Finland's Exel Launches Biobased Unsaturated Polyester Resin

Exel Composites has finalized a procurement agreement with resin supplier Ineos for over 100 tons of Envirez biobased unsaturated polyester (UP) thermosetting resin system. This transaction will serve as a springboard for the company to gradually phase out the use of hydrocarbon derived resins. Exel hopes to lead the composite materials industry towards a more sustainable future with zero change in material properties. Exel Composites is a Finnish technology company that designs, manufactures, and sells composite profiles and pipes for industrial applications. The processor also participated in the mechanical recycling of carbon fiber composite waste with Fairmat, a technology company that has developed a "restructuring process". It adopts proprietary cutting technology and uses robot tools equipped with machine learning to disassemble carbon fiber components and convert them into carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) building blocks, reducing 79 tons of CO2. The chemical composition of Ineos Envirez resin is 23% bio based ethylene glycol. Therefore, the carbon equivalent emissions during the resin manufacturing process are 2.89 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent, including biochar, while the carbon dioxide equivalent of fossil based equivalent resins is 3.68 kilograms. This means that the related manufacturing emissions have been reduced by 21%, and with the agreed upon 100 tons of resin, 79 tons of carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced. The manufacturing industry simply cannot achieve its sustainable development goals through established measures, "said Kim Sj ö dahl, Senior Vice President of Technology and Sustainability at Exel Composites. We know that truly making a difference means adjusting our central processes and incorporating more environmentally friendly materials into our mass production. Insertion performance "All of our evaluations and tests confirm Ineos' information: its ready to use biobased solutions produce the same technical performance as fossil based resins. Customers will not notice any differences between the two," Sj ö dahl continued. Exel's customers can choose to switch to this resin or retain the original ingredients in the products they purchase, but Sj ö dahl believes that the composite materials community, like the company, wants to reduce Scope Three emissions. Whether collaborating with Ineos or our other suppliers, Exel is proud to help lead the community on a journey towards sustainable development, "explained Sj ö dahl. Together with our long-term client Exel Composites, we are committed to addressing not just our own Scope 1 and 2 emissions issues by implementing sustainable product solutions throughout the entire value chain, "said Daniel Blanco, UPR and VER Product Manager for Ineos Composites EMEA. Our Envirez technology platform covers resin solutions based on bio based and recycled materials, which help reduce the carbon footprint of products compared to traditional fossil based raw materials, "Blanco explained. Bulk transportation further reduces the environmental burden, and these two partners further limit the emissions and waste involved in resin delivery. Envirez resin is produced at Ineos' production base in Kilpilahti, Finland, where tank trucks transport filled fuel tanks locally to Exel Composites' factories in Joensuu and M ä ntyharju, Finland. Using batch delivery means not using separate packaging during delivery, thereby reducing the need for raw materials, recycling, and logistics. It further reduces internal resin waste and processing. All of these help offset the higher cost of the resin itself, "Sj ö dahl said. Factory staff pump up to 25 tons of Envirez resin directly into bulk storage tanks, from where it is prepared for daily production.