PU

Vice Chairman’s MessagePUTodayDear ColleaguesIt gives me great pleasure to share mythoughts with you all, through thiswonderful PU magazine exclusively createdto help each other in our PU Industry.Things are moving smoothly and speedilyunder the able guidance of Shri.RahulGautam, who has taken over the mantle fromShri.M.Sarangapani, who built the associationmeticulously over the past 15 years.Closely working with Shri.Rahul Gautam, Irealize his vision and good things he isplanning for the PU industries and for theassociation. I am sure the PU Tech 2008 beingimplemented at the Expo Centre during March2008 would be far more successful than ourearlier event and should usher in the goldendays of PU industries in India.Our industry is experiencing the big leap withchoice of several raw materials, machineriesand wide ranging requirement of products,we need to be selective in bringing in goodtechnology and good products, while at thesame time implement the safety, health,environment standards of the developednations and do our bit in building a very safeand environmentally sound PU industry thatis set to stay in India for a long time for thebetterment of quality of life.Best wishes for a safe and successful PUenterprise,G.RamachandranJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y3

PUTodayEditorialPolyurethanes Today – An India MagazineAccolades! Who does not like accolades? – An indication ofappreciation of one’s efforts, however exiguous they maybe, in comparison with the mammoth goal ahead. I can expatiateon this alone, till the cows have come home, gotten fed & settledfor the night! But then, one cannot wallow in the warmth of suchemotions, and forget about the next step.The Next Step – the most difficult one, after the ‘avoid-avoidconflict’ of the First Step has been surmounted. – What can onesay, which does not mislead people, into confusing one’s naturalelation with gloating? That does not jar on the ears of skeptics,who would prefer to exercise caution, and await a lengthierpassage of time, before even allowing an opinion to form? Whatcan one present to the stolid expressions of the stalwarts of thePu Industry – without feeling hoist on one’s own petard?This daunting task I have ventured into – editing a magazine fora group so specialized – so technical – so totally placed on theopposite end of the literary spectrum, I have cut my teeth on;that the sheer audacity frightens me! It nudges me to state ‘headon’,that I am no expert – no one even qualified to comprehendthe fine nuances of the subject (polyurethanes) that all of youseem to be handling with such facility – a routine activity formost of you in the IPuA!Therefore, for this magazine to continue seeing the light of dayon an ongoing basis, every one of you will have to take on amore proactive role. A novice cannot churn out a magazine ofinterest if left alone! YOU have to send in interesting matter,opinions…- air problems/obstacles, share useful information….etc. How long is PU Today to rely on international magazineslike PU Magazine, for technical material?The Indian PU Industry has a backbone of its’ own – an identityto maintain – not a very daunting task for expert members ofIPuA. Just a little time set aside, once in 3 months, for things tokeep rolling along, on oiled wheels! Conversely, the resultantscenario is best described by:Sincerely,Medha Bhuta“Turning and turning in the widening gyreThe falcon cannot hear the falconer,Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world...”– The Second Coming by W.B.Yeats4 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

PUTodayContentsC O N T E N T SPUBLISHED BY THE INDIAN POLYURETHANES ASSOCIATIONEDITORMRS. MEDHA BHUTAEDITORIAL TEAMMR. ASHISH SOODMR. PRANAV KULKARNICOMPILATION & SELECTIONMR. ARUN KUMARMR. CHANDRAKANT NAYAKDESIGN CONCEPTMR. MUKESH BHUTAGRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUTRED SKY DESIGNSPRODUCTION & EXECUTIONMR. RAMAMURTHYIPUA OFFICE BEARERSCHAIRMANMR. RAHUL GAUTAM 0120 – 2770539 rahul@sheelafoam.comVICE CHAIRMANMR. G RAMACHANDRAN 044-25941025 md@manalipetro.comMr. MUKESH BHUTA 022-27680303 mbhuta@expandedinc.comTREASURERMR. GIAN JAIN 011-27138428 juhipufoam@yahoo.co.inSECRETARYMR. K. RAMAMURTHY 044-24995923 tukkrpu@md3.vsnl.net.inCHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE .......................... 3EDITORIAL ...................................... 4CREDITS + CONTENTS ......................... 5INDUSTRY NEWS ................................ 6INDUSTRY UPDATE ............................. 9INTERNATIONAL NEWS .......................... 13PRODUCT NEWS ................................ 21INTERVIEW ...................................... 28MR. ADESH GUPTATECHNICAL UPDATE ............................ 31FOAMING & INSULATION TECHNOLOGY: SANDWICH PANELS FORBUILDING & CONSTRUCTIONLFI AND IN-MOULD-GRAINING COMBINEDPREVIEWS & REPORTS ......................... 39UTECH NORTH AMERICA 24TH - 26TH SEPTEMBER 2007KOREA INTERNATIONAL PU FORUM, SEOULHEALTH & SAFETY ............................ 41DEALING WITH SPILLAGES OF MDI OR TDIBOOK & PUBLICATION REVIEWS .............. 44POLYMERIC FOAMS & FOAM TECHNOLOGYNOW, DISCOVER YOUR STRENGTHSEVENTS & TRENDS ............................ 46IPUA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERSMR. JAGANNATH SARANGAPANI 044-23701871 jagannath@ufoamindia.comMR. ARUN KUMAR 022-27787316 arun_k@huntsman.comMR. UDO SCHILLING 022-55917420 schillingu@basf-india.comMR. DEEPAK T. MEHTA 079-26578912 deepakmehta@tirupatifoam.comMR. BALRAM U NICHANI 080-7832851 balram.nichani@polyflexindia.comMR. AJAY DURRANI 0120-2589040 ajay.durrani@bayerbms.comMR. M. G. BOHRA 044-25952001 mgb@amulpolycure.comMR. H. S. KOCHAR 011-204355533 kochar@pfeda.netMR. K A SHAH 02642-247181 kashah@ncpl.inMR. RABINDRA JHAJHARIA 033-22298904 multiwynfoams@multiwynfoams.comMR. CHANDRAKANT NAYAK 022-67978500 nayak@dow.comMR. SANJAY SANGHI 022-56756763 sanjay.sanghi@ge.comMR. VIVEK JINDAL 0124-4086401 vivekjindal@jinbros.comMR. SUDHIR SHENOY 022-25245830 shenoy@dow.comJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y5

PUTodayIndustry NewsAuto companies put brakes on productionAbhinaba DasThursday, June 7, 2007 (Mumbai)The auto industry has hit a slowlane. The entire automotivechain is facing the heat as interestrate hikes coupled with squeeze incredit availability has led toconsumers postponing purchasesof motorcycles and cars.Auto component manufacturersare naturally at the receiving endas auto makers are scaling downoff takes.Hero Honda expects June sales tobe at least 40,000 units lower thanlast month, Bajaj Auto has cutproduction by 10 per cent, whileTVS Motors scales down output by5,000 units a month.Besides, down payment for anentry-level bike has risen by almost50 per cent as banks get wary offinancing two-wheelers.Decline in demandCommercial and four wheelermanufacturers are also beingsqueezed at both ends as demandsare declining because of increasinginterest rates on one end andincreasing cost of inputs on theother.Tata Motors has been forced toscale down production by 25 percent as inventories have begun topile up. Ashok Leyland has notbeen impacted much because it isstrong in the institutional segmentagainst Tata Motors’ focus on smallfleet operators.Maruti says that saleshave been marginallyaffected because ofAdhik Maas - a timewhen consumers refrainfrom making high valuepurchases.Auto componentmakers who have builtup large capacities inrecent years could sufferthe most.Everybody is hopingthat the slowdown isjust a passing phase,which will ease bySeptember. Once festivedemand and postharvestbuoyancy sets in,the auto industry will be back ontrack.New launches and a massive fundraising for Tata Motors, all that ata time when Ratan Tata soundedthe warning bell in his annualreport dispatched to investors.Chairman of the Tata Motorsalerted the shareholders “Therecontinue to be pressures onmargins arising from rising pricesof raw materials. The hardening ofconsumer finance interest rates andtight liquidity have already startedto have an adverse impact. If thesetrends were to continue, growth inthe automotive sector could beadversely impacted.”But why is Tata Motors taking theheat on by stepping up the gas.Analysts say that it is the only wayout since Tatas cannot afford totake it easy just because theindustry is slowing down.Capex plansSo the board of Tata Motors onWednesday decided to raise $450million from the internationalmarket. The money will be raisedto meet its capital and productdevelopment expenditure.Tata Motors has lined up capitalexpenditure of Rs 12,000 crore overthe next 3-4 years. While the detailsof how this money is to be raisedwill be clarified on Thursday oneoption is the FCCB route.Clearly the Tata Motorsmanagement is now the next oneto scale up, just like Muthuramanand company did with Corus. Backhome troubles just do not seem toend, the Rs 1 lakh car project atSingur is yet to take off and nowthe slowdown, perfect time forRatan Tata to flood the marketswith new products to prove hisdominance.6 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

Industry NewsPUTodayGovernment plans leather parks nowTimes News NetworkNEW DELHI: The government isconsidering establishment of smallintegrated leather parks –– on thelines of the textile parks –– to givea leg-up to the labour-intensiveindustry. Finance minister PChidambaram will meetrepresentatives of the leatherindustry next week to discuss theneed for setting up such parks.Minister of state for commerceJairam Ramesh has written to Mr.Chidambaram on the need to setup five such parks during theEleventh five year Plan. Addressinga media conference here on Friday,Mr. Ramesh said that while India’sexport of leather products hadtouched $3.1 billion in 2006-07 andthere was a need for expansion ofcapacity and diversification inorder to tap a larger share of theglobal market. With theinternational market for footwearexpanding fast, the governmentwants to increase the share offootwear in total leather exportsto 60% from the present 38%.Ficci seeks tax sops for cold storage facilitiesNew Delhi, April 13Industrybody Ficci has called for dutyexemptions and a 10-year taxholiday for cold chaininfrastructure as the lack of fiscalrelief and incentives for the highlycapital-intensive and energyintensivefood processing industrywas holding up its growth.“The manufacturing sector isfighting shy of investing in themuch-needed cold chaininfrastructure in the absenceof fiscal relief and incentives.The reticence to diversify isholding up the growth of thefood processing industry,leading to unabated losses onaccount of wastage ofagricultural produce,” a Ficcistatement said.In a note to the financeministry, the chamber hascalled for providing directand indirect tax incentives forthe development, processing,transportation, storage andhandling facilities as thecurrent incentives were notsufficient to enthuse investors.McLUBE ASIA PVT. LTD.(Indo-US Joint Venture)Food processing machinery andrefrigerated trucks used byprocessed food industry should beexempt from excise duty besidescustoms duty and countervailingduty should be exempt for importof food processing machinery by amega food processing plant, thestatement said.H-106, M.I.D.C., Ambad, Nashik - 422 010Tel.: +91 (253) 6604384 Fax: +91 (253) 6605884E-mail: mclube@mclubeasia.comManufacture Mould Release Systems for the Polyurethane Industry.Needs Salesman for PU industrial selling with about 5 years experience & lessthan 35 years of age, Technical background preferred and fluencyin English is a must.To cover India and South East Asia.J U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y7

