From Noodles To New, Global Markets

BRAMPTON, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 11, 2017) - Armacell Canada is setting the standard for foam composites with the official opening of its new PET (Polyethylene Teraphalate) line at its new facility in Brampton, Ontario.

Plant Manager and Corporate Director Emmanuel Piec, welcomed customers and Armacell executives from around the world to tour the state-of-the-art production line to see how the innovative foam composite, made from 100 percent recycled materials is produced.

The Armacell PET product or ArmaFORM offers incredible benefits for a long list of applications due to its light weight, durability and strength. It's currently being used in transportation as a component in rail cars, and marine vessels, building construction and wind turbines as well as other, general uses.

Piec told the gathering the opening of the new PET line is the very definition of innovation.

"This company started out making foam backer rod and pipe insulation for industry and consumer use. Then the now-famous pool noodle came into being via the same foam extrusion process and today we are manufacturing one of the most innovative foam composites that is being used in ways we couldn't even dream of," Piec said. "The potential for this product is simply mind boggling."

Piec said Armacell is both proud and excited about the product and its contribution to the environment and sustainable growth.

"You won't find a more sustainable solution for foam cores in the composite industry," Piec said. "This product is fully-recyclable, we re-use 100 per cent of our material process lost in internal recycling and we don't use any ozone-depleting blowing agents in production."

Perhaps one of the most innovative uses for the ArmaFORM product is in the production of wind turbines. Some 50,000 recycled plastic bottles go into each turbine which uses the composite in rotor blades, spinners and housing. To date ArmaFORM has been used in the construction of some 35,000-wind turbine rotor blades worldwide.

Piec says the possibilities for using the ArmaFORM product appear virtually limitless and he's particularly proud that Armacell chose the Brampton, Ontario plant as its main manufacturing hub for the new line.

"The Canadian invention of the pool noodle represented the beginning of this story but this evolution has taken that to a whole new level and that is great news for our company, our employees, our customers and our community," Piec said.

About Armacell

Armacell is a global leader in flexible foam for the equipment insulation market and a leading provider of engineered foams. With 3,000 employees and 25 production plants in 16 countries, the company generated net sales of approx. C$800 million and EBITDA (before unusual items) of approx. C$143 million in 2016.

Armacell operates two main businesses:

Advanced Insulation develops flexible foams for the insulation of technical equipment utilised for the transport of energy - such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and heating and plumbing (H&P) in residential and commercial construction, process lines in the heavy- and oil and gas industry, equipment in transportation, as well as, acoustics.

Engineered Foams develops high-performance foams for the use in a broad range of end markets including transportation, automotive, wind energy, sports and construction.

Armacell´s products significantly contribute to global energy efficiency.

For more information, please visit: http://corporate.armacell.com/.