Lighter, warmer, stronger Huntsman

LIGHTER, WARMER, STRONGER

As one of the world’s leading players in the industrial supply of polyurethanes, global giant Huntsman is well-placed for continued growth thanks to its diverse applications and sophisticated understanding of megatrends. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to Nick Webster, European vice president of the corporation’s polyurethanes division, to see how the company is meeting this challenge.

Global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated chemicals Huntsman has been active for more than 40 years. In that time, the company has grown close to the wide variety of sectors it serves through its understanding of the issues that affect different parts of the value chain at its heart. Nick Webster, European vice president of Huntsman Polyurethanes told Industry Europe, “We always listen to our customers and offer them specific solutions that meet their needs, whether their drivers are sustainability, energy efficiency, comfort or whatever. Huntsman is a true partner to industrial clients worldwide.”

With production facilities, customer support and technical development capabilities in all regions of the world, Huntsman is widely recognised as one of the global leaders in providing MDI-based [methylene diphenyl diisocyanate] polyurethane for use across an extensive range of applications and market sectors. The company produces polyurethane solutions that deliver high performance in insulation, comfort, adhesion and protection, with its core markets including automotive, building and construction, footwear, bedding and furniture, composite wood products, adhesives, coatings, elastomers and thermoplastic polyurethane.

Understanding core drivers

Huntsman appreciates that the main applications for polyurethanes are driven by the need for lightweight, energy-efficient and comfortable materials. Mr Webster explained, “In terms of energy efficiency, polyurethane solutions offer extremely high insulation performance, which is increasingly popular in a world of rising fuel costs that show no sign of slowing down. In the automotive sector our light weight cushioning polyurethanes for car seats help keep the weight of vehicles low and thus meet the demands for fuel efficiency.”

He continued, “And for clients where comfort is the primary driver, our creative solutions for using polyurethanes extend to shoe design, bedding and domestic and commercial furniture. These are areas where we are investing considerably, and are seeing around 7 per cent growth per year.”

Rising to meet the global growth in demand for Capa™

Perstorp, the world’s largest supplier of caprolactone monomer and polycaprolactones, is doubling production capacity of Capa™ monomer to meet the growing global demand for caprolactones. Whether you are looking for enhanced performance Perstorp can fine-tune the Capa™ polymer properties to optimize your product’s performance where it matters most.

STEPANPOL aromatic polyester are specifically designed to meet the diverse and demanding requirements of the C.A.S.E. industry. Stepan has developed a line of high quality polyester polyols based on ortho-ester linkages. By using phthalic anhydride as the building block, Stepan polyols deliver enhanced hydrolytic stability and adhesion to diverse substrates while improving abrasion resistance and overall hardness. Common end uses include liquid and hot melt urethane adhesives, flexible packaging, insulating sealants, polyurethane dispersions, thermalbreak, cast elastomers, and energy-cure and conventional-cure coatings.

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Huntsman experienced some challenging market conditions during the global economic downturn, particularly in the construction and automotive sectors, but Mr Webster added that the company has already bounced back to pre-recession levels. He believes this is largely thanks to its careful focus on fundamental market drivers, as well as a solid cross-sector client base and diversified product portfolio within the polyurethanes sector.

Understanding and staying ahead of megatrends seems to also play an important role in Huntsman’s continued success. With the ever-increasing scarcity of natural resources as the most global of megatrends, Huntsman’s development of polyurethane solutions such as water management products, thermal insulation for homes and offices, and advanced automotive acoustic products, further strengthens its position.

Mr Webster continued, “Our exceptional understanding and awareness of materials and their capabilities means that we can always find the ideal polyurethane product to meet the needs of our customers. We work with our customers and have plenty of information at our fingertips to answer their questions and maximise performance at every level.”

Able to influence

Through Huntsman’s long-term relationships with legislators, associations, architects and influencers, its ability to play a role in reducing dependence on natural resources across its market sectors is also an exciting area of development. The company predicts that its ability to offer multiple ways to support customers’ sustainable choices with energy efficient

Tereos Syral and Sorbitol

Tereos Syral is a major producer of sorbitol for the production of polyurethane rigid foam. Meritol® liquid sorbitol is a bio-based raw material produced from cereal starch, and is used in a variety of chemical applications: polyurethane, enzyme stabilisation, metal complexing, adhesives and glues, paper surface treatment– besides its use in food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Tereos Syral is the starch activity of the international sugar group Tereos. It transforms more than 3 million tons of cereals in its 6 European factories into starch and glucose based derivatives The company’s agricultural shareholders, industrial capacity and technical competency mean Tereos Syral is able to give its customers a guarantee of product availability, quality and innovative product development.

polyurethane solutions will be an important aspect of its future success.

Mr Webster commented, “Playing a future-focused role in delivering responsible solutions is a privilege that we’ve earned over 40 years. Working with OEMs and brand owners to create better thermal efficiency, improved comfort or lighter weight solutions using the most advanced polyurethane solutions, is what makes us tick. We’ve been very patient in waiting for the role of polyurethanes to reach tipping point and for more sectors to appreciate the value they offer in terms of performance and sustainability; this is now starting to happen around the world, so we are particularly well-positioned to see considerable growth.”

The growth of Huntsman over the coming years is expected to be most visible in its ability to offer specific polyurethane solutions in direct response to individual customers’ demands. With the drivers of light weight, comfort and energy efficiency being the common denominators across the industry sectors in which it operates, Huntsman’s complete tailor-made solutions are seeing increasingly varied applications that guarantee the company will live up to its vision of ‘enriching lives through innovation’. n