PUTodayIndustry NewsBayer Material Science inaugurates polyurethanesystems house in IndiaStephan Gerlich cuts the ribbonBaySystems India to providecustomer specific solutionsacross industries.Leverkusen/Greater Noida –Bayer MaterialScience hasinaugurated its first integratedSystems House in the IndianSubcontinent, BaySystems India, atGreater Noida, near New Delhi. Theregion is a very important marketfor the world market leader inpolyurethanes, which is currently inthe process of developing its globalnetwork of polyurethane SystemsHouses. “Together with our existingand new customers we want todevelop the PU market in theregion, but we also aim to increasethe awareness for polyurethanematerials and to promote the useof PU in a wide variety ofapplications. Our global BaySystemsnetwork allows us to bring thelatest PU innovations andapplications into local markets veryquickly”, says Peter Vanacker, Headof the Business Unit Polyurethanesand Member of the ExecutiveCommittee of Bayer MaterialScienceAG. BaySystems India will provideready-to-use solutions for suchindustry sectors as automotive,footwear and sports equipment,mattresses and furniture, and heatinsulation foams in theconstruction, refrigeration and hotwater industries. The companyalready has a development centerin Greater Noida to supportcustomers in different industries.The center is capable of handlingtesting of materials and fine tuningof PU systems to OEM requirements.“The Systems House will cater to anever increasing number of domesticand foreign players who are settingup manufacturing facilities in India.There are also an increasing numberof local firms that are aiming todevelop overseas markets and wehave the experience and globalnetwork to fully support theirinitiatives. For these customers, wenow offer an even extended serviceand expertise to serve them,practically at their doorstep”,explained Frank Grunert, Head ofMarketing and Innovation, BusinessUnit Polyurethanes, BayerMaterialScience Asia Pacific.Stephan Gerlich, Managing Directorof Bayer MaterialScience in Indiaand Country Head for the BayerGroup in India, adds, “In India,demand for polyurethane is growingat over ten percent annually. Thesize of the Indian PU market wasapproximately 120,000 metric tonsin 2006 and this is expected to reach250,000 metric tons by 2014. Withsupport of the new systems house,we want to secure a large portionof this growth.”8 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

Industry UpdatePUTodayPolyurethane moulded (seat) comfortBalram U NichaniChairman & Managing DirectorPolyflex (India) Pvt. Ltd. BangaloreWhen India moves, it rides onPU automotive seats.The worldwide automotiveindustry is going through aphenomenal change in order to getthe share in the global market, whichis becoming highly competitive &dynamic. The automotive OEM’s arefaced with conflicting demands &challenges. There is an increasingdemand for cost & weight reduction,fuel economy & reduction in timeto market on one hand and, on theother, there is even more increasingdemand towards assuring improvedoccupant safety & comfort incomplex crash & driving conditionsbesides the pressure fromenvironmental regulations. Thesafety & environmental regulationsare becoming increasingly stringentin the developed economies &developing economies are catchingup.One such subsystem is the seatingsystem, as it is a major contributorto the occupant’s that is safety &comfort. The automotive seatingsystem development process isbecoming highly complex andchallenging as the regulationspertaining to NVH (Noise, Vibration& Harshness)/ durability/ fatigue,static/dynamic strength and crashsafety are becoming increasinglystringent besides OEM’s pressure toreduce weight and cost.Boom in Auto Industry in IndiaIf we look at the AutomotiveIndustry in India, in the initial yearsFigure-1 gives the cumulative average growth rate (CAGR) for 200-01 to 2004-05 .the manufacturing was licensed withHigh Customs duty on import, andSteep excise duties & sales tax wereprevailing. The 1980s saw the entryof Maruti Udyog Limited comingwith a better product, and withgovernmental support. This era wasa Seller’s Market.In the early to mid 90s it was againa seller’s market, also with longwaiting periods. The de licensinghappened in 1993 and removal ofcapacity restrictions took place.There was also a decrease incustoms & excise duties. The Autofinanceboom made more playerscome in, while foreign banks & nonbanking companies came up withbetter schemes, to help theentrepreneurs.In the Mid 90s to early 2000s itbecame a Buyer’s market. WithIncrease in Indigenization, easyAuto - finance became a normalhappening. Manufacturors alsostarted diversifying into relatedactivities: finance lease, fleetmanagement, insurance and usedcar market.Following are the points to benoted with respect to Automobileindustry in India:• Domestic Sales have beengrowing strongly.• Exports have nearly tripled inthe last 5 years.• India has the Largest threewheeler market in the world.• 4th largest passenger vehicleproducer in Asia.• 4th largest tractor producer inthe market.• 5th largest commercial vehiclemarket in the world.The industry has not experiencedmuch change in its structure overthe last 6 yearsTwo-wheelers form the majorshare of domestic sales. ThePassenger vehicles lead the exportsmarket by 57.4%. The growth in thetwo wheeler market is driven by themotorcycle market and is expectedto grow at 14-15 % YOY.J U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y9

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Industry UpdatePUTodaySeating ComfortJump into any new car today andit is likely to be more supportive,versatile and pleasant to sit in thanlast year’s model with a multitudeof hidden creature comforts, suchas adjustable lumbar supports,massage systems, climate controlsystems, memory mechanisms,height and rake adjustments, selfpositioningheadrests, built-inseatbelts and, of course, airbags.Figure-2 Foam in Fabric head restIn recent years the occupant safetyis gaining major attention duringthe design of the seating systemmaking it mandatory to assess theperformance of seating systemwith restraint system, airbag andvehicle interfaces to ensureoccupant safety.In the area of PU cushions,seating design is also anFigure-3 Dual or multi hardness foam ( A, B,C are regions with different hardness)important parameter. Thin seatdesign, in addition to weightreduction is also a useful tool forthe expansion of interior spacegiving a comfortable and safeenvironment inside the car.Effective use of computersimulation tools such as LS-DYNAhelp in developing the seatingsystem in a compressed timeline.Although the dual hardnesstechnology is known earlier, itsentry into newer vehicles is beingconsidered again. . Foam in fabrictechnology is also in the offing inIndia. This gives the advantage ofgetting it produced in one step withreadiness to be installed in the car.As consumers demand moreflexibility from their vehicles,suppliers must find yet more novelways to collapse the rear seat rows.Most work is focused on foldingseats into the floor and roof. Whileinterior trim is by no means a hightechnologyproduct, the technicalboundaries are being pushed backto improve appearance, saveweight, enhance safety, simplifyinstallation and, above all, cut cost.The production of molded PUfoams in the seating for automotiveindustry differs from region toregion. For example, in NorthernAmerica, most of the OEMs (such asFord, GM) require low density foams(35 to 40 kg/m3) with low hardnessbut with high tear resistance andhigh % elongation. This calls for TDIbased systems. The Japanese OEMs(such as Toyota, Honda) prefer tohave medium high densities (55 to60 kg/m3) foam with highresilience, high load bearing. Thismeans foams were to be made fromTDI/MDI based systems.Prices for most intermediatechemicals made from natural gasand crude petroleum have begunto raise reflecting raw material andenergy costs. This is being feltprimarily at the chemical processorand fabricator level. Higher costswill ultimately be passed along ashigher prices but, as yet, morecomplex finished goods, such asautomobiles, have seen only smallor no price increases. Currently theattention is on the dramaticallychanging feedstock costrelationships which open newcompetitive opportunities for thedevelopment and commercialacceptance of bio-base palm/soyoil based industrial products.Different Standards forAutomotive cushionsThe Moulded PolyurethaneFoam Industry Panel has beenrecently established and themission is to create automotiveseating foam specifications that arepractical and functionally driven toachieve basic commonality withinthe automotive industry and toestablish best practices.The Moulded Polyurethane FoamIndustry Panel has begun theprocess of revising automotiveseating foam specifications toestablish commonality in testmethodologies, to eliminate nonvaluedadded requirements and toestablish best practices formeasuring seating foamperformance. The team has putaside competitive differences toaccomplish these goals.India is building highways/expressways of world standards toan extent of 14,500 kms. Thismeans savings in vehicle operatingcosts; faster, comfortable journeysand reduced fuel consumptionoffering benefits to the industry.J U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y11

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International NewsPUTodayFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDow Corning offers polyurethane foam industry direct access toits products, expertiseM IDLANDAND, , MICHIGAN, , USA –In a negotiated agreementwith Air Products and Chemicals,Dow Corning will now offer thepolyurethane foam industry directsales of its Dow Corning ® brandsilicone surfactants and othersilicon-based solutions. Since 1988,Dow Corning had served thepolyurethane foam additivesmarket exclusively under the Dabco ®trade name in a joint agreementwith Air Products. According to thenew arrangement, Dow Corning willmaintain its supply agreement withAir Products and continue to offerhigh quality products through AirProducts and the Dabco brand. Inaddition, however, Dow Corningwill begin to offer customers directaccess to its full product line anddevelopment expertise under theDow Corning brand.“Many factors prompted this newarrangement,” says ChristianVelasquez, Dow Corning’s globalmarketing manager forpolyurethane additives, “includingDow Corning’s recent acquisition ofNippon Unicar’s Silicone Division,our focus on materials innovationsfor the polyurethane industry, andour interest in developing anincreased market presence.”In addition to materials, DowCorning also offers polyurethanemanufacturers technical expertise,services, and custom solutions thatcan help them grow their business,expand into new global markets,address concerns about theenvironment, and optimize costs.Locally appropriate productoptions, technical support, andcustomer service are availableworldwide.For more information about DowCorning’s products and solutionsfor polyurethane foam, or torequest a free copy of thePolyurethane Foam Solutions CD,please visit http://www.dowcorning.com/polyurethane.For editorial assistance, contactNancy Collins, AGP & Associates,(989) 839-5800, collins@agpinc.com.Dow Corning (www.dowcorning.com)provides performance-enhancingsolutions to serve the diverse needsof more than 25,000 customersworldwide. A global leader insilicon-based technology andinnovation that offers more than7,000 products and services, DowCorning is equally owned by TheDow Chemical Company andCorning, Incorporated. More thanhalf of Dow Corning’s annual salesare outside the United States.We help you invent the future. www.dowcorning.comDow Corning is a registeredtrademark of Dow CorningCorporation.We help you invent the future is atrademark of Dow CorningCorporation.Huntsman takes majority share in Saudi polyurethanesjoint ventureGULF REGION JV WILL BE RE-NAMED HUNTSMAN APCBrussels, June 14, 2007Huntsman Corporation (NYSE:HUN) and Basic ChemicalIndustries Limited (BCI) todayannounced they have signed anagreement to transfer majorityownership in the two companiesexisting. Arabian Polyol Company(APC) joint venture in Saudi Arabiafrom BCI to Huntsman. Financialarrangements were not disclosed.The joint venture manufacturesand sells MDI-based polyurethanesystems in the Gulf countries andwill be renamedHuntsman APC.This increase in our shareholdingdemonstrates Huntsmandetermination to bring newinvestment to emerging markets,J U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y13

