PET foam sheet finds industrial uses abroad.

While market acceptance of PET foam sheet for packaging has proved an elusive goal in North America, European processors are making a stab at industrial applications. This year, both Fagerdala Benelux SA in Thimister-Clermont, Belgium (part of Fagerdala World Foams in Sweden), and Alcan Airex, part of Alcan Composites in Sins, Switzerland, commercialized extruded, closed-cell PET foam sheets as structural core materials for composites. Both firms aim to replace PVC foam, high-density urethane foam, and balsa cores.

Fagerdala began production of PET foam board in densities of 6.2 and 9.4 pcf and thicknesses of 35 and 40 ram. The boards can be sliced down to 3 mm thick. Tel: [phone] * www.fagerdalahicore.com

Airex launched its T90 structural PET foam in five densities from 6 to 25 pcf and thicknesses from 5 to 100 ram. Tel: [phone] * www.alcanairex.com

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