Bio-based polyols from tall oil and rape seed oil for the PU industry by Kristians Grundstoks

10th International Conference on Bio-bases Marerials – Köln, Germany- May 10-11, 2017
Company focuses on transforming primary hydrocarboxylic acids from rape seeds / canola and tall oil to make bio-based PU foams, combining bio-based polyols and recycled PET polyols with superior performances, when compared with BASF PU foam as a reference.
The company started in 2014 with a partnership between three surfing mates and the public institute of wood chemistry in Latvia, which had developed and patented the right polyol with no clue for turning it into a business.
Biopolyols can’t keep up with industry demand. PolyLabs’ bio-polyols are sold for 1500€ per ton, which is the price of fossil polyols, in order to accelerate the switch. Quite an aggressive pricing policy at zero premium that actually browses a few feathers on the back of the oil chemistry majors.
PolyLabs is currently ramping up production on a project basis with pioneer customers.