PUTodayInternational Newssaid Nick Webster, Vice Presidentof Huntsman s Polyurethanesdivision in Europe and the MiddleEast. Construction in the Gulfcountries continues to grow atabout 15% per year and BCI s localskills and leadership in chemicalswill continue to be invaluable tous as we further develop andinnovate in this important market,he added.Our joint venture with Huntsman,a world leader in MDI-basedpolyurethanes, has operated verysuccessfully for more than 20 yearsand we warmly welcome thisdemonstration of Huntsman saccelerated commitment togrowth opportunities in the Gulfregion, said Mike Layous,Managing Director of BCI.Huntsman APC will be based at theexisting Dammam site on SaudiArabia s east coast, supported by aHuntsman sales office in Dubai.Huntsman is a global manufacturerand marketer of differentiatedchemicals. Its operating companiesmanufacture products for a varietyof global industries, includingchemicals, plastics, automotive,aviation, textiles, footwear, paintsand coatings, construction,technology, agriculture, healthcare, detergent, personal care,furniture, appliances andpackaging. Originally known forpioneering innovations inpackaging and, later, for rapid andintegrated growth inpetrochemicals, Huntsman todayhas 14,000 employees and over 75operations in 24 countries. TheCompany had 2006 revenues fromall operations of over $13 billion.BCI, Basic Chemicals IndustryGroup, located in Dammam, Saudi-Arabia, is a producer anddistributor of more than 600chemical products in the inorganicand specialties segments(hydrochloric acid, adhesives,polyurethanes, water treatment,resins etc.). The Group has 400employees and an annual turnoverof $ 150 million. BCI wasestablished in 1975 as amanufacturer of commodities andspecialties chemicals for local Saudiand export markets.Statements in this release that arenot historical are forward-lookingstatements. These statements arebased on management s currentbeliefs and expectations. Theforward-looking statements in thisrelease are subject to uncertaintyand changes in circumstances andinvolve risks and uncertainties thatmay affect the company’soperations, markets, products,services, prices and other factors asdiscussed in the Huntsmancompanies filings with the U.S.Securities and ExchangeCommission. Significant risks anduncertainties may relate to, but arenot limited to, financial, economic,competitive, environmental,political, legal, regulatory andtechnological factors. In addition,the completion of any transactionsdescribed in this release is subjectto a number of uncertainties andto negotiation and execution ofdefinitive agreements among theparties and closing will be subjectto approvals and other customaryconditions. Accordingly, there canbe no assurance that suchtransactions will be completed orthat the company s expectationswill be realized. The companyassumes no obligation to providerevisions to any forward-lookingstatements should circumstanceschange, except as otherwiserequired by applicable laws.Huntsman receives merger proposal from Hexionfor $27.25 per share in cashT he Woodlands, Texas andSalt Lake e City, , Utah —Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN)announced today that it hasreceived from Hexion SpecialtyChemicals, Inc. (“Hexion”), an entityowned by an affiliate of ApolloManagement, L.P., a proposal (the“Hexion Proposal”) to acquire all ofthe outstanding common stock ofHuntsman for $27.25 per share incash.The Hexion Proposal is subject totermination of Huntsman’spreviously announced mergeragreement with Basell AF (“Basell”)(the “Basell Agreement”) and theexecution of a definitive mergeragreement with Hexion. TheHexion Proposal’s terms includethat Hexion will have up to 12months, subject to a 90 dayextension in the judgment of theHuntsman Board of Directorsunder certain circumstances, toclose the transaction and that thecash price per share to be paid byHexion will increase at the rate of8% per annum (inclusive of any14 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

International NewsPUTodaydividends paid) beginning ninemonths after a definitive mergeragreement is executed. Therequired financing for the HexionProposal is fully committed.Furthermore, the proposal doesnot include a financing condition.The Hexion Proposal also includesa $325 million reverse break-up feepayable by Hexion to the Companyin the event the transaction doesnot close due to the failure toobtain regulatory clearance orrequisite financing. The HexionProposal provides for a $225million termination fee payable byHuntsman in the event of certainterminations by Huntsman inconnection with the exercise by theBoard of Directors or theTransaction Committee thereof ofits fiduciary duties.As announced on June 26, 2007,Huntsman entered into the BasellAgreement, pursuant to whichBasell agreed to acquire all of theoutstanding common stock ofHuntsman for $25.25 per share incash. The Basell Agreement may beterminated under certaincircumstances, including if theCompany receives a superiorproposal and provides advancenotice to Basell. If the BasellAgreement is terminated underthese circumstances, Basell will beentitled to a $200 million payment.Hexion has agreed to directly fund$100 million of this payment,subject to reimbursement byHuntsman if the transaction withHexion were not consummated incertain circumstances.The Huntsman Board of Directors,with the unanimous agreement ofits Transaction Committeecomprised solely of independentdirectors, has concluded that theHexion Proposal could reasonablybe expected to lead to a superiorproposal, as defined in the BasellAgreement. The TransactionCommittee is continuing toevaluate the terms of the HexionProposal and the Company and itsadvisors are engaged in discussionswith Hexion regarding theirproposal. The TransactionCommittee, in determiningwhether or not to pursue theHexion Proposal, will take intoaccount the views of the principalshareholders of the Company.These principal shareholders arecurrently required to support theBasell Agreement under existingvoting agreements with Basell,unless the Board of Directors or theTransaction Committee elects toterminate the Basell Agreement infavor of a superior proposal.Pending the culmination of thesediscussions with Hexion and theprincipal shareholders, neitherHuntsman’s Board of Directors northe Transaction Committee haschanged its recommendationregarding the proposed mergerwith Basell. Huntsman cannot giveany assurance that the HexionProposal will result in a definitiveagreement or a consummatedtransaction.Important Additional InformationRegarding the Merger will be filedwith the SEC:In connection with the proposedmerger pursuant to the BasellAgreement, the Company will filea proxy statement with theSecurities and ExchangeCommission (the “SEC”). INVESTORSAND SECURITY HOLDERS AREADVISED TO READ THE PROXYSTATEMENT WHEN IT BECOMESAVAILABLE BECAUSE IT WILLCONTAINIMPORTANTINFORMATION ABOUT THE MERGERAND THE PARTIES TO THE BASELLAGREEMENT. Investors and securityholders may obtain a free copy ofthe proxy statement (whenavailable) and other relevantdocuments filed with the SEC fromthe SEC’s website atwww.sec.gov.The Company’s security holders andother interested parties will also beable to obtain, without charge, acopy of the proxy statement andother relevant documents (whenavailable) by directing a request bymail or telephone to HuntsmanCorporation Investor Relations, 500Huntsman Way, Salt Lake City, Utah84108, telephone: (801) 584-5700or on the Company’s website atwww.huntsman.comThe Company and its directors,executive officers and othermembers of its management andemployees may be deemed to beparticipants in the solicitation ofproxies from the Company’sshareholders with respect to theBasell Agreement. Informationabout the Company’s directors andexecutive officers and theirownership of the Company’scommon stock is set forth hereinand in the proxy statement for theCompany’s 2007 Annual Meeting ofShareholders, which was filed withthe SEC on March 30, 2007.Shareholders and investors mayobtain additional informationregarding the interests of theCompany and its directors andexecutive officers in the BasellAgreement, which may be differentthan those of the Company’sshareholders generally, by readingthe proxy statement and otherrelevant documents regarding theJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y15

PUTodayInternational NewsBasell Agreement, which will befiled with the SEC.CAUTIONARY STATEMENTSThe statements included in thisnews release regarding anytransaction with Hexion or Basell,including the timing thereof,regulatory approvals, thelikelihood that either suchtransaction could beconsummated, any future actionsby Hexion or Basell and otherstatements that are not historicalfacts, are forward-lookingstatements. These statementsinvolve risks and uncertaintiesincluding, but not limited to,market conditions, availability andterms of any financing, approval ofthe Hexion Proposal by theHuntsman Board of Directors andthe Transaction Committee, theability of the Company and Hexionto agree to definitive documents,the Company’s ability to satisfycertain terms of the BasellAgreement (including certaindeterminations by the HuntsmanBoard of Directors), actions byregulatory authorities, theCompany’s financial results andperformance, consummation offinancing, satisfaction of closingconditions, actions by Hexion,Basell or any other bidder andother factors detailed in risk factorsand elsewhere in the Company’sAnnual Reports on Form 10-K andother filings with the Securities andExchange Commission. Should oneor more of these risks oruncertainties materialize (or theconsequences of such adevelopment worsen), or shouldunderlying assumptions proveincorrect, actual outcomes mayvary materially from thoseforecasted or expected. TheCompany disclaims any intentionor obligation to update publicly orrevise such statements, whether asa result of new information, futureevents or otherwise.Rohm and Haas announces sale of European automotivecoatings business to MaderF RANKFURT, Germany, May 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Rohmand Haas Company has signed adefinitive agreement to sell itsEuropean Automotive Coatingsbusiness, including itsmanufacturing site in Strullendorf,Germany, to the Mader Group, aleadingindependentmanufacturer of hi-tech industrialpaints and coatings based in Lille,France, with operationsthroughout Europe. Thetransaction is expected to closelater this year.This transaction completes Rohmand Haas Company’s divestiture ofits Automotive Coatings business,which started with the sale of theits Automotive Coatings operationsin North America (United States,Canada and Mexico) and the AsiaPacific region to Nippon Paint Co.,Ltd., in October 2006.The business manufactures acomprehensive range ofautomotive coatings, with a focuson interior water-based products,which are supplied to high-endOEMs. In addition, the business alsoproduces specialty coatings withapplications in the generalindustrial and optical mediamarkets. The business had sales of$25 million in 2006 and sales of $7million in first quarter 2007.Financial terms of the transactionwere not disclosed.An important consideration in thesale was for a buyer who wouldacquire and continue to invest inthe site and its employees.The coatings business acquiredfrom Rohm and Haas Germany willbe integrated into a new companynamed Mader Plastilack GmbHwith the intention of building astrong synergy between Mader’sFrench Division, Soritec, located inSaint-Georges-sur-Loire in westernFrance, that is currently dedicatedto plastic coatings. The new MaderPlastilack GmbH located inStrullendorf will also be focusedon plastic coatings manufactureand contribute to making thecompany the European leader ininterior automotive coatings.Mader’s Soritec division hasdeveloped a strong position inautomotive coatings business inFrance, Spain and Italy withRenault and PSA. Mader Plastilackwill commercialize productsdeveloped for German OEMs andcapitalize on its market position inGermany and Eastern Europe.Together, these two sites will beable to serve all the European carmanufacturers.In the optical market, MaderGroup, as a producer of UV curingresins, will look to build MaderPlastilack business in Europe andAsia. Mader will also look to build16 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

