materials such as Lupranat and
Lupranol sweep the board.
Polyurethane raw materials like Lupranat ® (M20 FB) and
Lupranol ® have been successfully used as binders in the
wood-based panel industry for years. With their extra-high
reactivity, they speed up production processes in the woodbased
panel industry significantly. As binders for orientedstrand
board (OSB), medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and
particleboard, they’re responsible for the efficient bonding of
wood-based panels used in furniture-making and house
construction. And of course – just as efficiently – as supplementary
binders for urea formaldehyde resins. Binders from
BASF Polyurethanes really pull out all the stops in OSB
panels. The outcome is high-performance panels of outstanding
mechanical strength and durability.
OSB panels with PU binders are indispensable in house-building projects.
due to shorter drying time. And if all this isn’t enough,
there’s one more argument that really puts you on the safe
side: In PU binders for the wood-based panel industry,
there’s no longer any need for extra formaldehyde.
Customers: www.egger.com, www.kronoply.de
Only when the heat and pressure are on do Lupranat
and Lupranol reveal their true qualities.
This is the moment of truth for OSB panels, because it is
then that the wood strands or flakes are wetted with the
binder and pressed into a panel with the application of heat.
The result is high-performance board with exceptional
mechanical characteristics and durability. Its key properties
also include low swelling, high resistance to moisture and a
considerable improvement in productivity thanks to its
extra-fast curing. Ultimately this means lower energy costs
Call our number: Stefan Ullmann,
Head of Sales CASE Europe,
+49 5443 12 4294 or send an
e-mail to: stefan.ullmann@basf.com
35

Construction
PU Composites
A tower of strength.
Power transmission towers have to be tall, incredibly
strong and able to brave the elements. These giant
structures supplying electricity all over the world are
literally under tension 24 hours a day, for their entire
useful life.
They are of course exposed to anything the
weather can throw at them – ice, snow, rain,
the sun and wind. It’s a grueling task that
transmission towers are expected to
perform, and the passage of time leaves
indelible marks on even the strongest tower.
A turn for the better: Winding transmission towers with
a polyurethane composite.
There’s now a new technology that overcomes the aging
problems of conventional steel transmission towers. Experts
at BASF Polyurethanes have found a way of completely replacing
the steel of transmission towers with a special polyurethane
composite material. Filament winding has been
found to be the method of choice for the creation of composite
material structures. This process involves winding filaments
at different tensions over a male mold or mandrel.
36

With a totally new filament winding process, BASF Poly -
ure thanes is replacing conventional steel structures for
transmission towers in Asia.
During subsequent winding, the mandrel rotates while a
carriage moves horizontally, laying down fibers in the desired
pattern. The most common filaments are carbon or glass
fiber and are coated with synthetic resin as they are wound.
The new generation of transmission towers has more
staying power than conventional structures.
The new polyurethane composite transmission towers are
significantly lighter and could easily replace traditional transmission
towers made of such materials as wood, concrete
and steel. They are outstandingly long-lasting, with 65 years
being highly realistic in the most extreme weather conditions
and up to 125 years in most other temperate climatic re -
gions. This has been demonstrated by tests with direct
ex po sure to tornados in Texas and the severest winter
con ditions in Scandinavia. On top of this, the new towers are
easier to transport, install and store, as these are telescopic
towers for heights of over 30 meters.
Another important aspect is that the polyurethane composite
is also an insulant and diminishes the risk of
lightning-strike accidents. If the new technology fulfills
its abundant promise worldwide, the motto will be: More
power to polyurethane!
Call our number: Jan Yang,
BASF Polyurethanes Specialties,
BASF Asia Pacific, Shanghai, China,
+86 21 38655682 or send an
e-mail to: jan.yang@basf.com
37

Construction
Road/Path Surfacing
BASF customer Presto Geosystems’ porous pavement technologies
lead the way to success the old-fashioned way – with
evidence and proof.
Who says you can’t have
It may surprise most people that one of the most preventable
environmental hazards lies right under our feet. Materials
commonly used to create walkways, driveways, patios,
park ing lots, roads and highways are impervious and prevent
stormwater from filtering back and replenishing aquifers
naturally. Moreover, as stormwater washes over a multitude
of polluted and overheated surfaces, a perfect storm of ecologically-damaging
runoff flows into storm drains, streams,
rivers, lakes, estuaries and oceans.
For many years, BASF and its customers have joined forces
to create better surfacing materials that go far in alleviating
this destructive cycle. FilterPave ® , a recycled post-consumer
glass and polyurethane-based porous pavement system
by Presto Geosystems, represents one of the most recent
and promising porous surfacing systems to date.
Research shows: Green is indeed a new golden path.
The Green Brands study is one of the largest global consumer
surveys of green brands and corporate environmental
responsibility. Based on the findings of its recent
survey of 9,000 people in eight countries, the study verified
what many suspected: Consumers will spend more on
green products and seek out environmentally responsible
manu facturers.
This finding was true for each and every one of the countries
included in the research. The message is clear: green is
38

