Case Study: Polyurethane Foam - Urepol Oy, Finland.

Urepol Oy is a Finnish company manufacturing polyurethane insulated steel-faced and flexible faced panels, and one-component PUR foam insulation. Ten years ago, when the issue of ozone depletion and the role of the CFCs first received widespread attention, the company started a research and development program to look for new blowing agents. The research intensified as the phase out of CFCs and the market opportunities for environmentally safer products, especially in neighbouring Sweden, became apparent. After an initial conversion to HCFCs from CFCs, the search for a safer alternative soon focused on hydrocarbon blowing agents

The process of introducing hydrocarbons into the commercial arena required several years of research, development and testing. Manufacturing equipment had to be redesigned and changes needed to be made in safety procedures.

The conversion was not without problems. While the company was familiar with fluorocarbon gases, there was little information on the physical properties and behaviour of the hydrocarbon gases when used as blowing agents in end products like faced panels. The company learned as it went along in the development process. A large part of the additional investment of over $1 million was needed to install adequate safety procedures and equipment. Commercial production of the foams had to wait for approval from the Finnish Technical Inspection Centre, which was granted in April, 1994.

Both insulation foam and the faced insulating panels are blown with hydrocarbons. The faced panels are produced with pentane, and the one-component insulation foam is blown with a propane/butane mix. Urepol Oy was the first company in Europe to use pentane as a blowing agent in the production of steel- faced polyurethane insulated panels.

Urepol Oy's manufacturing processes have now been CFC and HCFC free for over a year. The changes have proven to be productive as the company now has a very large marketbase in Sweden, and its international market share has expanded since 1990.

Urepol Oy now firmly believes that in the development of new products environmental factors are crucial to competitive success .