International NewsPUTodayMader Plastilack’s generalindustrial coatings market incosmetics in France.“We expect to maintain the presentorganization of the Strullendorfsite and look forward to a smoothtransition from Rohm and Haas toMader and see strong synergieswith our automotive, industrialand optical markets and strategicgrowth plans. We will have, withthe Strullendorf site, twocompanies involved in the coatingsbusiness in Germany: Walter MaderAqualack GmbH, in Dusseldorf formetal coatings and MaderPlastilack GmbH in Strullendorfdedicated to plastic coatings,” saidJean Le Guern, Chief ExecutiveOfficer of the Mader Group.Approximately 125 Rohm and Haasemployees will be part of theacquisition.Dirk Hardow, Managing Director,Rohm and Haas Germany, said: “theselection of Mader brings manygood things to our customers, tothe village of Strullendorf, and toRohm and Haas employees who arewell-trained, highly-motivated anddedicated. We thank our employeesfor their service, their devotion, andtheir commitment toenvironmental, health and safety.Our customers, suppliers andemployees will be well-served bythis transaction.”Source: Auto News, May 2, 2007BASF opens innovative polyurethanes site inShanghai• Advanced and versatilematerials used in a widerange of industries, includinginsulation of appliances,automotive seating and shoesoles• Brings together regionalpolyurethane technicalresearch and developmentcenter, system house and TPUproduction in a single site tostrengthen customer serviceand response timesShanghai, China, June 13,2007 – BASF today underlined itscommitment to polyurethanecustomers in China by inauguratinga specialties site in Pudong,Shanghai, which combines R&Dactivities with a system house andthermoplastic polyurethaneproduction.“Our local customers are set tobenefit from closer support onnew applications technology,shorter delivery times and a higherlevel of technical service,” said Dr.John Feldmann, Member of theBoard of Executive Directors ofBASF Aktiengesellschaft,J U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y17

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International NewsPUTodayresponsible for the Plastics as wellas Oil & Gas segments.The new site will use cost advantagesprovided by the regional productionVerbund for polyurethanes: MDI(diphenylmethane diisocyanate) andTDI (toluene diisocyanate) – basicmaterials needed to producespecialties in Pudong – will besupplied from Caojing, Shanghai.BASF and partners invested $1 billionin an integrated isocyanates complexin Caojing, which started up in mid-2006. BASF opened its firstpolyurethane system house in Chinain the 1990s in Nansha, and now hasmore than 30 system houses globally,eight of which are in Asia Pacific.China’s polyurethanes market isexpected to grow at about 10percent per year until 2015,becoming the world’s largestmarket for polyurethanes. Inparticular, product innovations willcontribute to this above-averagegrowth.“With this new investment, BASFmoves closer to its customers inChina. We at BASF have always beencommitted to bringing our latesttechnology and R&D expertise toAsia. The opening of this innovativesite clearly underlines this strategy,”said Dr. Martin Brudermüller,Member of the Board of ExecutiveDirectors, BASF Aktiengesellschaft,responsible for Asia Pacific. “Withour innovative products we offertailor made solutions that help ourcustomers to be more successful.”The production facility forthermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU)in Pudong benefits from being partof a global network. TPU is aversatile type of plastic that can beprocessed in a number of differentways for specific applications. Theyare characterized by their highelasticity and durability and areused, for example, in the soles ofsports shoes and in cablesheathings. The new TPU plant willsupply China and a largeproportion of the Asian market.Other BASF production facilities forTPU are in Lemförde, Germany;Yokkaichi, Japan; Sao Paulo, Brazil;and Wyandotte, USA.Polyurethanes are versatile plasticswith a huge range of applications;their properties can be customizedto suit individual uses.Polyurethane products are used inthe automotive industry, forthermal insulation in constructionand refrigeration technology, inthe electronics industry, in themanufacture of shoes andfurniture, and in sports and leisurearticles.About BASFBASF is the world’s leadingchemical company: The ChemicalCompany. Its portfolio ranges fromchemicals, plastics, performanceproducts, agricultural productsand fine chemicals to crude oil andnatural gas. As a reliable partnerto virtually all industries, BASF’shigh-value products and intelligentsystem solutions help its customersto be more successful. BASFdevelops new technologies anduses them to meet the challengesof the future and open upadditional market opportunities.It combines economic success withenvironmental protection andsocial responsibility, thuscontributing to a better future.BASF has over 95,000 employeesand posted sales of •52.6 billionin 2006. Further information onBASF is available on the Internetat www.basf.comBASF has been a committed partnerto Greater China since 1885. It isone of the biggest foreign investorsin the China chemical industry.The company currently has morethan 5,500 employees and operates29 wholly-owned subsidiaries andnine joint ventures. In 2006, BASFachieved sales of over •3.6 billionin Greater China. For furtherinformation, please visitwww.greater-china.basf.comJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y19

PUTodayInternational NewsCannon receives Supplier’s Award fromWhirlpoolCannon Crios for continuingexcellence in the supply ofrefrigerator foaming equipment:the prestigious trophy waspresented to Cannon ChairmanCarlo Fiorentini during the 2007Supplier’s event held in Monterrey,México on April 19, 2007.The 2007 Award was assigned to tensuppliers, selected for the qualityof their service from a list of nearlyfive hundred Companies invited tothe ceremony. Eight of the awardedfirms were providers of consumableitems, and only two of investmentgoods, like the foaming equipmentmade by Cannon. Theacknowledgment of thecontinuing support provided toWhirlpool on a world-wide basis forseveral decades was expressed toCarlo Fiorentini, Co-founder andcurrent Chairman of the CannonGroup, who stated:“It is a great honor for Cannon andfor me personally to receive thisaward from Whirlpool, a leadingGroup in the refrigerator’s industrywhich we have served with passionsince their early days in thisbusiness. It is remarkable that oneof the very first Cannon customershas been in the early 1960’s theItalian fridge-maker IGNIS inCassinetta, near Varese, todayhome of one of the TechnologyCenters for the whole Whirlpoolorganization and a point ofexcellence in Refrigerator’sdevelopment. We have gone a longway, since then, together!”The Cannon Group’s Managing Director Marco Volpato (left) and Carlo Fiorentini, Cofounderand Chairman, hold the Supplier Trophy awarded from Whirlpool Corp. for theircontinuing excellence in Refrigerator Foaming technologies.Cannon have recently supplied toWhirlpool México - for their newplant located in Saltillo - a modernfoaming line. The foaming processfor these single- and dual-doormodels is handled by one of thelargest insulation plants ever builtby the Cannon Group in its 40+years of activity.Whirlpool Corporation(www.whirlpool.com) is a globalmanufacturer and marketer ofmajor home appliances, withannual sales of more than $18billion, 73,000 employees andnearly 73 manufacturing andtechnology centers around theglobe. The company marketsWhirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid,Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp,Bauknecht, Consul and othermajor brand names to consumersin more than 170 countries.The Cannon Group(www.cannon.com) is the World’sleader in the supply ofPolyurethane foaming equipmentand a major player in other plasticsprocessing technologies likeThermoforming, widely used in themanufacture of refrigerators andfreezers.20 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

Product NewsPUTodayIndia at the confluence of novel ‘frontiers’NEW DELHI: Buoyed by analmost 100% rise in quarterlyprofit, Bharti Airtel—India’snumber one mobile servicescompany—on Friday said it is notconcerned about Vodafone’simpending entry into the country.“Hutch has given us the highestquality of competition and I don’tsee Vodafone being any different.Despite competition, ourmarketshare has gone upsignificantly to 22.9% from 20.4% lastyear and we have also been able toincrease our operating margin,”said Bharti chairman and managingdirector Sunil Mittal whileannouncing the quarterly results.The company will invest up to$3.5 billion this fiscal (07-08) innetwork expansion. “This capexwill be towards increasing ournetwork infrastructure by anadditional 30,000 cell sites, toadd significant amount of fibreand to launch cellular servicesin Sri Lanka,” said Mr Mittal. This isthe highest capex announced by anIndian telco in a fiscal.Mr Mittal also pointed out thatBharti Airtel (which is 31% ownedby Singtel) is poised to go global.He said the company wouldaggressively bid for mobile licencesin the Middle East, South Asia andAfrica. “We are also looking for aglobal acquisition. There is notimeframe to it, but we are activelylooking at it,” he added.Bharti Airtel is also set toparticipate in the auction processand bid for 3G spectrum when thegovernment frees up the requisitefrequencies for this. “Surely we arelooking at overlaying our 2Gnetworks with 3G. If thegovernment decides to inviteplayers from abroad for 3Gspectrum auction, we are fine withit,” Mr Mittal said.Beating market forecasts, Bharti’squarterly profits rose 98% to Rs1,353 crore during the quarterended March 2007, riding onnearly 33% overall net additions insubscriber base during the quarterwhile revenues were up 58% to Rs5,393 crore.For the year ended March 2007,Bharti’s net profit increased 89% toRs 4,257 crore while sales rose 59%to touch 18,520 crore. “It’s (netprofit) not showing a sign ofslowing down, in fact it isaccelerating,” Bharti EnterprisesMD and group lead director(telecom) Akhil Gupta said.The most interesting trend,however, is that despite fallingaverage revenue per user (ARPU),the company has exceeded marketexpectations to register a 400 bpsrise in operating margin at 41.5%during the fourth quarter. This wasmainly on account of a decreasein operating expenses, which fellfrom 35% in Q4‘06 to 32% in Q4‘07,the company said.The share price of Bharti, India’smost valuable telecom companywith a market capitalisation of over$40 billion, fell 4.15% to Rs 826.25on BSE on Friday. India, which hasjust under 170 million mobile users,is the world’s fastest-growingtelecom market, as its operatorshave been adding close to 7 millionnew subscribers every month.Source: Economic Times, April 28, 2007J U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y21

PUTodayProduct NewsFresh veggies to storm homes in AC pushcartAshish K TiwariDNAMUMBAIBill Gates, goes the legend, isparanoid about just one thing— that yet-unknown garage geekwho can upend his multi-zillionMicrosoft empire with the nextkiller app.Alter the geography 180 degrees.Think Mukesh Ambani, Sunil Mittaland Kishore Biyani, who are allspending thousands of crores tocreate brick-and-mortar fresh foodsand retail chains across India. Now,think of a killer app that can makethe troika flip.It may already be existing — asimple, out-of-the-box thela,conceived by Acme Cold ChainSolutions, a New Delhi-basedfirm. Acme will invest Rs1crore for a three-month pilotproject in which 25 chilledhawking trolleys will be usedto vend fresh food and fruits,improvising on the traditionalsabjiwala’bjiwala’s s facilityacility.To warm the hearts of theCommies, Acme plans to use theexisting hawker community — andothers loaded with entrepreneurialzeal — to launch the mobile freshfoods venture called ‘All Fresh’.The company is positioningitself as a ‘DTH’ (direct-to-home) service providerovider,, adelectable wordplay on thetelevision platform. Orders willbe booked through a toll-freenumber, collected at a call centrefacility in Gurgaon, and transmittedto the nearest All Fresh hawkingtrolley operator, who will thendeliver fruit/vegetable at thecustomer’s doorstep.“The pilot will run for three monthsand will be followed up withanother during winter. After finetuningthe concept based onmarket feedback, we should beready to soft-launch the format byearly 2008,” said Avtar Singh,general manager, Acme.“This is not rocket science butapplication of simple logic. Theidea is to reorganise the traditionalretailing approach, and create awin-win situation for all partiesinvolved,” Singh said.“This is not rocket science butapplication of simple logic. Theidea is to reorganise the traditionalretailing approach, and create awin-win situation for all partiesinvolved,” Singh said.There are many advantages here,most of which the Ambanis andMittals can only dream of now- noneed for giga-spends on acquiringlarge, expensive properties to setup operations, minusculeoverheads, barebone costs…. And,quality that’s on a par with whatthe chains offer. The conceptinvolves a specially designed andAll Fresh-branded hawking trolleywith an inventory capacity of 75-100 kg.The trolleys will be fitted with“Infrachill Hawking” equipmentbased our high efficiency ThermalManagement System (TMS), Singhsays. The hawking equipment willnot only maintain temperatures (aslow a level as minus-20 degreescentigrade) at different levels,depending on the product but alsosave on costs. “Even withintermittent electricity supply,these TMS containers do not needback-up generators for itsperformance between 12 and 18hours,” Singh said.The company has already appliedfor patent for the hawking trolley.Like the big chains are planning to,Acme will also source the producedirectly from the villages.“The idea is to offerintegration of the entiresupply chain, andsimultaneously provide greatersecurity to eververy y stakeholderin that chain—the farmer/produceroducer, , retaileretailer, , hawkwker er andconsumer,” ,” Singh said.The flip side to Avtar Singh’s killerapp is that somebody could verywell filch the idea and replicate itbefore he can say Flash Gordon —or gets his patent.That will turn the garage-geektheory on its head.22 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

