OREANDA-NEWS. At its Lemforde site BASF has commissioned a new pilot line for the development and discontinuous production of polyurethane insulating panels. The new flat laminating line facilitates the production of panels up to ten meters long using two different application techniques: Flat coating in which the material is applied into the open mold; and injection technology that optimally delivers the polyurethane into the closed mold using a novel mixing head.

Dr. Andrea Eisenhardt, head of product development for PU rigid foam, stresses: "At our testing center, we can now implement a wide range of state-of-the-art projects and accurately replicate our customers' production processes." Sandwich panels of PU rigid foam are used mainly in refrigeration, i.e. in refrigerated vehicles and containers, cold stores and other applications for which discontinuous panel production makes most sense. The Elastopor(r) and Elastopir(r) PU system brands are specifically available to BASF customers for these applications.

"This investment helps to extend our already very strong position on the market for insulating materials," explains Raimar Jahn, President Performance Materials BASF. "The new plant also strengthens our global polyurethane expertise network", Jahn adds.

Customers have also responded very positively to the new plant in Lemforde. Reinhard Beelmann, Technical Manager at Schmitz Cargobull in Vreden: "We believe this is another positive step in our many years of good business relations with BASF that makes it possible to develop new foam systems with much greater focus and independently of production processes. We can now save time and money in the qualification of new materials and accelerate market launch."

For the flat laminator, a new testing center hall with a total of 900 square meters has been built in Lemforde. Installations for the development of other polyurethane applications such as insulated pipelines will also be accommodated here.