Honeywell and Central Glass Co. Ltd. announced on Nov. 7 an extension of their long-term partnership to include an agreement for Central Glass to manufacture Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent exclusively for Honeywell. The ready-now solution is a non-flammable, ultra-low-global-warming-potential foam blowing agent for use in a wide variety of insulation applications worldwide.
The demand for ultra-low-GWP solutions continues to grow, and this new capacity will help Honeywell meet the needs of its customers. Multiple global regulations stemming from the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, as well as the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, require the phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons, driving the need for sustainable solutions, such as hydrofluoroolefins.
Solstice LBA (HFO-1233zd(E)) has no ozone depletion potential and a GWP of 1. It offers a cost-effective means of achieving high-performance insulation and safety in use with the advantage of a reduced environmental impact. Solstice LBA can be used in a variety of foam systems and applications, including refrigerators, freezers, spray foam and panels.
“Blowing agents are a critical ingredient in foam insulation, allowing the foam to expand and enabling excellent insulating performance, which has a positive impact on energy efficiency,” said Yoshinori Akamatsu, Executive Managing Officer of Central Glass. “Solstice LBA is proven to be highly efficient as a blowing agent in polymer foams, and our continued partnership with Honeywell will allow steady access to supply of this ultra-low GWP solution for Japan and around the world.”
“Solstice LBA is a proven, ready-now technology offering a non-ozone-depleting, ultra-low-GWP solution for our customers to meet energy efficiency and regulatory needs,” said Laura Reinhard, vice president and general manager of Honeywell Foam and Industrial Products. “Central Glass has been a key strategic partner since 2012, and this agreement continues and strengthens our commitment to supplying customers in Japan and globally with safe and sustainable solutions.”
Honeywell has invested more than one billion dollars in research, development and new capacity for its Solstice technology, having anticipated the need for lower-GWP solutions to combat climate change more than a decade ago. The product line, which helps customers lower their greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency without sacrificing end-product performance, includes refrigerants for supermarkets, air conditioning for cars and trucks, blowing agents for insulation, propellants for personal and household care, and solvents for cleaning solutions, and is also being evaluated for use in metered dose inhalers. Using Honeywell Solstice technology has helped avoid the potential release of the equivalent of more than 295 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere so far, equal to the carbon emissions from nearly 688 million barrels of oil.
In November 2021, Honeywell announced an expansion of its Baton Rouge, Louisiana, facility to double production capacity beginning Q4 of 2022 of Solstice ze (HFO-1234ze), used in foam insulation, propellants for personal and household care, and refrigeration and air conditioning applications. In January 2022, Honeywell and Navin Fluorine International Limited, part of the Padmanabh Mafatlal Group, announced a partnership to manufacture Solstice zd in India. Production commenced in July 2022 at NFIL’s manufacturing facility in Gujarat, India. These initiatives further highlight Honeywell’s commitment to investing in and expanding access to these solutions.