Product NewsPUTodayBayer Material Science to build up a world-scaleplant for polymer polyols using a new technologyCommissioning scheduled in 2008 / Forward-looking production process delivers optimizedproducts / Significantly lower energy costsLeverkusenIn close cooperation with BayerTechnology Services GmbH, BayerMaterialScience AG has developedan innovative technology for themanufacture of polymer-filledpolyether polyols that deliverssignificantly better products thanthe conventional process. Theinnovative technology has alreadybeen successfully tested on a multitonscale in a technical servicelaboratory. The new process is tobe used on a world scale for thefirst time in a PMPO productionfacility with an annual capacity of60,000 tons. It is due to becommissioned at the end of 2008and shall be constructed either inDormagen, Germany, or inAntwerp, Belgium. At both sites,Bayer MaterialScience alreadymanufactures polyether polyols,one of the basic componentsrequired to produce polymerpolyols. Hence, consistent use canbe made of synergies, therebyfurther increasing the facility’sefficiency. A final decision about thelocation has not yet been made.This new production process keepsthe amounts of volatile organiccompounds (VOCs) in the endproduct at very low levels thatwere impossible to achieve withthe technologies used to date. Themuch lower operatingtemperature at the processingstage of the continuous operationmeans that the PMPOs are onlyvery slightly discolored. In additionto the improved productproperties, Bayer MaterialScienceexpects a 25 percent reduction ofinvestment costs for constructionwork and a decrease in energyconsumption when operatingproduction facilities by a similarpercentage rate.PMPOs are utilized throughout theworld, primarily for the productionof flexible polyurethane foam, whichis used in large quantities inupholstered furniture, mattresses,and car seats. The reduced VOCcontent of the PMPOs is particularlyimportant for applications in vehicleinteriors. One reason for this is whatis known as the fogging effect. Thiscauses the deposition of thin buthighly refractive films on the insideof car windows due to the heatrelatedmigration of volatilesubstances from the materials used.According to Peter Vanacker, Headof the Polyurethanes Business Unitand member of the ExecutiveCommittee at BayerMaterialScience, “The newtechnology represents a quantumleap in the development of stateof-the-artproduction processes witheven greater efficiency. It allowsinnovative energy management andsets new standards for efficient andresource-saving productionprocesses. This enables us to offerour customers top-quality productswith lower VOC contents and furtherconsolidate our leading role in theworld market for polyurethaneswith optimized cost structures.”About Bayer MaterialScience:With sales of EUR 10.2 billion in2006 (continuing operations),Bayer MaterialScience is one of theworld’s largest polymermanufacturers. Its main fields ofactivity are the production of hightechpolymer materials and thedevelopment of innovativesolutions for products used inmany areas of everyday life. Themain consumer sectors are theautomotive, electrical/electronics,construction, sports and leisureindustries. Bayer MaterialSciencehas production facilities at 30 sitesaround the world and a workforceof approx. 14,900. BayerMaterialScience is part of the BayerGroup.About Bayer TechnologyServicesBayer Technology Services GmbHoffers fully-integrated solutionsalong the life cycle of chemical/pharmaceutical plants – fromdevelopment throughengineering and construction toprocess optimization for existingplants. The Bayer subsidiaryemploys more than 2,200 expertsworldwide at its headquarters inLeverkusen and other Germanlocations, as well as in regionaloffices in Baytown, Texas, USA;Antwerp, Belgium; Mexico City,Mexico; and Shanghai, People’sRepublic of China. In 2006 salesamounted to around EUR 360million.J U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y23

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Product NewsPUTodayBASF considers construction of MDI plant inChongqing• Plant to have world-scalecapacity of 400 kt/a crudeMDI• Startup planned from 2010onward• Investment underlinesBASF commitment to ChinaBASF is considering theconstruction of a new MDI(diphenylmethane diisocyanate)plant in Chongqing municipality,Western China, to meet growingdemand for this product. Acorresponding memorandum ofcooperation was signed today(June 12, 2007) with ChongqingChemical and PharmaceuticalHolding (Group) Company andlocal authorities. BASF will nowcarry out an in-depth evaluationof the competitiveness of thelocation. The startup is plannedfrom 2010 onward, and the plantis expected to have a capacity of400,000 metric tons per year ofcrude MDI.“The market for polyurethanes inChina is expected to grow atdouble-digit rates and will becomethe largest in the world within thenext decade,” said JacquesDelmoitiez, President of BASF’sPolyurethanes division. “Followingon from the investment in ourCaojing MDI/TDI facility, we aremoving closer to finalizing thelocation for our next majorpolyurethanes investment inChina.”BASF already announced in early2006 that it was consideringbuilding another MDI plant inChina with partners. The decisionon BASF’s additional joint venturepartners has not yet been made,and the final choice of a site forthe plant still hinges on a numberof factors.Chongqing is the largest and mostpopulous of China’s municipalitieswith around 32 million people. Itis home to the biggest inland riverport in Western China, located onthe Yangtze River. It is also a twincity to Düsseldorf, Germany.BASF is one of the largest foreignchemical investors in China, withsales of over •3.6 billion in 2006and a workforce of more than 5,500employees. By 2010, BASF aims togenerate 10 percent of its globalsales and earnings in its chemicalbusinesses in China.MDI is an important precursor inthe manufacture of polyurethanes– versatile polymers that are usedin the automotive andconstruction industries, inappliances such as refrigerators,and in footwear.J U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y27

PUTodayInterviewAn Interview of Mr. Adesh Gupta -CEO, Liberty Shoes Limitedwith a GDP of about 10%, thegrowth in production of footwearis not too optimistic.PU Todaoday:y: What are your viewson the Chinese dominance on theGlobal Footwear Map?PU Todaoday:Mr. Gupta, it’s apleasure talking with you today.Could you give us a shortintroduction of the Liberty Groupof Companies?Mr. . Gupta: Liberty is a Group ofCompanies having 7 footwearmanufacturing plants in differentparts of India. Besides Footwear,the company has diversified andestablished some new plants, likeLiberty Whiteware, manufacturingCeramics and Sanitary ware,InfoTech, in Communication Tech.A few important diversificationsare on the anvil, which includes alarge scale Chemical plant, an Autocomponents plant, for which a JVhas already been signed with someforeign companies.PU Todaoday:What about your retailnetwork?Mr. . Gupta: Liberty has alsoestablished a retail network incountries like Singapore, Dubai,Sharjah, Kuwait, Bangladesh, SriLanka etc. Besides 500 exclusiveretail stores and 25 High end Storesunder the ‘Revolution Brand’,Liberty has a wide network ofdistributors and dealers located indifferent parts of the world. Iwould like to mention here, thatLiberty has received many awardsfrom the Government and otherBodies in recognition of its brandexport to different countriesaround the globe!PU Todaoday:y: The Ministry ofCommerce envisages Indian sharein world footwear market to movefrom current 2.5 to 10% by 2010. Isthis optimism for real? What arethe challenges according to you,for us to realize these targets?Mr. Gupta: The target of Ministryof Commerce to achieve 10%market share in the global marketby 2010 does not look to be toooptimistic. Considering thestrengths over weaknesses, andMr. . Gupta: China is continuouslydominating the global footwearindustry, particularly in the nonleathersector. However, withrespect to leather footwear, Chinahad been trying to dominate, byvirtue of a lower pricing policy.However, with the introduction ofthe anti-dumping duty, the exportto European countries has beenseriously affected. The cheaperlabour cost is no more anattractive proposition now. Thegovernment support is not goingto benefit China, as the countryhas joined the WTO. Chinese costof production is graduallyincreasing due to the hiddensubsidies being taken away.Currency arbitrage may go off indue course. Thus, we feel that withrespect to leather footwear (highvalue items); there is no threat toLiberty or the country as a wholefrom China.PU Todaoday:y: How do you see Indiachallenging the Numero Unoposition of China? What are her keystrengths and weaknesses?Mr. . Gupta: India is going to posea real challenge to China in thecoming years. I will list all of India’s28 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

InterviewPUTodaystrengths & weaknesses, tocorroborate this opinion:India’s Strengths:i) The long term experience ofIndian manufacturers.ii) The wide use of English-alanguage understood all overthe world, along with ademocratic Legal System,inspires the confidence ofother countries, into tradingwith India.iii)iv)Easy availability of leatherAn open economy, facilitatingbusiness.v) Technology up gradation,keeping India abreast withother countries across theglobe.vi)Small scale and small batchproduction is easily possible.vii) Fast adoption of IT enhancessophistication.viii) Skilled and younger labourforce improves the productionprocess & quality, there byincreasing qualityconsciousness and consistencyin production.ix) Developed countries forproduction of low technologyitems look to Asia’s cheapersource of production,preferably in India.x) India’s controlled inflation.India’s Weaknesses:i) Lack of Economies of Scale.ii) Infrastructure bottleneck.iii) Slow pace delays the growth.iv) Non-availability of sufficientcapital for investment.v) Indian rupee too strongagainst USD.vi) High bank rates and cost ofcapital.vii) Non-availability of sufficientpower at competitive prices.viii) Stiff competition from Chinaand lower rate of customduties on finished footwear.PU Todaoday:We have heard aboutCLRI’s optimism on the domesticgrowth. Are these expectationsvalid?Mr. . Gupta: The domestic growthenvisaged by CLRI is not in linewith the expectations. The percapita consumption of footwearhas increased from 1 pair per headto about 3 pairs per head(population of more than 1million). With the incoming ofmultinational brands in footwearand with high rate of introductionof fashion footwear matching withinternational styling, the domesticconsumption of footwear iscontinuously increasing.PU Todaoday:The Footwear Parks arebeing set up in the form of SEZ’s atNangambakkom. Can they help inresolving cost competitiveness ofthe domestic markets and help usin the exports segment?Mr. . Gupta: Nangambakkom isonly one example of SEZ. TheGovernment has promoted andencouraged many such SEZs. Thesehave been launched in variousparts of the country with properinfrastructure to boost domesticsales as well as exports from thecountry. SEZs are being introducedin non-urban areas because ofavailability of land at cheaperrates. Thus, capital andoperational costs are cheapermaking the product morecompetitive.PU Todaoday:What are your viewson the challenges facing thedomestic market?Mr. . Gupta: The challenges in thedomestic market are:J U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y29

