OREANDA-NEWS. August 1, 2012. Giroflex-forma, in partnership with Braskem and Cromex, debuts its first line of seats made from renewable raw materials at the stadium of Sao Paulo Football Club.

Sao Paulo, July 2012 - Giroflex-forma, a leading furniture maker in Latin America, has launched Brazil's first seats incorporating plastic made from renewable raw materials, which will be installed in the boxes at Morumbi Stadium in the city of Sao Paulo. Developed in partnership with Cromex and Braskem, the seats use polyethylene made from sugarcane ethanol, a high-value material that is 100% renewable and recyclable.

"The main innovation is the high level of sustainability incorporated into the project's design, with the plastic used in the seats made from ethanol, a renewable energy source that replaces the traditional petroleum-based compound," said Linaldo Vilar, director of new business at giroflex-forma. Over the next three years, the company plans to invest nearly BRL 6 million in the sports-arena seating market.

Manufactured by Braskem, the world's leading biopolymer producer, the resin in these "sugar seats" is recognized worldwide for maintaining the benefits and properties of traditional plastic, while being more sustainable. The most important advantage is its capacity to help reduce the greenhouse gas effect, since it removes 2.5 tons of carbon gas (CO2) from the atmosphere for every ton produced.

Cromex, the leader in color masterbatches and additives, has developed a new generation of compounds for use in the Green PE seats. These are additives that enhance performance and processing with formulas free of heavy metals and halogen-free flame-retardant properties and that comply with the standards of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the Brazilian Association of Technical Norms (ABNT).