Dec. 11 2006

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Cargill Introduces BiOH™ Brand Polyols

MINNEAPOLIS – Cargill formalized its commercial commitment to biobased polyols by officially launching the company’s flexible foam polyols under the BiOH™ brand name. While commercial sales have been underway since mid-2005, the new brand identity enables Cargill and its customers in the furniture, bedding and automotive industries to effectively promote the benefits of biobased polyols to consumers.

Derived from natural vegetable oils such as soybean oil, BiOH polyols not only deliver unique product benefits but also help flexible polyurethane foam manufacturers reduce their environmental footprint and market their environmentally responsible choice to downstream customers. The launch of BiOH polyols represents the most significant development the polyurethane industry has seen in decades. Its development was recently recognized by the Alliance for the Polyurethanes Industry as its 2006 Technology Innovation Award winner.

“The industry is beginning to see the increasing role being played by biobased polyols in polyurethane chemistry,” said Yusuf Wazirzada, business manager of Cargill’s BiOH product line. “We are seeing great market penetration with adoption from top foam manufactures because of the value and performance we deliver. Based on the tremendous success and downstream interest, we decided to formally brand the technology.”

Cargill’s BiOH polyols diversify the industry’s existing supply options. The line also helps mitigate the supply risks associated with the uncertainty and volatility of petroleum oil supply and pricing in traditional urethanes.

BiOH polyols are designed to replace a significant part of petroleum-based polyols as raw materials in flexible foams in common applications including automotive, bedding and furniture. Foams made with BiOH polyols meet industry requirements and provide superior performance in processing versus conventional petrochemical-based polyols on the market. Although initially being launched in foams, the technology behind BiOH products can also be leveraged to replace petroleum-based polyols in other urethane applications such as rigid foams, coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers.

Foams made with BiOH polyols exhibit low-odor, increased comfort factor, better hand and superior UV stability. In addition, molded foams containing BiOH polyols exhibit superior load-bearing performance relative to conventional polyether polyols.

“Cargill collaborated with its customers in developing BiOH polyols to ensure that the product consistently delivers and exceeds the performance requirements of the market,” said Wazirzada. “Furthermore, BiOH products meet several of the Green Chemistry Institute’s 12 Principles of Green Chemistry, including a renewable feedstock, less hazardous chemical syntheses and non-toxic intermediates. This, combined with performance, makes it an ideal fit in helping companies meet their sustainability targets and offer green products.”

Preliminary life cycle analysis indicates that the production of BiOH polyols results in a significant reduction in nonrenewable energy demand and a substantial net reduction in greenhouse gases compared to production processes for traditional petrochemical polyols. It is estimated that for every million pounds of petroleum-based polyols replaced with BiOH polyols, nearly 2,200 barrels of crude oil is saved for more critical needs.

Companies interested in exploring the possibilities of biobased urethane polyols should contact Cargill via phone at 1-877-POLYBiOH (765-9246) or e-mail at customerservice_polyols@cargill.com.