Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Japan: Sekisui Chemical's High Performance Plastics Company has acquired the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism approval for a new type of flame retardant for polyurethane. Clearance was granted in September 2013 and now Sekisui Chemical has formally made the announcement as it launches the product.

Under internal testing the new product has passed the 5V-A standard, the most stringent of UL94(3) flame-retardant standards and it meets US flammability standards. When subjected to heat the fire retardant in the new material reacts with oxygen to create layers of charcoal, preventing fires from spreading. Similar to conventional urethane in weight and light stability, it can be shaped into any form.

The new product has a maximum density of 65kh/m³, a minimum compressive strength of 30N/cm², a maximum heat conductivity of 0.031W/m•k and a maximum water absorption of 1.1g/100cm². The company aims for annual domestic sales of US$98m by 2020.