Huntsman Corporation has announced that a window and door material technology that its Polyurethanes division helped develop, in collaboration with Shanghai Collodin Material Science & Technology Development Co., Ltd. and Owens Corning, has been named one of the 40 “Best Innovation Practices” in Shanghai.

The window and door material technology – TICO PUR Energy-Efficient Window and Door System – is an airtight, wind-resistant frame, which can reduce heat loss by 12-18 percent compared to traditional aluminium framing or PVC models with metal stiffeners. The TICO PUR System was designed in response to China’s national prioritization of energy efficiency and sustainable development.

The awards program, which took place on Oct. 22, 2015, was sponsored by the Information Office of Shanghai Municipal Government, Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce and media outlets Shanghai Daily and EastDay.com.

“Huntsman is committed to addressing China’s most pressing challenges by transferring technologies first developed in the United States, localizing them according to specific market needs, and joining hands with local customers to drive innovation and develop new products and solutions,” said Enshan Sheng, Director of Huntsman’s Asia Technology Center in Shanghai. “We are honored that our efforts have been recognized.”

TICO products are manufactured using an innovative pultrusion continuous molding process, whereby reinforcing fibers that are saturated with a liquid polymer resin and then carefully formed and pulled through a heated die. Huntsman Polyurethanes’ resin system for pultrusion is a two-component system based on a RIMLINE® polyol blend and SUPRASEC® MDI isocyanate, offering excellent wetting characteristics, accelerated line speeds and low pull forces. The resin system is also well suited for structural profiles in demanding applications where superior strength and durability is a requirement.

“In addition to the high material performance and ease of processing of the resin system, the technical input on injection box design and process set-up from the global Huntsman Polyurethanes Business Development team was a key enabling factor for our company to continuously pultrude the complex, multi-mandrel TICO window lineals,” stated Sun Shenggen, President of Shanghai Collodin Material Science & Technology Development Co. Ltd.

“Heat loss through windows and doors accounts for approximately half of a building’s energy consumption,” said Huntsman’s Sheng. “Chinese authorities estimate that upgrading to energy efficient models could save about 420 million tons of coal per year – 10 percent of the nation’s annual output. This could represent a major step forward in China’s efforts to save energy and reduce air pollution.”
The “Best Innovation Practices” award is part of the Shanghai Municipal Government’s efforts to build the city into an international science and technology hub. As of August 2015, Shanghai was home to 522 regional headquarters of multinational companies, including Huntsman’s Asia Technology Center.

RIMLINE and SUPRASEC are registered trademarks of Huntsman Corporation or an affiliate thereof in one or more, but not all, countries.