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Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2000 11:17:51 -0500 (EST) From: bob@mobiustechnologies.com (Bob Villwock) Subject: Mobius Technologies and Dow Chemical Team Up to Recycle Polyurethane Foam
Mobius Technologies and The Dow Chemical Company Sign Technology Development Agreement
Collaboration will develop novel polyurethane foam recycling technologies
San Francisco, CA, USA, March 28, 2000 - Mobius Technologies and The Dow Chemical Company today announced the formation of a Technology Development Agreement for polyurethane foam recycling. The agreement calls for the development of processes, equipment, polyurethane intermediates, and formulating technology tailored to take advantage of Mobius Technologies’ polyurethane recycling process.
According to Bryan Martel, President of Mobius Technologies, “the manufacture and fabrication of polyurethane foam produces scrap rates that can be as high as 15%, and manufacturers are looking for new ways to recapture the value of this expensive waste stream.” The Mobius recycling process pulverizes scrap foam to a microscopic powder and reintroduces it as an additive to the new-foam manufacturing process.
While the Mobius process has been in commercial use by polyurethane foam manufacturers since 1998, the parties anticipate that new developments can enhance system performance while further reducing the manufacturing cost for new foam. According to Paul Berthevas, Senior Development Associate with Dow Polyurethanes, “As a world leader in production of polyurethane intermediates, The Dow Chemical Company is a strong proponent of polyurethane recycling efforts. We believe the Mobius Technologies process offers significant benefits to our customers. This development agreement will allow the two companies to maximize the value of this recycling process to foam manufacturers.”
With impending legislation in Europe mandating an increase in the percentage by weight of an automobile that must be recycled, auto manufacturers and suppliers are turning to plastics as candidates for recycling. According to Steven English, Global Marketing Manager for molded PU foams with Dow Polyurethanes, “seats in a typical car interior contains 7-10kg of flexible polyurethane foam, making them good candidates for PU recycling. Mobius Technologies and The Dow Chemical Company are currently working with major automakers and suppliers to apply this recycling process to end-of-life vehicles (ELV’s). We plan to be the number one company to come to for solutions to recycling challenges. Initial results presented jointly with Mobius Technologies to the Society of Plastics Engineers recycling conference in November 1999 indicate that this technology offers the opportunity to maintain foam properties with a 10% recycle content and be cost competitive. Through this Technology Development Agreement, we expect to
demonstrate the technical feasibility and commercial viability of this approach for the recycling of polyurethane foam cushions from seats in ELV’s.”
Dow Polyurethanes
Dow Polyurethanes, one of 14 global businesses of The Dow Chemical Company, is a leading supplier of polyurethane systems and raw materials, with 36 manufacturing sites worldwide, and has some of the largest production capabilities in North America. The Dow Chemical Company is a global science and technology-based company that develops and manufactures a portfolio of chemicals, plastics and agricultural products and services for customers in 168 countries around the world. With annual sales of more than $18 billion, Dow conducts its operations through 14 global businesses employing 39,000. For more news and information about Dow, please visit our Web site at www.dow.com.
For Dow Information
Contact
Marielle Jaeger
Dow Polyurethanes, Horgen
41 1 728 2246
mjaeger@dow.com
or
Brian Hind, Gibbs Soell
3 Napier Court, London SW6 3UT
44 171 736 0780
bhind@gibbs-soell.com
Mobius Technologies