Applications for the 2024 Polyurethane Innovation Award are now being accepted through June 20. The award is presented by the American Chemistry Council’s Center for the Polyurethanes Industry and is considered the industry’s top technical honor. Past winners of the award include 3D printing resins, durable coatings and waterproof foam products, demonstrating the chemistry’s versatility and benefits as well as how it is essential to many end-use products.

The award will be presented at the 2024 Polyurethanes Technical Conference, which will take place at the Omni Atlanta Hotel in Atlanta from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2.

“CPI continues to be a valuable leader for manufacturers and the value chain to receive the latest regulatory insight, share new technological developments and have the opportunity to participate in technical and professional development,” said Lee Salamone, senior director of CPI. “CPI’s annual Polyurethanes Technical Conference is the destination for all parts of the value chain to come together to compete and honor a new product or technology furthering polyurethanes and progress with a top industry award.”

The recipient of the 2023 Polyurethane Innovation Award was Wanhua Chemical (America) Co., Ltd for its WANNATE 9131FC, an MDI-based prepolymer binder for molded wood pallets. The pallets nest together for reduced transport cost from the manufacturer. They can be made from a variety of waste feedstocks, like wood scraps and agricultural residues, and when the pallets reach end-of-life, they can be ground up and recycled into new pallets.

“We appreciate the opportunity to compete for this prestigious award and show our peers how our product contributes to polyurethanes’ role in sustainability by increasing bio-content and reducing energy requirements,” said Tim Chaffee, business director at Wanhua Chemical (America) Co., Ltd. “This invaluable experience is one key reason the Polyurethanes Technical Conference is exceptional, and we encourage other polyurethane innovators to consider this unparalleled opportunity.”

Entries for the 2024 Innovation Award must qualify for each of the following criteria:

• Products must have entered the market for the first time between June 19, 2022, and June 20, 2024.
• Entries submitted in a previous year are not eligible for re-submission.
• Entries could include finished products, initiatives, training or education programs, processes or processing equipment.

Eligible companies or individuals should apply no later than 5 p.m. ET on June 20.