Covestro, previously known as Bayer MaterialScience, has won a sustainability award for an innovative polyurethane paint hardener at the prestigious 2015 British Coatings Federation Awards evening.
The company came away with the BCF Sustainable Innovation Supplier Award, for its Desmodur® eco N 7300 polyurethane hardener with renewable content. Gareth Brine and colleague Berta Vega Sánchez, from Covestro Germany, collected the award on the company’s behalf.
The Covestro product was singled out as a new light stable polyurethane raw material with around 70 per cent renewable carbon content derived from non-fossil-based inputs – the first product of its type on the market. Using it significantly reduces the carbon footprint from cradle to gate.
“Sustainability sits at the heart of our strategy, our guiding principle being that all decisions and activities must take account of the impact on people and the planet,” said technical manager, Chris Witcomb. “Having previously reduced negative environmental impacts in the areas of production and logistics, this product is another big step forward as we look at bio-based renewable raw materials. In that respect it is a great product for our customers and end-users and a first for us under our new name of Covestro.”
Covestro’s Desmodur® aliphatic polyurethanes are used by paint manufacturers in the formulation of two-pack polyurethane paints – used widely in vehicle refinisfing, OEM and industrial coating systems.
Chris Witcomb added: “UK industry is increasingly seeking solutions which are sustainable and not reliant on petrochemical derivatives, so we’re particularly pleased that the BCF judges recognised the fact that we are progressing in this area and that the product has the potential for significant impact.”
A record 130 guests gathered to celebrate the successes of the coatings industry at the awards evening, representing raw material suppliers, coatings and ink manufacturers as well as industry students.
The winners and finalists were praised by the BCF’s CEO, Tom Bowtell, who said the industry had achieved some amazing successes during a very tough few years, and that he was proud to represent an industry that takes sustainability, training and customer service so seriously. The BCF is the umbrella organisation for the UK paint industry.
About Desmodur® eco N 7300
This is a new solvent-free aliphatic polyisocyanate, and the first polyurethane crosslinker on the market with a significant renewable content derived from non-fossil-based inputs that has not come at the expense of performance. It is a trimer based on a new aliphatic diisocyanate, Pentamethylene Diisocyanate (PDI), a revolutionary innovation in polyurethane chemistry as it is the first diisocyanate in 30 years to be fully developed and scaled-up. It has the same high performance standards as conventional Hexamethylene Diisocyanate derivatives, even though this product is based on biomass. Its applications include coatings, adhesives and potentially anywhere where conventional HDI trimers are used. It is due to become available commercially in 2016 in Europe.
