The firm has also added some new formaldehyde free polymers to its portfolio.
Curaphen phenolic polymers have been designed for application in the area of specialist coatings and as matrix resins for the design of lightweight composites structures in industries such as aerospace, rail and construction.
Bitrez developed specialist grades within their Curaphen range in early 2015 to satisfy specific concerns raised as a result of the reclassification of formaldehyde and reduction of threshold limits under REACh (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals).
By switching to a low free from formaldehyde resin from within the Curaphen portfolio, toxic emissions are reduced, and workers health and safety is protected.
Dominic Hopwood, Bitrez’s composites resin sales manager, said: “Bitrez is relentlessly focused on the regulatory initiatives that have an impact on our products and those of our customers. We know how important it is to ensure the products we make meet stringent health and safety requirements both for our staff, our customers and their consumers.
“Thanks to REACh, knowing what substances are inside your product and understanding and managing the human and environmental risks associated with their use is now on every manufacturer’s radar.
“So, when formaldehyde was reclassified as both a carcinogen and mutagen, our R&D team were quick to respond and developed Curaphen. It’s got all the characteristics you’d want from a phenolic polymer resin but with none of the associated health and safety risks from the carcinogenic related toxins.”
REACh’s list of harmful substances is continuously growing and Bitrez constantly monitors any new announcements to ensure the resins it makes for its customers are future proof.
“No one has a crystal ball,” continues Hopwood. “But it’s very likely that at some point in the next two years, these chemistries will be severely restricted by REACh, resulting in a market demand for replacements. As the UK’s leading manufacturer of specialist polymers and chemicals resins, we are in a fantastic position to provide these products and services to our customers.”
