Arkema will be exhibiting at the tradeshow in Munich from November 28 to 30th 2022, the world’s largest multi-segment trade fair for the sports business. After two years without the opportunity to gather the industry at the show, the team of experts is eager to present Arkema’s portfolio of solutions driving more sustainable sports equipment! Arkema relies on a unique expertise of over 75 years in chemistry derived from castor oil, a raw material of natural origin, to develop ranges of Advanced Bio-Circular materials used in the sports industry from footwear components to winter sports or outdoor equipment.
Arkema - and its specialty adhesives solution division Bostik - will highlight its wide range of innovative solutions, including:
- World famous Pebax elastomers, a full range of high-performance materials used for their lightness, outstanding energy return, as well as their exceptional toughness and flexibility.
- Highly filled Glass or Carbon fiber reinforced Rilsan Polyamide 11 grades, allowing ever thinner designs.
- Rilsan Polyamide 11 materials, cornerstone of the development of additive manufacturing for mass production of performing parts and allowing lightweighting of structural/functional elements.
- Rilsan Polyamide 11 materials for textile applications, a more sustainable alternative to conventional yarn materials with excellent mechanical performance, very low moisture absorption and touch feeling.
- Bostik portfolio for textile lamination and shoes assembly (hot melt or reactive adhesives as liquid, powder, pellets, web and films), offering versatility, efficiency and more sustainability to sport apparel and shoes manufacturing, including innovations such as stitchless clothing.
- Born2Bond engineering adhesives for wearable electronics (smart watch, GPS, sensors…) with high-end technologies such as UV-CIPG (Cure In Place Gasketing) and HMPUR (Hot Melt Polyurethane) enabling high bonding performance and precise dispensing across different applications and assembly processes.
Committed to an ambitious approach as a responsible manufacturer to limit its environmental impact, Arkema participates in voluntary initiatives to drive positive societal impact along the value chain and for the rational use of resources in its production activities, creating recycling loops to regenerate its materials.
A common goal: Circularity experts
Arkema’s range of advanced materials, designed for their durability, are among the best candidates for repeated mechanical recycling. The Virtucycle program places the advanced materials designer at the center of a virtuous cycle to source, recycle, and recertify advanced polymers. In addition to being a specialty recycler, Arkema works with its customers on each side of the supply chain - those who want to recycle their polymers, and those who wish to purchase partially recycled grades with a lower LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) profile.
Driving more sustainable castor farming in India & positive social impact
The 'Pragati' program was launched in May 2016 driven by a baseline survey of more than 1,000 castor farmers in Gujarat, India, where most of the world’s castor supply originates. The goal of the project is to enable sustainable castor crop production by using good agricultural practices to increase yield and farmer income and efficiently use water resources and maintaining soil fertility. Over 5,800 farmers are now involved in the program. In addition to this program, Arkema has launched a Scholarship program in the schools of the Gujarat area, to further help children from the castor farming community.
