As a socially responsible and future-oriented company, Recticel realises
that the origins to responses to future major challenges already lie in the
present. New technological product developments, process innovations
and environmental improvements can meet with future success only if
they can be devised in a well-thought-out manner. A soundly structured
framework for research and development is therefore essential. In
this context, Recticel has for many years run its own Research and
Development Centre
(the IDC – International Development Centre).
A considerable part of Recticel’s IDC-resources are deployed
in corporate research and development. In this case,
in-depth research focuses on new PU-products and processes,
inspired by trends in today’s society and technology, such as
the race for renewable energy, nanotechnology, smart materials
and materials with new functionalities. As a result, Recticel
has come with a low-weight composite material, reducing
weight by up to 50%, and offering many application possibilities.
A new platform of elastomers has also been created:
high-quality vibration damping materials which can be used
in machines, motors, transport systems etc. And further,
memory foams are developed.
Centrally organised research and development activities
have appeared to be the best guarantee to respond both
cost-effectively and flexibly to the specified needs. Naturally,
a great deal of attention is concentrated first and foremost
on the development of new products with specific functionalities.
However, alongside this, the IDC also aims to focus on
the improvement of existing products and the further optimisation
of existing production processes. Regarding the latter,
endeavours are made to reduce the general consumption
of raw materials and the volume of residual products and to
enhance the efficiency of the production flows.
Furthermore, the Group also encourages the various joint
ventures to call on the expertise of the Research and Development
team. This creates a win-win situation. On the one
hand, this means for the joint ventures a cheaper access to
valuable research and development services. On the other
hand, as a result of the greater critical mass, the operational
resources assigned can be used more efficiently.
The goal is to invest 30% in corporate projects and 70%
in business line projects by 2012.
The IDC has a budget for this, which it distributes intelligently
among the various business lines. Although the Automotive
business line still accounts for the biggest share of the budget,
the distribution among the various business lines is becoming
far more even.
Besides the existing 50 patents, applications were made
for 4 new patents during 2009 and specifically work was carried
out and/or significant advances were made concerning
the following projects, among others:
- The production of polyurethane foam.
Extension of the range of foam types to finer foams (< 400µ)
and particularly coarse (filtration) foams (> 6,000µ)
- Further extension of the number of products and foam
qualities in which renewable raw materials are processed.
Depending on the applications, biofoams (PureFoams) are
now available containing between 15% and 55% renewable
carbon
- Development of new comfort foams
- Brand-new is the “Green PU”, a combination of natural
resources: castor oil and soybean oil as alternatives to
petroleum. Patents have already been taken and the
products (Purecell and Pureseal W) are being evaluated
by the authorities.
- Development of a new generation of Colo-fast® materials
with lower emissions of volatile compounds.
- The introduction of renewable raw materials in the production
of Colo-fast® materials.
- The gradual replacement of Colo-fast® skins by Colo-sense®.
These Colo-sense® materials have the advantage over the
former Colo-fast® components of better touch and feel
(haptic) properties, as well as greater flexibility of the skin.
- Accumulation of knowledge on new surface textures and
visual possibilities for Colo-fast®. In cooperation with the
IWT (agency for innovation by science and technology),
research is being carried out into the harmonious combination
of materials in Colo-fast® or Colo-sense®. The key
focus here is on the visual surface aspects and the haptic
properties.
- Research into new lightweight products for application in
the automotive sector where the demand for low-weight
solutions is growing with a view to the gradual reduction in
CO2 emissions.
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