IFS has, since its inception, been an innovative company, flexible and fast on its feet in seeking workable solutions to manufacturers’ problems.
The Company has always led the world in the implementation of more environmentally attractive chemicals systems. This can be seen from the timetable below:
1988: Development of CFC-free and HCFC-free Blowing Agents.
Whilst an international debate was going on regarding the possible replacements for CFCs (with the principal candidates being HCFC 123 and HCFC 141b), we had already skipped the HCFC step and introduced a blend of materials which had an ozone depletion potential of zero. This type of product was commercialised in 1989, a full ten years ahead of the competition.
1992: Introduction of Vegetable-Based Polyurethanes.
Many years before the global interest in the issue of renewable sources of energy, IFS introduced a chemical insulation system based on a vegetable origin rather than the normal petrochemical type. A presentation of this technology at the Singapore UTECH Conference in 1994 led to a great deal of interest from developing countries. However, there was at that time no interest in this topic within Europe. Several plants for making polyols from natural oils were sold to Malaysia, Brazil and the Czech Republic. IFS continued to develop this technology and use these types of products in all its chemical systems for rigid insulation foams. The rest of the industry is still, more than 15 years later, well behind in this regard.
IFS now leads the world in the development of PU systems based on vegetable oils. A naturally renewable resource, oils as diverse as rapeseed, sunflower and coconut can be converted in a process that uses only 10% of the energy required to produce petroleum-based polyols.
In many parts of the world, where the transport infrastructure is underdeveloped, vegetable polyols can be manufactured using locally-grown crops, close to the local market – and IFS can supply both the plant and the know-how to achieve this, to the benefit of both the local economy and the environment.
2002: Low Global Warming Systems.
Recognising the effect of certain chemicals on the so-called Greenhouse Effect, IFS introduced the very first insulation foam with a GWP (Global Warming Potential) of less than 5. This was achieved in polyurethane foams for the building panel industry. The company has gone on to develop this technology further and to combine it with improved insulation values, higher fire resistance and NOP technology.
2009: FVG Technology.
FVG Technology combines the significant attributes of previous IFS technologies in one series of products, particularly for the insulation industry. Fire performance, Vegetable-based renewable chemical feedstocks and Global Warming Potentials of 1-3 have been combined within easy to process PIR foams. The result is another first in the development of technically superior products which are formulated with the environment in mind.
Keep in contact to hear of further developments from IFS, the innovators in polyurethane and PIR technology.
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