Sika, a manufacturer of adhesives and sealants for the building sector and automotive industry, has developed a new polyurethane technology, which it is launching onto the market under the PURFORM brand.
The new polymers will first be integrated into Sika's Sikaflex, as well as into liquid applied membranes. This innovation brings important benefits for customers: the products have an improved performance profile, are even more enduring, and have a strong sustainability profile. Investments in the associated production facilities were recently made at its site in Düdingen, Switzerland.
New Technology
Polyurethanes have many different applications in the construction sector and automotive industry. For example, polyurethane-based joints are used in the weather-resistant sealing of facade elements on buildings, or to affix building components in infrastructure expansion or interior finishings with adhesives. These solutions are also used in the bonding of body components and battery systems for electric vehicles.
The superiority of polyurethane materials lies in their unique microstructure of flexible and hard phases, which can be adjusted according to requirements. The new Purform technology is highly versatile, which enables us to create high performance, reliable and durable polyurethane adhesives, and sealants. The new Purform technology makes Sikaflex and SikaBond systems even better.
Thanks to its new PURFORM technology, from 2021 on Sika will be supplying customers with products that not only satisfy the highest standards in terms of performance, but that are also in line with the upcoming stricter REACH regulations for enhanced health and safety safeguards for users.
Sika products that use PURFORM can offer customers major advantages. These include the process efficiency brought by less surface preparation with a simultaneous improvement in adhesive properties. The new technology also makes reliable, stress cracking-free bonding of plastics possible, and delivers the best compatibility with sensitive surfaces such as natural stone. Products using the new technology can be extremely weather-resistant and can withstand exposure to UV light outdoors for considerably longer. Thanks to their high durability, they are also significantly more sustainable.
Investments in associated production facilities were recently made at its site in Düdingen, Switzerland.Sika
Investment in Manufacturing
The next generation of polyurethanes will be produced at the Düdingen site, which is home to one of Sika's largest manufacturing plants in Europe. By investing in this expansion, Sika is securing jobs in Switzerland over the long term.
Frank Höfflin, chief technology officer says, "With the development of the new PURFORM technology, our experts have created a further growth platform for Sika, with which we can expand our leading position. In line with our principle 'more performance, more sustainability,' we are rigorously implementing our Strategy 2023 from the viewpoint of sustainable, high-performance innovations. With our future-oriented solutions, we are the market leader and enable sustainable construction and transportation."
Construction Applications
Sika sealants and adhesives can make a difference in building joints, where structures are most vulnerable to water ingress.
Purform is the technology brand of Sika's new polyurethane platform and is a composition of the words “pure,” “polyurethane” and “performance.” Purform starts at the very roots of polyurethane and gives control to engineer perfect and pure pre-polymers. These new building blocks are the core of the new products with an ultra-low free monomeric diisocyanate content.
The product cures faster, has a longer life and less of an environmental impact when bonding and sealing.
