Germany's BASF to exhibit solutions for shoe industry at Simac

Light and high rebound are the main requirements when it comes to the midsole of sports shoes. In this field BASF is one of the top suppliers of polyurethane (PU) materials. But what is valid for sports shoes should also be true for safety shoes. High rebound which guarantees soft dampening effects and lightweight soles are decisive for the comfort also of safety shoes. BASF transferred their knowledge from the sports sector to the safety shoe sector. The result is PU materials that safety producers waited for – it allows highest productivity by the direct soling process and comes with conformance to all safety norm requirements.

Due to close cooperation with boots manufacturers, BASF further improved the performance of Elastopan polyurethane systems for boots. The result is a PU system for winter boots that provides outstanding properties: highest thermal insulation, keeping the feet warm, and provides high comfort even at low temperatures until minus 40 degrees. That makes this Elastopan^® perfect for boots to wear during your winter adventure or – if combined with a toe cap – even on an oil rig in Alaska.

BASF will present a concept shoe that is entirely made of sustainable products – the athleisure shoe ‘MADGAMMA - Intertekk Saturn’. The upper of the shoe is made with the 100 per cent recyclable monofilament fibre Freeflex thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The replaceable midsole consists of the comfortable and biobased Elastopan N polyurethane series. Another replaceable midsole option is made with TPU foaming, which has a lower density, high energy return, and is recyclable, BASF said in a press release.

Beside these products, other sustainable solutions such as the biomass balance approach and Ccycled Infinergy, will be shown. BASF experts will be glad to discuss with you the right material for your environmental goals.

Furthermore, BASF will present NovaCoat-D that combines in-mould coating and release coating in a new way. Besides its demould properties, the coating provides additional functionalities for soles such as protection against sunlight, scratches, and dirt. Thanks to its many years of expertise, BASF can offer a wide range of colors and effects. NovaCoat-D can be applied either manually or automatically.

Forward AM, the brand of BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH, will present information at Simac 2022 on 3D printing materials and solutions for the complete design and development process of footwear. Along with samples of moulds, lasts and soles, visitors can discover 3D printed climbing shoes made with the flexible Ultrasint TPU01 powder. By leveraging the principles of design for Additive Manufacturing, the first individualized 3D printed climbing shoe came to life. This innovative technology not only simplifies the assembly of the shoe, but also reduces the production time required for customized footwear. Forward AM’s flexible materials, such as Ultrasint TPU01, are based on Elastollan by BASF, which offers customers across industries broad cross-technology solutions.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (RR)