Polyurethane elastomers market overview
The COVID-19 pandemic, besides changing our everyday lives, has had important repercussions on some economic sectors.
If the elastomers’ market has seen a general sharp slowdown, the same cannot be said for the Polyurethane Elastomers market, which is expected to grow consistently within 2026.
A growth that is supported by the increasing demand from the footwear manufacturing industry, particularly high in emerging economies.
Here, the socio-economic growth and the changing of lifestyle is driving the demand not only for footwear, which will have a significant impact on the overall elastomeric polyurethane market but also on the automotive sector, where elastomeric polyurethanes are used in the manufacture of parts, including wheels and bumpers, whose durability can contribute attain promising gains to the overall market size in the coming years.
For other sectors, the spread of the pandemic is turning into an opportunity for growth: this is the case of the medical sector, in which the demand for insoles, prostheses, orthopedics, and that of rollers is increasing. As a result of the growth in cardboard consumption (closely linked to the exponential increase in shipments in 2020), the sector of paper rolls used in paper production plants has experienced a surge.
Focus: what are polyurethane elastomers?
Polyurethane elastomers are special polymers, are especially appreciated for their plasticity and elasticity, commonly used for the manufacture of durable products as wheels and tires (they are thus involved in the construction of shopping carts, elevators, skateboard, and rollerblades), but also of high tensile and flexible shoe soles.
Polyurethane elastomers guarantee a high level of resistance to abrasion, to other chemicals, to load, oxidation, and tear.
High-performance equipment for polyurethane elastomers processing
As a specialist in high-pressure equipment for polyurethane processing, Cannon has developed several solutions for the manufacture of polyurethane elastomers products able to grant the highest performance levels.
For PU elastomers production both in high temperature (> 40° C) than in low temperature (< 40°C), Cannon can provide:
- High-pressure dosing machine for expanded PU elastomers and gel productions
- Low-pressure dosing machine for compact/casting PU elastomers
All Cannon dosing machines for elastomers are equipped with the most advanced temperature control systems to heat chemicals at the ideal temperature to eliminate possible air entrapments generated in the mixing phase.
The lack of air into the chemical poured guarantees the highest quality of the finished product.
Furthermore, Cannon solutions for elastomeric polyurethane are conceived to pour and degas chemicals at the same time. This exclusive feature is strategic to make the production of elastomers continuous and high quality, and flexible.
Main advantages of Cannon solutions for PU Elastomers
- Easy to use, since it is already equipped with main accessories enabling an easy work-life to the operators
- In the top versions, the machine can automatically set up working parameters upon an easy HMI interface (three clicks).
- The top versions can lead up to the self-calibration of the working parameters, making easy the switch of the recipes.
- Ready to use: once heating and vacuum are performed, and temperatures are set, the machine is ready to be put into production
- Improved performance of the finished product: the lack of entrapped air increases the abrasion resistance.
- Easy waste management using an eco-cleaner unit (stand-alone) for mixing head cleaning operation