AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals' Elotex recognised for environmental benefits

Two of AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals’ Elotex redispersible polymer powders have earned a Top Product of the Year Award from Environmental Leader and Energy Manager Today, recognising their environmental benefits for customers in the flooring additives industry.

Elotex FL2280 and FL2200 were honoured in the Product & Project Awards category, which recognises excellence in products and services that provide energy and environmental benefits, or in projects implemented by companies that improved environmental or energy management and increased the bottom line.

"The Elotex products are the first of their kind on the market to enable customers to significantly reduce total volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions in their formulations," says Geert Hofman, General Manager Performance Additives at AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals.

"This allows customers to formulate environmentally friendly flooring products that improve indoor air quality and comply with the highest indoor environmental requirements, as well as international green building standards."

The judging panel stated: "AkzoNobel continues to strive towards creating a sustainable future, this time focusing on indoor air quality and developing a unique product for the construction industry, significantly reducing people’s exposure to harmful VOCs.

"There are significant public health benefits, as the impact of flooring, grout and gypsum products on indoor air quality is substantial.

"By dramatically lowering VOCs in primary building materials, the company is making a real contribution to quality of life."

Annika Karlsson, RD&I Director at AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals added: "Both of these products have also earned the AkzoNobel classification of ‘eco-premium solution with downstream benefits,’ a label for products that provide tangible material or energy efficiency benefits for our customers, compared with competitive products.

"This range of redispersible polymer products presents a significant sustainability advantage for our customers and will help us to grow our business."

The awards were presented to Steven Grant, Sales and Marketing Manager Performance Additives and Alexander Zapf, RD&I Manager Performance Additives, Building & Construction, at the 2018 Environmental Leader & Energy Manager Conference in Denver, USA.

In 2018, the company is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Elotex brand and establishment of its first polymer powder manufacturing facility in Moosleerau, Switzerland.