20
October
2022
|
10:30
Europe/Amsterdam

Delivering lighter-weight, more slip-resistant luxury bathroom furniture

Covestro and Arcesso Dynamics use breakthrough technology to create non-slip shower plate

Summary
  • Shower plate is the first to be produced using reaction injection molding (RIM) on aliphatic polyurethanes – previously considered impossible 
  • Wet slip resistance improves user safety
  • Can be made 50 percent lighter than shower plates using traditional solid-surface materials, improving safety during installation
  • Strong thermal coefficient makes shower plate warm to the touch
  • Shower plate is durable, repairable and recyclable

Covestro, a leading polymer manufacturer, and Arcesso Dynamics, a manufacturer of custom polyurethane parts, have worked with bathroom furniture manufacturer Estoli to develop a non-slip shower plate using Covestro’s breakthrough Arfinio® solution. This technology gives the shower plate similar properties to high-end solid-surface materials, but at a lower weight and with improved wet slip resistance. Covestro will introduce the technology and showcase the shower plate at the K 2022 plastics trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany, from October 19 to 26.

Covestro and Arcesso developed Arfinio® by using reaction injection molding (RIM) on aliphatic polyurethanes, which was previously considered impossible. Estoli supported the technology by designing the shower plate and investing in its molds at an early stage of development. The resulting plate is the first-ever item designed for and built with Arfinio®.

In the plate, the material delivers excellent wet slip resistance, improving end-user safety. The shower plate can also be made 50 percent lighter than those using standard solid-surface materials, reducing the amount of material needed and making installation safer. Because of Arfinio®’s high thermal coefficient, the plate is warm to the touch, and the formulation can also be supplemented with antibacterial additives on request.

In addition, Arfinio® provides excellent impact and abrasion resistance, giving the shower plate a long service lifetime. The monomaterial can also be easily repaired and recycled. In this way, the technology enables bathroom furniture manufacturers like Estoli to reduce their environmental impact while delivering greater safety and an improved user experience.

Joan Miquel García Martinez, Senior Project Manager Covestro: "Not only is Arfinio® the first use of RIM on aliphatic polyurethanes, it’s also the first real use of new chemistry and manufacturing technology in the solid-surface world. Its slip-resistant and lightweight properties make it ideal for bathroom furniture, so we look forward to working with our customers and partners on similar projects."

Josep Estapé, CEO Estoli: "Using Arfinio®, we’re able to offer our customers the look and feel of a high-end solid-surface material, but with better safety, haptics, and weight savings than we could previously achieve. With these properties, Arfinio® is sure to change how we design not just shower plates, but bathroom furniture in general."

Boilerplate

About Arcesso Dynamics:

Arcesso Dynamics S.L. is a Spanish medium-sized manufacturer of custom polyurethane products, including bathroom furniture. It specializes in meeting the high technical requirements of demanding industries, and focuses strongly on research and development.

About Estoli:

With over 35 years of experience, Estoli has been a pioneer in the Spanish market for the manufacturing and distribution of bathroom accessories, present in more than 20 countries worldwide.

Through a combination of technological excellence and a strong passion for design, we guarantee quality and durability in our products. The use of our unique co-injection technology also allows us to offer products that are 100 percent recyclable.

We tailor our products for OEM production under customer expectations, which ultimately enables us to fulfill the corporate mission: providing high-quality bathroom accessories with an excellent service to match.

About Covestro:

Covestro is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. Covestro supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from Covestro are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.

The company is committed to becoming fully circular and is striving to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). Covestro generated sales of EUR 15.9 billion in fiscal 2021. At the end of 2021, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 17,900 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).

Forward-looking statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Covestro AG. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Covestro’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.