Malaysia-based Emery Oleochemicals has established a new business unit called Eco-Friendly Polyols (EP) that will include its brands such as EMEROX® Renewable Polyols and InfiGreen® Recycle Polyols. Emery said the new business unit will offer innovative, sustainable polyols for use in the manufacturing of flexible and rigid polyurethane foam commonly found in transportation, construction, packaging, furniture, bedding and in coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers applications.

The blog is looking for more information about EMEROX® and according to several googled reports, polyols under this brand uses the feedstock azelaic acid, a naturally-based 9-carbon diacid industrially produced by the ozonolysis of oleic acid.

The technology behind InfiGreen® Recycle Polyols was recently acquired by Emery Oleochemicals when it bought InfiChem Polymers based in Sterling Heights, Michigan. InfiChem Polymers was formed in 2009 to commercialize its proprietary chemical process (using glycolysis) for recycling of polyurethane scrap into InfiGreen® polyol products, which reportedly can have 60% or more recycled materials. The recycled polyols have been used in Magna seating for the  2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee automobile. Further research reported that InfiChem had about 1m pound capacity last year but according to the company, capacity of the Sterling Heights facility was recently expanded to prepare for Emery’s Cincinnati facility expansion.

The combination of bio-based polyols with recycled polyols will enable Emery Oleochemicals to offer a unique line of products, the company said.

Emery is currently expanding its Cincinnati, Ohio, production facility to accommodate the company’s EP polyols business.  It was reported that Emery is investing $50m to build a 70m lb/year polyol plant at the Cincinnati facility. The expansion plans was first announced in October 2012. The new plant is expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2014.