A BIG ADVANTAGE FOR THE SECTOR
INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
After two years of significant investments, SIPOL® announces a further important innovation to the market: a new polymerization plant for the production of hot melt adhesives based on polyamide at its own site of Mortara (Italy). In addition of being a unique range completion, such investment allows SIPOL® to pursue its mission towards the environmental sustainability as TECHNIPOL® PA polyamides almost entirely use monomers (> 80%) from renewable sources (non-food grade biomass of vegetable origin).
After having already developed “tin-free” TECHNIPOL® polyesters, the recent introduction of TECHNIPOL® PA “Green Polyamides” brings SIPOL® interesting growth chances in various sectors, including the footwear one, to which SIPOL® belongs by vocation.
Through this additional step, the Italian company SIPOL® becomes the only firm in the world currently able to produce internally the complete range of both “tin free” polyesters and “green” polyamides used in the footwear industry, from the basic polymers to the extruded rods for the lasting operations.
A vocation for footwear that began long ago
Founded in the late ‘90s with the name SIPOL® SpA (Società Italiana Polimeri) in the industrial area of Mortara – coincidentally not so far from Vigevano – the company has experienced a steady growth with its hot-melt adhesives in various industrial sectors. However, the footwear industry has always been the main business segment of the company with different products.
The first SIPOL® product – being the company focused on polyesters from the very beginning – has been the white rod for shoe lasting, known worldwide as TECHNIPOL® 170. Later in 2011 – while still not independent in polymer production – SIPOL® was able to market the polyamide TECHNIPOL® PA 167 in rod form and the compound for the folding machine TECHNIPOL® PA/G.
Investments
The project required significant investments on several fronts – firstly in terms of financial resources made available by the entrepreneurial spirit and determination of shareholders. Secondly, the large investments in human resources and collaborations during the initial phase of research and development.
This has resulted in a long process of lab macromolecules synthesis, the construction of a pilot plant and experimental verification of sample polymers obtained. In the next step, the investment has resulted in the engineering of the polymerization chemical plant, the realization of a new building, the construction of the plant, its start-up and setup.
The reference sectors
In addition to the footwear market, which represents a significant part of the turnover, SIPOL® is also present in the automotive filter industry and in the textile laminating industry with its polyester-based TECHNIPOL® and SIPOLTEX® hot-melt adhesives. Beside this, SIPOL® is also present in the broad field of technopolymers for injection moulding with its SIPOLPRENE® wide range of thermoplastic elastomers.
The introduction of the “Green Polyamides” line, besides fulfilling the footwear industry product range, allows SIPOL® completing the range in the automotive filters and textile sectors, where new polyamides will be introduced under the TECHNIPOL® PA and SIPOLTEX® PA brands, respectively, alongside polyesters.