..AMI Consultants..

 

AMI Consultants does not claim to make known to you all of the plastic foams used in the industry, (if we would do so, you would not need us anylonger!), but wishes to give you an outline of the main polyethylene (PE) and polyurethane (PU) foams, used in some of the convertion technologies which we know best:

Lamination, glueing, thermoforming (pressmoulding, pressforming, vaccuumforming), cutting and die cutting as well as sewing.

We have vast networks of contacts with the main cellular plastic foam converters (mainly in france), PE and PU foam manufacturers (international) and last but not least our partners in Morocco.

Polyethylene foams (PE):

The PE foams are categorized in two large families: The crosslinked (XL-PE), and the uncrosslinked (NXL-PE). To give you a simple image, the crosslinked PE foams have a strong bound molecular structure like a textile with tight meshs. The uncrosslinked PE foams have a not so tight molecular structure, like a non-woven material or geotextile. Crosslinked or not, the polyethylene foams are generally with closed cells (Some exceptions in certain producers or by later methods of transformation).

The crosslinking of PE foam makes it possible to obtain a higher thermal resistance, finer cells, an increased UV and chemical resistance as well as thermoplastic properties useful for the operations of pressforming or vaccuumforming. If these properties (and some others) are not necessary, the NXL-PE are quite cheaper. Contact us for more details.

The Polyurethane foams (PU):

The main difference of the PU foam compared to the PE foam is the open structure of their cells. (again, some exceptions at certain producers or by later methods of transformation). These foams can also be crosslinked or not. Appreciated for their comfort in furnishing, car's seats or in the clothes industry, PU foams have however some limit: being thermohardening, they are not easily thermoformed without support of another material. Nevertheless, the references are so numerous that they are used in various industrial applications.

AMI Consultants can help you to find the right foam, PE or PU, crosslinked or not, to make your project a success. Contact us at amiconsultants@wanadoo.fr

Links:

For basic information on polyethylene, we recommend the following link: http://me.mit.edu/2.01/Taxonomy/Characteristics/Polyethylene.html

For market research on polyolefins we recommend the following link: http://www.cmrhoutex.com/index.html

Some European producers of PE, PU and PVC foams:

Crosslinked PE foams	Non crosslinked PE foams	PU foams	PVC foams
Alveo Evolucel	Bubble and Foam	British Vita	Airex
Fagerdala	Dow Chemical	Carpenter	Armacell
Zotefoams	Sealed Air	Recticel

(Listed in alphabetical order with no relation to market position, volumes or technologies)