PUTodayInterview(a) Competition fromunorganized sectors.(b) The domestic market looks forcheaper price in comparisonto quality.(c) Inadequate and high cost ofpower.(d) Old and bureaucratic systemof working.(e) Slow pace of infrastructuredevelopment.(f) High turnover of skilledmanpower.PU Todaoday:y: How do you rate thegrowth of domestic PU SolesMarket? Will rising consumerpurchasing power and growingconsumerism help in greaterdemand for PU Soles?Mr. . Gupta: The growth of PU solesin the country has a steadyprogress of about 10% per annum.Thus, the growth is bound tocontinue with the added advantageof PU giving a lighter, higherflexibility, abrasion resistant and acomfortable sole. The only roadblock is the high price of PUmaterial in comparison to PVC andthe effect of hydrolysis on the PUsoling material. Huntsman shouldwork on these areas.PU Todaoday:y: Please share with usyour plans on the anvil for LibertyMr. . Gupta: LIBERTY has floated acompany called ‘Liberty RetailRevolutions Limited (LRRL) tomanage the front end of thebusiness. The idea is to target anew up market consumer segmentand, through LRRL, set up a stringof trendy Revolutions Stores acrossthe country and abroad.Liberty has also taken up a specialcampaign for participation ininternational exhibitions andthrough various Embassies toexplore the possibility of doublingits production by 2010.Accordingly, plants, manpower andother sources have been organizedand geared up. Special focus isbeing made on the developedmarkets like Europe, USA anddeveloping economies like middle-East, Africa etc. where the growthpotential is high.PU Todaoday:At this optimistic note,we leave you, wishing Liberty allthe very best with its future plans.High Pressure Foaming Machinefor SaleModel : Ecomaster - 100Ratio : 2 : 1Output : 100 kgs per minuteWith Pentanization and all accessories in brand new condition, unused.Contact:M.D. . Management Consultants,Guzdar House, 629-J Shankar Seth RoadDhobi Talav, MUMBAI 400 002.E-mail:techtradingindia@yahooahoo.co.co.in.in30 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

Technology UpdatePUTodayFoaming & Insulation Technology: SandwichPanels for Building & ConstructionCourtesy CANNONRigid polyurethane foam withits ideal strength to weight ratio,thermal and acoustic insulationproperties, durability, andunmatched versatility, ensures highperformance and exceptionalenergy efficiency in a wide range ofapplications: building, warehouses,prefabricated structures, roofs andwalls, sectional doors, ducts and airconditioningsystems,soundproofing cabins, cold stores,walk-in-coolers, pipes network forwater/oil/heating distribution.A wide range of proven, reliable,economically and technologicallyadvanced solutions, are availablefor the building and constructionindustry, based on discontinuousand continuous methods for theproduction of insulated boards,sandwich panels and insulatedparts. The decision to choose onetechnology over another is mainlydue to the production volumerequired, to the part complexityand to the level of investment.There is a worldwide availability ofanything from single stand-aloneunits up to complex and fully inhousemanufactured plants withhigh degree of integration,technological synergies andautomation (automatic loadingsystem for raw materials, handlingsystems and packaging equipmentfor finished products, turntablesand carousels, premixing units,chemical storage).“When manufacturing complexturnkey foaming systems, acompany like Cannon, adoptsmodular development criteria tooffer unbeatable flexibility duringconfiguration.”Roof & Wall PanelsThe ever-growing demand forinsulated panels in buildingapplications, cold storages, cleanrooms & telecommunicationshelters is driven by the new energysavingregulations imposingsignificant reductions on powerconsumption, which can beachieved by the thermal insulatingproperties of the materials used.Sandwich insulated panels can beproduced with a maximum thicknessof 250 mm and either flexible(paper, cardboard and felt,centesimal aluminum sheet, etc.) orrigid facing (metal sheet, GRP, etc.)and using different types ofinsulating materials: polyurethanes,PIR, phenolic resins, mineral wools.Panels with rigid or flexible facingcan be part of the building structureand in many cases substitutetraditional constructive materialsoffering better thermal and acousticinsulation properties.These panels improve the look andutility of the building as well as itsspeeding-up construction andreducing the amount of expensivewood necessary for structuralframes, saving time and energy andprotecting natural resources as well.Curved Panels for RoofingDedicated presses and foamingplants for the manufacture ofcurved panels are also available.Typically a sandwich curved metalpanel insulated with polyurethaneand internal micro-ribbed liner isused either as new roofingelements or for the replacement offibre-cement slabs.The continuous thickness of thepolyurethane insulating materialprovided an excellent barrieragainst the dispersion of heat inJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y31

PUTodayTechnology Updatewinter and the entry of the sun’srays in summer, giving the panel apleasant, elegant appearance.In addition, it is important to pointout that foamed-in-place insulationdelivers the highest energyefficiency and creates a strong,well-insulated monolithic panel.The internal flat facing can also bemade with either cement fibres orpainted steel with a polyurethanecore, with the possibility to producemodels of different size and shape.Sectional & Garage DoorsSectional doors and garage doorsare another interesting applicationniche where sandwich insulatedhighly efficient, giving these panelstwice as much energy efficiency aspolystyrene.Commercial sectional door andresidential garage door panels canbe shaped with attractive stuccoembossed painted profile, naturallook wood grain style, embossedsurfaces, with shadow lines foradded strength.The panels are produced in bothcontinuous and discontinuousprocesses: the result is a solid andaesthetically pleasing sandwichstrong enough to bear commercialabuses. Foamed-in-place PUinsulation is highly efficient givingthese panels twice the energyefficiency as polystyrene.Air Conditioning &Ventilation DuctsTypically, conditioning systems aremade of simple trimmed metalAs an alternative to the standardmachinery for insulated sandwichpanels with metal facing, a newproduction process for metal-freepanels has been introduced in themarket. Instead of using metalsheet, the structural external layeris made of formed compositesheets or glass-fibre-reinforced PU,resulting in a whole plastic panelcharacterized by its lightweightand excellent structural propertiesand unbeatable energy efficiency.Polyurethane foam is a proveninsulating material recognized for itsreliability, durability and efficiency.panels are successfully applied.The sectional door comes from asimple and effective concept thatconsists of dividing the door intopanels to be lifted and loweredvertically or moved horizontally,making it modern-looking(attractive doors with various styles,shapes, profiles, finishing andcolour options), extremely practicalwith the great advantage of areduced space required for theopening/closing phases.The panels are produced in bothcontinuous and discontinuousprocesses: the result is a solid andaesthetically pleasing sandwichstrong enough to bear commercialabuses.Foamed-in-place PU insulation issheet panels, presenting somenegative aspects: the life-span ofthe parts is compromised by theformation of rust, acoustic andthermal insulation is very poor,furthermore, on forced airdistribution systems, a quarter ofthe energy used for conditioningis wasted through intrinsic systemlosses close to ducts and junctions.Its outstanding insulation propertiesprevent heat loss, or alternativelymaintain temperatures, over anextremely wide range of conditions,from extreme cold environments toones of intense heat, withoutfreezing or cracking.32 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

Technology UpdatePUTodayDiscontinuous Plant for Insulated Sandwich PanelsThe characteristics oflightweight, easy handling,thermal insulation and easy usemake the PU insulated sandwichpanel a suitable element to meetthe most widely diverse constructiondemands when creating walls, roofs,cold rooms, etc.While continuous lines areparticularly suitable for massproduction, discontinuous processesare preferred for small orders,customized shapes, very thick panelsand when it is also necessary toinclude moulding frames andcamlock fixings in the foams.Concerning flat panel production,different solutions are available,from a single foaming platen tomulti-daylight presses, completewith automatic loading/unloadingsystems, hydraulic demouldingequipment and eventual tiltingsystem.The PU injection into the panel canbe manually or automaticallycarried out either through a singleinjection hole or also withmultiple holes positioned alongthe short or thelong sides of thepanels. Multi-pointinjection howeverwill increase thefoam’s quality andthe additional useof a drawingtechnique will alsoenhance foam predistribution.Other applicationsrequire open-mould foamingsystems; in this case the foam ispoured by a special pipe diffuserthat is automatically driven alongthe entire panel overall length,obtaining an optimal foamdistribution. Usually the plasticpipe is released and encased in thepanel at the end of the process.When it is necessary to foam insideclosed presses, the mixing head isfitted on a special automaticallydriven lance, which is introducedinside the panel along its totallength. The polyurethane pouringphase is carried out during theautomatic lance retractionmovement, achieving excellent andhomogeneous distribution.When working with discontinuouspresses, entails the use of a specialvacuum-assisted Polyurethaneinjection method, making itpossible to manufacture highqualitypanels, gaining a 30%productivity increase of the entireplant over the conventionalproduction method, with a betterPU foam distribution and quality,and raw material savings.Single or multi-daylight presseswith fixed platens are a highlyefficient and economically effectivesolution to produce several panelsin one cycle.“1+1 or 2+2 presses equiped withshuttling platens, are morepopular presses for larger panels.”The name of the presses relates tothe number of shuttle tablesapplied. With this configuration atypical production sequenceensures that while one panel isfoamed and cured inside the press,another one is prepared outside,optimising the production processand skipping downtimes.A wide range of book-openingpresses for open-mould foamingprocesses is also available.J U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y33

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PUTodayTechnology UpdateUnwinding UnitUnwinding group is usuallycomposed of four decoilers,two for the upper profile feeding andtwo for the lower one, which areequipped with an automatic loadingand positioning system of the coilon the relevant mandrel (two is theminimum possible configuration).The coilers are usually arranged inpairs in order to achieve fastproduction changes. When one coilis working the second one can beset for the new production.Pre-Heating TunnelThis keeps the formed sheets at adesired temperature in order toachieve good foam adhesion andthe final quality of the sandwichpanels.Roll Forming MachineProfiling line for wall panelscomplete with micro ribbing deviceto shape the rigid facing and formthe junctions.Roof panels require deeper ribsand a dedicated set of forming rollsfor the external sheet layer. Themain feature of the roll formingequipment is the number of rollerholder shafts, which is related tothe profile to be obtained.The system is designed for fastreplacement of the forming rolls(cassette system). Typically thegroup is based on a two-levelconfiguration to separately profilethe lower and upper layers.Dosing, Mixing & FoamingA high-pressure multi-componentdosing unit (number ofcomponents according to chemicalformulation) equipped with massflow transducers and doublediaphragm pumps.When hydrocarbon-based blowingagents (i.e. Pentanes) are used, thewhole foaming equipment isspecially configured with dedicatedraw material storage, premixingunit, explosion-proof devices andactive ventilation system to ensurethe maximum safety.The foamed insulating material,polyurethane, PIR or phenolicresins, is poured by means of adedicated mixing head assembledand driven by a bar that slidestransversally over the panel, givingoptimal foam distribution.For Phenolic Resin InsulationWhen using phenolic resins, thedosing units, storage for chemicals,mixing head and all the parts incontact with them have to bespecially designed to handlecorrosive and high-viscosity liquids.The resin component could alsocontain up to 50% in weight ofsolid fillers to improve the alreadyexcellent resistance to fire of thesefoams: but the operating viscosityof the component is expected tobe around 50,000 cps!Double Belt ConveyorThe double belt conveyorrepresents the most important partof the line. It consists of twoconveyor belts aligned one abovethe other and capable ofcontrasting the pressure generatedby the foam reaction and ensuringa perfect flatness. The gap betweenthe two belts is adjustable,allowing the processing of panelswith different thicknesses. In orderto obtain an optimum PUpolymerization, the upper andlower sections are independentlyheated. An innovative drive fittedto the conveyor: two independentelectric motors operate two endlessscrews mounted above and belowthe two belts. This solutionprovides higher efficiency and morelinear speed avoiding the “polygoneffect” and is characterised bylower maintenance and reducedwearing of moving parts.Cutting EquipmentLeaving the double belt conveyor,the sandwich panel enters a sounddeadenedcabin where the cuttingmachine saws the finished panelsto the desired length.The cutting group (available withsingle or double configuration) canbe with disk or band saw.36 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

