Safety, security and health at work trade fair A+A, which will take place in Düsseldorf from September 18-21, is to host prominent exhibitors such as the Bayflex footwear range from Bayer MaterialScience AG and injection footwear moulds company Zago.

The Bayflex ranges uses polyurethane materials, which meet the strict requirements of ISO EN standards relating to safety shoes. Features include high tear propagation resistance, dimensional stability and resistance to petrol, oil and chemicals. The newly developed Bayflex Safety Lightweight system can produce safety shoes that are up to 30% lighter. The good damping and flex-crack resistance of polyurethane materials also ensure high shock absorption at the heel and high flexibility at the front of the foot.

The system is also available in an electrostatic discharge version, which is crucial for safety shoes in the electronics and automotive industries as they conduct the body’s electrostatic charge to the ground and protect electro-statically vulnerable components.

These materials also enable cost-effective footwear production as the soles can be moulded directly to the upper. This requires less energy and is less labour-intensive than that deployed in producing safety shoes with rubber soles. Functional elements such as nail-resistant plates and stability-enhancing supports can also be efficiently insert-moulded using polyurethane foam systems.