American Chemistry Council announces the 2023 Polyurethane Innovation Award

San Antonio, TX – The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) announced Wanhua Chemical (America) Co., Ltd’s WANNATE® 9131FC has won the 2023 Polyurethane Innovation Award. The Innovation Award is renowned throughout the polyurethane industry and recognizes companies and individuals whose visions and perseverance bring new life-enhancing products, technologies, and initiatives to the marketplace.
“On behalf of CPI, congratulations to Wanhua Chemical (America) Co., Ltd on this recognition and achievement,” said Lee Salamone, senior director of CPI. “This new technology helps address the urgency to reduce our carbon footprint and highlights our industry’s increasing sustainability efforts. CPI is proud to recognize and honor Wanhua Chemical (America) Co., Ltd on this cutting-edge innovation.”
Wanhua Chemical (America) Co., Ltd describes their winning entry as:
Wanhua Chemical (America) Co., Ltd: WANNATE® 9131FC is a specially designed binder based on polymeric methylene diphenylene diisocyanate (pMDI). It is used for fabrication of molded wood pallets. The use of WANNATE® 9131FC as the binder to fabricate molded wood pallets allows for increased production output, improved product performance such as mechanical strength, water-resistance, and decreased energy consumption. WANNATE® 9131FC allows the use of raw materials such as processing wood waste (vs. virgin or new wood) to fabricate wood pallets with a reduced carbon footprint, and a formaldehyde-free process.
“Wanhua is excited to announce our MDI-based prepolymer binder for molded wood pallets. The pallets nest together for reduced transport cost from the manufacturer, they can be made from a variety of waste feedstocks like wood scraps and agricultural residues, and when the pallets reach end-of-life, they can be ground up and recycled into new pallets,” said Tim Chaffee, Business Director at Wanhua Chemical (America) Co., Ltd. “The pallets have superior strength and durability, enhanced weather and water resistance, and outstanding heat and cold tolerance. All of this is accomplished while increasing bio-content and reducing energy requirements.”
Eligible innovations include finished products, chemistries, initiatives, training or education programs, processes, and processing equipment that have entered the market, for the first time, between June 18, 2021, and June 19, 2023.
In addition to the 2023 Polyurethane Innovation Award, the 2023 Polyurethanes Technical Conference featured 14 technical sessions, 21 posters, 65-plus presentations and 47 exhibitors.