Since customers are increasingly demanding products based on renewable raw materials, Germany-based Bayer MaterialScience has introduced Pentamethylene diisocyanate (PDI), a new isocyanate with 70% carbon content that comes from biomass without generating any direct competition for food production. With this addition to its portfolio, the company says it can for the first time offer its customers an eco-friendly hardener component, which is a key differentiating factor. A comprehensive technology platform currently is being developed to evaluate additional uses for PDI-based raw materials in coatings, adhesives and other applications.

Bayer MaterialScience intends to bring the first PDI-based product to market in April 2015. Commercial manufacturing is to follow in 2016 with an annual capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes. These products will be manufactured in existing plants using energy-efficient gas-phase technology.

It will showcase the new product at the European Coatings Show 2015 from April 21-23 in Nuremberg, Germany.

Furthermore, Bayer MaterialScience says it remains committed to its planned global capital expenditures. The company plans to complete construction next year of a new, 50,000 tonnes/year production facility for hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) in Caojing, China. 2016 will also see capacities for polyurethane dispersions (PUD) expanded at the Dormagen site in Germany. Over the next few years, plans for Caojing include an expansion of PUD capacities – until 2017 – and a new production facility for isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI).