NCFI Introduces Bio-Lux™ Max

Technical Advancement allows for 50% replacement of petroleum based polyol. Up to four times more renewable content than current products.

NCFI Polyurethanes (a division of Barnhardt Manufacturing) announced today the introduction of Bio-Lux™ Max. The expansion of the Bio-Lux™ line to include high renewable content cushioning gives NCFI’s customers a broad range of options in renewable content products. Previously, NCFI offered Bio-Lux™ and Bio-Lux™ HR and this introduction is another chapter in NCFI’s long history of environmentally responsible initiatives.

“We have been working on this introduction for some time,” says Chris Bradley, NCFI’s Director of Sales for Consumer products. “Our customers have been asking us for a product that contained significantly higher amounts of renewable content than current products in the market. With the Bio-Lux™ MAX product, we have crossed a major barrier by replacing 50% of the petroleum based polyol with materials made with renewable resources.” This breakthrough means that NCFI is also the first manufacturer to pass the 30% mark in terms of renewable material content. Bio-Lux™ Max foams will contain as much as 33% overall renewable content. “We fully expect to be at a 75% replacement level by the end of this year which will bring us beyond the 50% overall content level.”

NCFI has long had a reputation of innovation and quality. Manufacturing high quality cushioning products has been a tradition that they have taken seriously. “When we first introduced Bio-Lux™ three years ago,” continued Bradley, “we stated our goal was to continually strive to maximize the renewable content of our products. This technological breakthrough allows us to offer a flexible foam product that contains the highest amount of renewable content in the market.” Bio-Lux™ Max foams will contain up to four times more renewable raw materials than current offerings.

NCFI’s source for their soy based polyol continues to be Cargill’s BiOH® product line, which has proven to be a solid component throughout the history of NCFI’s Bio-Lux™ project. “Cargill has been a key partner in the evolution of our Bio-Lux™ line of products,” commented Bradley. “The quality and consistency of the BioH® material has been a vital part of this groundbreaking project.”

“We are excited to partner with NCFI on this industry breakthrough in replacing 50% of the petroleum-based polyol with BiOH® materials,” said Yusuf Wazirzada, Business Unit Leader of Cargill Biobased Polyurethanes. “This is a major milestone in our journey of creating ingredients for foam products with increasingly higher levels of renewable content.”

NCFI Polyurethanes, a division of Barnhardt Manufacturing Company, is a North Carolina based manufacturer of polyurethane products. Founded in 1964, NCFI Polyurethanes has a reputation for their innovation, quality and environmental stewardship. Today, NCFI serves a multitude of markets including furniture, bedding, athletics, aviation, construction, insulation, roofing, medical, marine and automotive. More information can be found at www.ncfi.com.