UPACO adhesive breakthrough will work on “virtually all” footwear materials
30/01/2017
New Hampshire-based UPACO, part of Worthen Industries, developed the product, EcoBond Film 1003, for in-mould application to poured or injected polyurethane soles. The film is emission-free, safe to store, non-flammable, easy to use and produces no hazardous waste, the company has explained, adding that it also has adhesion properties equal to or more effective than traditional processes.
The company has gone on to develop a second-generation product, Film 2609, which can be used to cement rubber to co-moulded EVA.
UPACO has said that, although it believed from the outset that its technology was “better for customers and for the environment”, it was more expensive than traditional solutions and the company had to work hard to convince customers they would receive a quick return on the extra investment.
According to John Slattery of UPACO’s footwear business unit, significant savings come from reduced labour, waste, energy and material use. “It required a lot of modelling and energy audits on our part to gather the data,” Mr Slattery has said, “but we had to help our customers think differently about the entire cost of production.”
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