Technology UpdatePUTodayHandling SystemsTo avoid heat accumulation, thuspreventing wavy surfaces, bulges,foam tears and scorching; the highthickness panels need to beproperly cooled before stacking. Tosave space, dedicated cooling rackdevices that use air as coolant, arerecommended.Packing MachinesThe finished panels are then stackedaccording to the set quantitiesrequested, before being wrapped bythe packing unit placed at the endof the line.Raw Material Bulk StorageAlso available, is a full packagethat includes chemicals andhydrocarbon blowing agentstorage equipment, satisfying awide range of customer’srequirements: from simplechemical bulk storage, up topolyol / Cyclopentane blendstorage, small bulk storage forhydrocarbons, complete pentanestorage systems. In particular,concerning the storage ofhydrocarbon blowing agents, inthe case of pilot plants or smallproduction lines, storagecontainers can be installedimmediately outside theproduction building in a naturallyventilated area protected againstthe sunlight by a cabinet.LFI and in-mould-graining combinedKrauss-Maffei GmbHCourtesy PU Magazine InternationalMay 22, 2007Krauss-Maffei GmbH, Munich,has teamed up with IMG mouldexperts Galvanoform to perfect aninline process that combines the LFIprocess with In-Mould Graining(IMG).The new technology is said to makeit possible to produce glass fibrereinforcedPU parts with highqualitygrained surfaces using oneand the same mould. Typicalapplications are door trim sections,glove box lids and instrument panelsurrounds for the automotivesector.In-Mould Graining (IMG) uses specialmoulds to create optically attractivestructures in the surface of film skinsduring the thermoforming process.The heated film is positioned in themould, where it is held in place bya frame, negatively thermoformedand the downside grained. Thefixing frame is retracted and the LFImixing head sprays the PU matrixwith its embedded long glass fibresonto the shaped and grained skin.The mould is closed while the PURcures, then opened for removal ofthe finished part.Combining the two processes in onemould has a number of advantages.For a start, it eliminates the qualitydefect of distorted and imperfectgraining. This is a problem that canoccur when thermoforming takesplace subsequent to embossing andcauses warping and stretching ofthe surface pattern. The problemdoes not arise with IMG, becausegraining takes place afterthermoforming. The result isconsistently high surface quality.In addition, combining LFI and IMGsaves costs in producing this typeof high-strength part with premiumgrained surfaces. For one thing, theembossing stage is no longer aseparate process; for another, itbecomes possible to producedifferent surface graining, usingdifferent moulds but just one typeof film. In addition, the glassfibreroving used in the LFI process hasobvious cost advantages over glassmat. Fibre length and load can bevaried to match part specificationswhile the glass filaments and thePUR mix are being pouredsimultaneously into the openmould.The special moulds used in this IMGprocess ensure that even very finegraining is immaculatelyreproduced on the surface of thefinished part. The first stage increating the surface structure is apatented galvanising process whichreproduces leather graining in aporous nickel-electro shell only afew millimeters thick. This shell isthen integrated in a completemould with temperature controland a vacuum system. The micropores in the technical porous nickel(TPN) have a diameter of less than0.15 mm. The number of pores canbe matched to the geometry of thepart being produced.J U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y37

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Previews & ReportsPUTodayUTECH North America 24-26 September 2007Two major forces in theinternational polyurethanesindustry – Center for thePolyurethanes Industry of theAmerican Chemistry Council,formerly the Alliance for thePolyurethanes Industry and theUTECH organizers IndustrialPromotions International (I.P.I.)/Crain Communications – havedecided to join forces to create theinaugural Polyurethanes 2007Technical Conference, inpartnership with UTECH NorthAmerica Exhibition. Scheduled forSeptember 24-26 at the GaylordPalms Resort and ConventionCenter in Orlando, Florida, thisglobal event is expected to be thepolyurethane industry’s largestgathering in the NAFTA region.UTECH North America occupies35000 square ft of net exhibit spaceincl. poster session area, accordingto show organiser Tony Kenter. Thecurrent exhibitors list features over100 stands representing more than125 international companiesincluding a strong presence fromChina and Europe. The list ofconfirmed exhibitors features AirProducts, Albrecht Baumer,Arkema, Baulé, Bayer MaterialScience, BYK, Cannon, Chemtura,COIM, Degussa/Goldschmidt, ERAPolymers, Hennecke, Hyperlast,Momentive Performance Materials,Solvay Fluor, Tosoh, Yantai WanhuaPolyurethanes and many otherleading players. “We are expectingstrong buyer representation atUTECH North America according topre-registration data from all overthe world in mid-June. Theinformation received prior to theevent reflects the high level ofbusiness meetings that will takeplace at the show.”This year’s technical conferencewill reach an audience of morethan 1,500 manufacturers andprocessors of polyurethane-basedproducts across all industrialsectors; featuring 19 technicalsessions and two issue-orientedsessions. A total of 100 technicalpapers will be presented over thethree days. Papers representing: awide range of polyurethane issues,categories and applications,including: renewable contentpolyols; environmental health andsafety; footwear; FR andcombustibility; flexible foams;processing innovation;automotive; coatings, adhesivesand sealants; spray and TPU/castelastomers; recycling; energycritical foams; construction; rigidspray foam; furnishing; andappliances. In addition to thetechnical sessions and the exhibits,the 2007 event will include thepopular Polyurethane ProfessionalDevelopment Program – eightseminars ranging fromintroductory courses to advancedtopics.J U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y39

PUTodayPreviews & ReportsKorea International PU Forum, SeoulMAY 22-24, 2009The Korea Pu Society isorganizing a two dayInternational Forum at SeoulOlympic Parktel Hotel..A few of the important speakersand topics are as belowDr. Mike CollinsChairmanIII(International IsocyanateInstitutes) Scientific Committee“The Global Diisocyanate Industry: SHE Issues and the Role of theInternational Isocyanate Institute”Dr. Andreas HartwigHeadDept of Adhesives and PolymerChemistry IFAM Fraunhofer,Germany “Detection of Isocyanatesduring Processing of Hot MeltAdhesives and Methods to Reducethe Emission” (tentative)Dr. Satoshi YamasakiSenior ResearcherMitsui Chemicals Polyurethanes,Inc. Advanced PolyurethaneMaterials Lab., R & D Center“Rheological Properties ofThermoplastic Polyurethanes”Prof. Mutsuhisa FurukawaDept of Materials Science andEngineeringNagasaki University, Japan “WhatBrings High PerformancePolyurethanes?”Dr. Francesca PignagnoliGlobal RND Leader for RigidApplication Dow Chemical “RigidFace DBL PU Foam and Other RigidApplications with the HighPerformance Anti-Flammability”Prof. Jinlian HuEditor-in-ChiefResearch Journal of Textile andApparel Institute of Textiles andClothing. The Hong KongPolytechnic University, Hong Kong“The Structure and Properties ofShape Memory Polyurethanes”Prof. Sung Chul KimDirectorector,Center for Advanced FunctionalPolymers KAIST, Korea“Polyurethane/Clay NanocompositeCoatings and Elastomers”William ChienManagerBASF AP region TRDC (TechnicalResearch and Development Center)“SPS - New Applications for PUElastomers”Ned KuoHuntsman“Advances in Polyurea Coatings”WeeYoong LeeHuntsman“Advances in Lightweight AcousticFoam for Sound Insulation”Gabor FelberTechnical ManagerHuntsman Performance Products“Reduction of Amine CatalystEmission in Automotive andFlexible Foam Applications”Dr. Ingo BrassatBayer“Advanced Polyurethane Solutionsfor the Construction Industry”Rahul GautamChairmanThe Indian PU Association“Indian PU Industry and Its Vision”Udo HadickManagerTechnical Service Integral,European Business Unit,AutomotiveBASF Elastogran GmbH, Germany“Introduction of the LatestDevelopment of Instrument Panelin Europe”Yew Fei LeeManagerBASF“MDI Viscoelastic Foam for FlexibleFoam Applications”Roy LinBayer“The Intorduction of NewTechnology of Multitec asSubstitute of FRP” In addition tothe above our Indian PolyurethaneAssociation Member Mr JayantKhadilkar is likely to present apaper on New Concepts in Pu CastElastomers.More details of this event can behad from the webistehttp://home.pusan.ac.kr/~puforumWe shall be giving the members afeedback anad review after theevent.40 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

Health & SafetyPUTodayDealing with spillages of MDI or TDIAll spillages of MDI or TDI,irrespective of size, big orsmall, must be attended toimmediately because there isa risk of over-exposure ofpeople nearby. Only properlytrained and equippedpersonnel should be involvedin containing and cleaningup the diisocyanate. Butfollowing are suggestedactions till the experiencedhelp is made available incase of emergency.1 Evacuate non-essentialpeople. Isolate the area andremove ignition source. Keeppeople away to prevent thembreathing vapourpossible using wet material, suchas sand, earth or absorbent clays.Add further wetted absorbent ontothe spill to soak up and neutralizethe di-isocyanate. Di-isocyanateliquid standing in pools may bepumped into containers, whichthen should be covered but notsealed, so that any gas producedcan escape. Sand bags can be usedfor containing big spills. A tarpaulinmay be appropriate to cover thespillage during neutralizing orsoaking up.If a TDI spillage is very extensive,cover the spillage with fire-fightingfoam (for example 3% protein) tominimize the liberation of vapour.Whenever possible, prevent eitherthe materials from entering drains,sewers, lakes, rivers and streams.If di-isocyanate enters waterways,notify the water authoritiesimmediately.6 Neutralize the diisocyanatewith a neutralizing formulation,according to local circumstances.Possible formulations are describedbelow.7 Decontaminate all surfaces andequipment that have been incontact with diisocyanate. Isolatethe residues for safe disposal.8 Dispose of these residues inaccordance with local and federalregulations. Typically, suchmaterials should be disposed of bylandfill on approved sites, byincineration or by a specialistcontractor.2 Notify the managementimmediately, and the localemergency services if the spillcannot be handled by the availablepersonnel. Intimate the suppliersfor an advice or expert help whichever is necessary.3 Put on full personalprotective equipment Suitablerespiratory protection, face and eyeprotection, chemical protectivesuit and gloves.4 Control the source of theleak, where applicable by shuttingthe valve or sealing the hole in thedrum or changing the hose. Opendoors and windows, if any, of theaffected area to enable increase theventilation and aid removal of diisocyanatevapours.5 Contain the spill to preventfurther spread of di-isocyanate, ifLiquid neutralizer - some formulationsFormulation A Surfactant 1 - 20%Water to make up to 100%Formulation B Surfactant .2 - 2%Sodium carbonate 5 - 10%Water to make up to 100%Formulation C Surfactant 0.2 - 2%Concentrated ammonia 3 - 8%Water to make up to 100%Formulation D Ethanol or other alcohol 50%Concentrated ammonia 5%Water to make up to 100%Warning: this formulation is flammableFormulation EProtein foam - commercial formulationsavailable for vapour suppression, but willnot achieve complete neutralizationWarning - concentrated aqueous ammonia is very pungent andprecautions should be taken to avoid inhalationof toxic vapoursJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y41

