November 2008

Bayer MaterialScience will be represented at Simac 2008 by its Italian BaySystems polyurethane systems house. The show takes place in Bologna from October 28 to 30, 2008.

The BaySystems systems houses offer three ranges for the footwear industry. Bayflex® Safety comprises the systems used to produce safety shoes, while Bayflex® Active provides systems developed for the production of sports and leisure shoes. Bayflex® Fashion includes a wide range of systems for producing stylish soles and footwear.

These three ranges enable the production of soles that cover a broad spectrum of production requirements, such as a wide density range – from 200 kg/m3 for super-lightweight insoles up to 1,200 kg/m3 for solid tread soles – and a wide range of hardnesses, extending from 20 Shore A for shoe inserts to 40 Shore D for wood imitations for “wood-look” footwear.

This year, the focus is on the efficient lightweight system of the Bayflex® Safety brand. Following a successful testing and trial period, this innovative system for the production of midsoles that are up to 15 percent lighter is progressing by leaps and bounds with customers in the safety sector. With its savings potential, outstanding processing properties and quality, this system offers customers increased comfort and gives the processors a crucial edge over the competition.

Another successful application of polyurethanes is a new class of polyester-based materials marked by their high resistance to hydrolysis. This enables the production of very long-life soles, which are in particular demand for safety shoes. The system is also available in an electrostatic discharge (ESD) version that is very important for safety shoes in the electronics and automotive industries.

In addition, the Bayflex® Fashion product line encompasses a broad range of systems for manufacturing inserts and midsoles that adapt perfectly to the shape of the foot and are extremely lightweight, making the shoes very comfortable to wear. One of the main advantages of these systems is their versatility – the elasticity, hardness and density of the end product can be defined in such a way that they meet all relevant requirements.

Bayer MaterialScience is also committed to ecology and environmental protection – both within and outside the workplace – and adheres firmly to the relevant norms, regardless of whether they are already in force or still in the development phase. One excellent example is the decision to dispense with using halogenated blowing agents and tin compounds in formulations for the production of polyurethane soles. The Easy Release system offers a further advantage in terms of environmental protection as its special formulation reduces the amount of release agents needed in the mold.

Under BaySystems®, the umbrella brand for Bayer MaterialScience’s global polyurethane systems business, the systems houses today form a network that spans the world. Efficient, flexible service and proximity to customers are essential prerequisites for an industry as dynamic as the shoe industry. BaySystems meets these requirements by giving its customers the benefit of its years of experience – spanning the period from the discovery of polyurethane to the present day – and working with them to develop system solutions for use in shoe manufacturing.

About Bayer MaterialScience:
With 2007 sales of EUR 10.4 billion, Bayer MaterialScience is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction, and sports and leisure industries. At the end of 2007, Bayer MaterialScience had 30 production sites and employed approximately 15,400 people around the globe. Bayer MaterialScience is a Bayer Group company.

For more information visit www.bayermaterialscience.de and www.bayer-baysystems.com.