eauty and brains?
indeed a path to gold. But, as many marketers float on
unsubstantiated “green” claims, BASF and customers like
Presto Geosystems are employing an often underutilized
strategy: provide proof, transparent evidence, rigorous testing
and third-party verification.
Don’t take our word for it … Brand loyalty is still based
on trust.
If we told you that Presto Geosystems’ FilterPave porous
pavement system, made from 100 percent post-consumer
recycled glass and bonded with a BASF polyurethane resin,
is an environmentally preferable paving system, would you
believe us?
That’s why Presto Geosystems engaged The Stormwater
Management Academy at The University of Central Florida
(UCF) to establish credible, defensible and industry-leading
third-party sustainability evidence. Researchers at UCF
tested FilterPave in the following areas:
Water quality improvement.
Based on a 25-year design storm (8.4 inches/hr) in Florida,
a 33 percent reduction in phosphorus and nitrogen was
achieved. The yearly phosphorus and nitrogen mass reductions
will be significantly higher for most regions considering
more than 90 percent of all rainfall events are less than
one inch in intensity.
Compressive strength.
After exhaustive laboratory and field tests, researchers at
UCF have concluded that, with an average compressive
strength of 1,160 psi and a flexural strength of 508 psi, Filter-
Pave is stronger than porous asphalt and more flexible than
pervious concrete in low- and medium-duty applications.
Porosity : Sustainable void space.
With a porosity of 39 percent, FilterPave has the highest
amount of storage space within the material for a porous pavement
and is twice as porous as pervious concrete. According
to BASF Market Development
Manager, Steven
Hicks, “We are proud to
partner with our customers
like Presto Geosystems.
Growing re sponsibly while
providing innovative solutions
for sustainable products
and a sustainable
future is our first priority.”
Further information:
www.prestogeo.com/filterpave
or contact: Kai Tietjen,
Soiltec GmbH, Germany,
www.filterpave.de
Call our number: Steven Hicks,
Market Development Manager,
BASF Corporation, USA,
+1 734 324 5408 or send an
e-mail to: steven.hicks@basf.com
FilterPave ® is a registered trademark of Presto Geosystems.
39

Multifunctional Application
Rigid Integral Foam
Hard to beat.
Whatever the product – snowboards, structural and decorative
elements or window frames – Elastolit D and Elastolit K from
BASF give each component, however complex, unparalleled
strength and rigidity.
on sports equipment like skis and
snowboards, Elastolit D and Elastolit
K display remarkable dimensional
stability along with outstanding
high- and low-temperature shape
retention.
Wherever they’re encountered – in the construction industry,
sports or leisure – many quality products are expected to stay
hard, tough and elastic for their entire service life. This is why
Elastolit ® D and Elastolit ® K rigid integral foams rank among
the best materials – and also cover an incredible range of
applications.
These include decorative and structural elements indoors
and outdoors, roof gullies, door elements, dome lights, stable
ventilators, window frames for mobile homes, picture frames,
ceilings, brackets, chimneypieces, mirrors, furniture, housing
components for medical devices and cash dispensers. Even
Thanks to its sandwich design, Elastolit D is ideal for
the production of sophisticated moldings of high rigidity
and low weight.
Because of the low internal mold pressures, large-area
parts can be produced extremely economically. The integration
of reinforcement and force discharge fix tures is also
possible. Complex, 3-dimensional parts can also be produced
with high replication accuracy, long flow paths and
intricate zones. And with Elastolit D it is possible to achieve
good thermal and sound insulation values as well. Elastolit K,
on the other hand, is a microcellular, virtually solid material
40

Rigid integral foam – Facts:
3 to compact
distinguished by its scope for highly cost-effective processing.
Large-area parts with long flow paths and wall thicknesses
of preferably 3 to 6 mm can be produced with high
inherent rigidity and strength. Intricate moldings similar to
those achievable with thermoplastics are possible. Thanks
to the material’s viscoplastic properties, snap connectors
can also be integrated in the molding. Due to the use of
inexpensive aluminum molds and the short cycle time during
molding, the material is an exciting prospect particularly for
mid-scale production.
And last but not least: Like the properties of the multitalented
flexible integral foam systems from BASF, those of
these rigid foams are hard to beat.
Further information:
www.polyurethanes.basf.de/pu/solutions/en
Call our number: Jens Müller,
Head of European Segment
Specialties, +49 5443 12 2835
or send an e-mail to:
jens.mueller@basf.com
41