PUTodayHealth & Safety9 Check that the clean-upprocedures have been effective andthat decontamination has beensuccessful, using air and surfacemonitoring equipment.Check that the spillage has notcaused damage to materials suchas concrete or bitumen with whichit was in contact.10 Make a record of the incident,and consider what actions can betaken to prevent recurrence.Actions may include amendmentof working procedures andtraining, and improvement of theworkplace, equipment andmachinery.This series of short articles onvarious aspects of the safe handlingof MDI and TDI has been providedby Gilbert International Limited (GIL).GIL is a UK-based scientificconsultancy with many years ofexperience in the diisocyanatesindustry.No representation, guarantee or warranty ismade as to the accuracy, reliability orcompleteness of this text or that the applicationor use of any of the information, analysis,methods and recommendations herein willavoid, reduce or ameliorate hazards, accidents,losses, damages or injury of any kind topersons or property. Readers are thereforecautioned to satisfy themselves as to theapplicability and suitability of saidinformation, analysis, methods andrecommendations for the purposes intendedprior to use.42 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

PUTodayA D V E R T I S E M E N T T A R I F FAdvertisement1 Issue 2 Issues 4 IssuesBack Cover 14,000.00 13,000.00 12,000.00Inside Front Cover 10,000.00 9,000.00 8,000.00Inside Back Cover 10,000.00 9,000.00 8,000.00Full Page Colour 8,000.00 7,500.00 7,000.00Half Page Colour 5,000.00 4,500.00 4,250.00Quarter Page 3,000.00 2,750.00 2,500.00Special Feature (2 pages) 10,000.00Each Additional Page 4,000.00J U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y43

PUTodayBook & Publication ReviewsPolymeric Foams & Foam Technology (Second Edition)By Patrick A. Toensmeier,ConsultantPolymer foam is a large anddiverse industry that touchesalmost every aspect of daily life.The material finds use in numerousitems, from hot-drink cups andfood containers to running shoes,furniture, automotive seating, andwindow frames. Few materials areas versatile or as widely used.Compiling a text on as wideranginga topic as this ischallenging, but Dr. DanielKlempner and Dr. VahidSendijarevic have co-authored abook that is comprehensive, up-todate,and readable. The 584-pagePolymeric Foams and FoamTechnology is the second editionof this title, which Klempner,affiliated with the University ofDetroit Mercy, and Sendijarevic, ofTroy Polymers Inc., originallypublished a decade ago. The newedition covers the basics of processtechnology, looks at the latestdevelopments in chemistry, andincludes advances in criticalregulatory areas like blowingagents, combustibility, and solidwastedisposal. Written with inputfrom 20 contributors, the book isprimarily for scientists, engineers,and academics, yet is also usefulfor product marketers who mustkeep current with developments infoam technology.The first three chapters present thebasics of flexible, semi-flexible, andrigid polymer foams. The authorsdiscuss foam densities; mechanical,physical, and chemical means ofcreating foam structures; processtechniques for fabricating foamparts and products like slabstock;key industries and markets; andregulatory challenges on frontingthe industry.There are, of course, two basiccategories of polymer foam:thermoplastic and thermoset.While the book is almostexclusively concerned with plasticfoams, there is discussion of rubbermaterials, including chaptersdedicated to latex and siliconefoams. This provides readers withadditional perspective on theindustry and increases the value ofthe text. Klempner and Sendijarevicinclude graphs, equations, tables,and diagrams throughout the bookto illustrate key points. These aredetailed enough for scientists andengineers, yet can be understoodby readers who don’t have atechnical background.Specific types of foam are coveredin separate chapters beginningwith chapter 4. These include:flexible and rigid polyurethane;polyisocyanurate; polystyrene;polyolefin; polyvinyl chloride;epoxy; latex; silicone;fluoropolymer; wood-flourcomposite; phenolic; andsyntactic polymer (i.e., polymerwith filler of hollowmicrospheres). While there areother types of polymer foams,these materials account for mostapplications. The format of eachchapter varies, but basicinformation includes anintroduction to the material, itsstructure and chemistry, details onfoam formation and properties,applications, and a list ofreferences for further study.Of special note is inclusion ofwoodflour composite (WFC) foams.WFC is a small but rapidly growingsegment of the market that offersadvantages to fabricators. WFC isless expensive than most foamfillers; reduces wear and tear onprocess machinery versusconventional fillers and fibers; canhave better properties thanconventional fillers and fibers; andis a durable, lowmaintenancereplacement for wood in someapplications. The chapter on WFCfoam, written by Chul B. Park ofthe University of Toronto, is aninformative look at a relatively newfoam technology.The remaining chapters cover flameretardance and blowing agents.Contributor Roza M. Aseeva of theInstitute of Biochemical Physics inMoscow, begins the chapter onflame retardants by noting thatmost fires worldwide occur inbuildings and transportation wherepolymer products are concentrated.Decreasing the fire hazard ofpolymeric materials, includingfoams, is an important aspect offire safety. Aseeva discusses anumber of subjects relevant to thecombustibility of polymer foams,and concludes with a look at recentadvances in flame retardance. Theseinclude the use of polymers that areinherently flame retardant, fireresistantcoatings, and new44 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

Book & Publication ReviewsPUTodayadditives like polymer/ceramichybrid nanocomposites.The chapter on blowing agents, byFyodor A. Shutov and Donald P.Visco Jr., both of TennesseeTechnological University, discussesthe chemistry and properties ofphysical and chemical blowingagents. Shutov and Visco addperspective by examining theregulatory issues affecting blowingagents, and reviewing alternativematerials with zero ozonedepletionpotential. They make thepoint that while some alternativeblowing agents are moreevironmentally friendly thanconventional blowing agents,many carry tradeoffs, andultimately, scientists and engineersneed to look at the entireproperties’ spectrum of a blowingagent, including its insulationeffectiveness, in determining itsenvironmental impact.The book concludes withappendices of Greek and Romanletters used in scientific notationsand a listing of conversion factorsused in describing foam properties.These appendices are useful, butbrief. The authors might considerexpanding them if a future editionis planned, and including a list offoam trade names and majorchemical and product suppliers tothe industry. Klempner andSendijarevic have done a masterlyjob of developing an authoritativeand readable text on a materialthat is an essential component ofproduct performance. PolymericFoams and Foam Technologyremains a classic reference on animportant segment of plasticsfabrication.Now, Discover Your Strengthsby Marcus Buckingham andDonald O. CliftonMost organizations are builton two FLAWED assumptionsabout people:• Each person can learn to becompetent in almost anything.• Each person’s greatest room forgrowth is in his or her areas ofgreatest weakness.Organizations take their employees’strengths for granted, and focus onminimizing their weaknesses. Thisisn’t development – it is onlydamage control - a poor strategyfor elevating either the employeeor the organization to world classperformance. As long as theorganization operates under theseassumptions, it will nevercapitalize on the strengths of eachemployee.To break out of this ‘weaknessspiral’ and rely on strengths, onemust change one’s assumptionsabout people. This book proffersthe concept of:-The ‘Strengths’ Revolution ~ at theheart of this revolution is a simpleprinciple: A great Organizationmust not only understand that eachindividual is different, it mustcapitalize on these differences. Itmust position & develop eachperson so that, their talents aretransformed into actual strengths.The Organization must build itsentire enterprise around thestrengths of each person, forsuccess.This leads one to ask – ‘what aremy strengths?’ How can I capitalizeon them? Over the past 30 years,Gallup Organization conducted amammoth series of interviews – 2million people across differentprofessions, around the globe. Inall these different professions, theyfound tremendous diversity ofknowledge, skill & talent. Theyextracted from this wealth oftestimony, thirty-four patterns or‘themes’. These 34 are the mostprevalent themes of human talent.Used with insight andunderstanding, they can helpcapture the unique themes playingin each person’s life. (To take thisStrength Finder measure of yourstrengths, buy: “ Now Discover YourStrengths – How to Develop YourTalents and Those of the People YouManage” by Marcus Buckinghamand Donald O. Clifton – at the end,a scratch code enables you to login online, and take the surveyquestionnaire, and results are givenimmediately).By identifying and refining thesesignature themes, one will be inthe best possible position to useone’s strengths to succeed.J U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y45

PUTodayReaders’ ViewpointReaders’ CommentsFrom: Mr. . Rahul GautamCongratulations !on an excellentwork done. I am sure this changewill also catalyze improvements inother areas.From: Mr. Ramesh, ImpexCongratulations!The new avatar of the PUMagazine certainly looks classy.From: Mr. NichaniI am very pleased to receive the firstcopy of Polyurethane Todaymagazine, published by the IndianPolyurethane Association, Mumbai.You have carefully covered some ofthe articles in the areas ofFootwear, Leather, MDI Systems,Integral Skin Foam, Soybeans PolyolDevelopment, Environment health& Safety etc.The designing, layout etc has beendeveloped and well laid out in thePolyurethane Today magazine. Youhave put in a lot of efforts andideas to make it a success. Withyour talent, there are still biggeropportunities for spreading thewings in the diverse areas ofapplications of Polyurethanes inIndia.I wish you all the best and continueto be a great ambassador of thePolyurethane Industry in the nearfuture.Events & TrendsPolyurethaneProfessionalDevelopmentProgram23-26September 2007,Orlando, FloridaUTECH NorthAmerica2 4 - 2 6September2 0 0 7 ,Orlando, FloridaK 200724-31 October 2007,Dusseldorf, GermanyPolyurethanes 2008Events CalendarINTERNATIONALT echnicalConference29 September –1 October 2008,San Antonio,TexasPU Latin America 2008Final dates not set, dates &venue to be announcedU Tech ech Asia & PU China 2008Final dates not set, dates &venue to be announcedUTECH Europe 200931 March, 01 April, 02 April 2009Polyurethanes 2009Technical Conferenceence5-7 May 2009, Fort Washington,MD (Wash., DC Area)NATIONALPU Tech 200812-14 March 2008, New Delhi,India46 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7

PUTodayJ U L Y - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y47

PUTodayFOR 48 PRIVATE P O TE L Y CIRCULATION U R E T H A N E ONLY. S T OEdited D A Yby Ms Medha Bhuta Published by K. Ramamurthy Jfor U LIndian Y - S E PPolyurethane T E M B E R 2Association0 0 7Printed by