A new composite made up of natural fiber boards and polyurethane foam exceeds the performance requirements of Toyota's Lexus RX 350. Photo courtesy of Toyota.
BASF recently announced that a new jointly produced lightweight load floor composite has been recognized by the Toyota Motor Corp. with the Technology and Development Award, one of the automaker’s highest supplier honors.
The innovative design created by BASF and Concept Industries is a sandwich panel consisting of natural fiber skins bonded together with Elastopor, a lightweight, poured-in-place BASF rigid polyurethane (PU) foam core. The product reportedly delivers low-weight, high-strength performance with sustainable manufacturing and production efficiencies. In addition, the natural fiber boards from Concept Industries, together with the rigid polyurethane foam chemistry from BASF, form a composite that exceeds the performance requirements of Toyota’s Lexus RX 350 load floor, upon which the technology launched in late 2010.
Concept Industries was recognized by Toyota Motor Corp. for the new deckboard material at Toyota’s 2011 Global Supplier Convention in Nagoya, Japan. The honor recognizes top performance innovation and development during the past year.
“Concept Industries has always been about more than simple products,” said Shawn Eshragh, president and CEO of Concept Industries. “We believe we have a responsibility to work for the betterment of mankind. We are obligated to act in the best interest of our employees and the environment to ensure that our actions support a strong and sustainable future for ourselves and our children. Toyota’s recognition of this sustainable composite technology reinforces Toyota’s shared commitment to this vision.”
“BASF is focused on the development of sustainable solutions,” said Joel Johnson, vice president of BASF Polyurethane Systems. “This collaboration with Concept Industries is an excellent example of market-driven innovation. The combination of lightweight materials, superior load strength, and renewable materials makes it a very compelling solution.”
