Standing out and being different in a highly competitive environment
Poliuretanos IGR is a Spanish polyurethane company known for its environmentally friendly products, which today exports to customers around the world. Its growth and expansion are surprising considering its short life – it began in the early 80s and has already achieved an important relevance in such a competitive sector as polyurethane. At Concentrol we are proud to be part of this success story.
An environmental and legislative challenge
For polyurethane to foam, foaming agents that damaged the ozone layer were used during the 80s and 90s (they released HFC gases into the atmosphere), which from the nineties until present have been gradually banned. Poliuretanos IGR soon noticed this trend and, facing the imminent change in legislation, became aware of the importance of developing foams that were, above all, environmentally friendly. To that end, in 2002 it made the risky decision of starting offering foams which proved to be the key to its success. This strategic decision meant an ambitious technical challenge in practice, as achieving the same results in quality and efficiency with less polluting materials was really complex.
A new and bespoke product
Poliuretanos IGR contacted Concentrol knowing our ability to adapt to the specific needs of each customer to provide the best solution, whatever the challenge ahead. At that time, large multinational companies offered high quality products, but none that would meet Poliuretanos IGR's requirements, probably because, at the time, the market and demand had not yet adapted to changing market needs. At Concentrol we developed a unique and bespoke silicone surfactant, a key ingredient to the creation of new foaming agents for Poliuretanos IGR in its new commitment to the environment.
The need for a quality silicone surfactant
Finding the perfect quality silicone surfactant was essential. Polyurethane is present in many facilities in people's everyday lives such as in refrigerators, at home, in buildings, in cars… These foams have good thermal resistance and, additionally, thanks to their dimensional structure, provide rigidity and strength. The more uniform and regular the foam's molecular cells are, the higher its level of quality. It is the silicone surfactant that ensures the cells acquire homogeneous shape and distribution and, for this reason, it is a critical ingredient. Thanks to Concentrol's commitment to excellence, it was possible to provide a solution to IGR Polyurethanes' high demand for quality.
A solution in the past, the present and the future
The collaboration between Poliuretanos IGR and Concentrol goes back a long way. During all these years, the trust that allows us to continue working together, on present and future challenges, has solidified. Poliuretanos IGR continues to grow, offering and developing new products tailored to an increasingly sophisticated and demanding market, adapting its offer to different climates, temperatures, requirements, etc. To continue to build its reputation in the market, the challenge is to keep working on responding to the needs of its customers with new formulations and increasingly sophisticated and specific solutions. To that end, they have Concentrol's commitment to quality and excellence.