Aviation
Aerospace Applications
Reaching for the sky.
BASF has a multitude of top-flight polyurethane
appli cations to offer the aerospace industry.
BASF is proud to introduce new applications for the aerospace
industry. Based on our broad portfolio of products
and technologies, we can now deliver unique solutions to
the aerospace industry for areas such as cabin interiors,
structural materials and seating components. Several
examples of how our products can help make our aerospace
customers more successful include:
BASF polyurethane rigid foams (Elastopor ® and Autofroth ® )
can be used to replace relatively heavy metal structures with
thinner metal/polymer composite structures based on rigid
foam re-enforcements. BASF polyurethane
rigid foams have a closed-cell
structure which provides superior
insulation performance as well as
structural and design-enhancing physical
properties.
BASF Polyurethanes’ cast elastomers (Elasturan ® /Elastocast
® ) are highly versatile and durable materials that can
be cast or spray-applied to bond with and improve the
performance of wide-ranging substrates including wood,
metal, glass, and other plastics. Based on the application
requirements, elastomers can be custom-formulated for
structural enhancement, wear resistance, sound and vibration
damping, or thermal and environmental barrier protection.
They also can be custom formulated for elasticity and
hardness and cast into nearly any shape.

Global PUR is organizing
a draw for 3 iPads.
Global
PUR
Customer Magazine . Edition 2.2011 . No. 21
It couldn’t be simpler:
Answer the questions on
the participation card and send
it in to the Global PUR editorial
board – or visit our website:
www.polyurethanes.basf.eu
A smooth ride all
over the world.
50 years of Cellasto in cars.
Perfection in every detail.
Polyurethane in Scania trucks.
100 years of BASF in Brazil.
A South American success story.
Magnificent mannequins.
Display dummies made of polyurethane.
Cut here! ✁
SIMPLY FILL IT IN, SEND IT OFF AND CLAIM YOUR PRIZE!
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in the Global PUR Magazine?
Yes To some extent No
2. Which subjects interest you most?
3. Do you read the Global PUR Magazine on paper
or online?
On paper
Online
46
4. Would you also like to receive the Global PUR Magazine
in the future as an app for your iPhone or iPad?
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Aviation
Aerospace Applications
Cut here! ✁
NE PAS AFFRANCHIR
GOOD LUCK AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING PART!
NICHT FREIMACHEN
Please fill in completely:
Name/Firstname:
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Closing date is the 31.01.2012. Employees of BASF Polyurethanes are not entitled to participate. There is no right of appeal. The winners
will be notified by phone.
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Global PUR-Redaktion
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49440 Lemförde
GERMANY

Cellasto ® microcellular polyurethane-elastomer-based friction
dampers and snubbers can be used in aerospace
applications requiring superior noise and vibration suppression
to control the movement of overhead bins, passenger
& cargo doors. Other possibilities include fixed mounts to
pro tect sensitive equipment and cargo from vibration as
well as seat mounts to improve passenger comfort. Largerscale
applications such as engine mounts and even landing
gear dampers are feasible. Let us develop a customized
solution for your NVH challenge.
It’s a material’s universal applications that make it so
special.
BASF polyurethane flexible foams (Elastoflex ® and Elasto -
foam ® ) can be used for armrests, headrests and seat
cushion ing because they are lightweight, durable and
moldable to almost any shape, size and level of firmness.
Our flexible foam technology offers interior manufacturers a
way to create seat cushioning, seat backs, armrests and
headrests at precisely different levels of comfort – all from
one system and using the same equipment.
For more information on these products or for further dis -
cussions on how the BASF Aerospace Team can work with
you to address your unmet needs, please contact us at
aerospace.materials@basf.com
Further information:
Call our number: Dr Mark Mielke,
Senior Manager Aerospace,
BASF Corp., Florham Park, USA,
+1 973 245 6523 or send an
e-mail to: mark.mielke@basf.com
http://basf.rnbstaging.com/2011/aerospace/website/9-6-11/aerospace.aspx
45

Out of passion for detail.
E-KUE/WM 361-10-11
Automotive Solutions. Performance Passion Success
Polyurethane – one of the most versatile materials of our time. Even
in the most difficult application areas it guarantees an in every detail
accurate display, an outstanding image of the surface and contours,
enormous freedom of design and also an exceptional haptic and
especially matt visual effects. Elastoskin ® and Elastollan ® for
instrument panels and the centre consoles.
BASF Polyurethanes. Everything else is standard.
48
Further information about Elastoskin: manfred.michl@basf.com, Elastollan: stefan.arenz@basf.com,
www.pu.basf.de/surfaces