Shimabun’s gratings made with BASF’s innovative material solution Ultramid help make construction faster and more efficient
- Lightweight, durable gratings help construction companies lower installation and maintenance costs
- Ultramid’s outstanding mechanical properties ensure high rigidity and anti-slip performance of gratings
Tokyo, Japan – December 11, 2019 – Shimabun Corporation (Shimabun), a Japanese manufacturer for indoor gratings made of plastics, has launched a new grating product for outdoors and sidewalks, using BASF’s high-performance polyamide Ultramid®. The new gratings made with Ultramid are much lighter than those made of steel or concrete, without compromising performance and strength. Therefore, workers can carry lighter loads, as well as provide faster installation on site.
“Thanks to the outstanding mechanical properties of BASF’s Ultramid, the new gratings are non-corrosive and have excellent anti-slip performance, helping project owners overcome issues of rusty and slippery walkways,” said Nobuhide Shima, President and CEO of Shimabun. “As the new gratings can be produced through extrusion molding and assembly, it will enable us to provide a wide range of cost-effective products for building material companies.”
BASF also supported Shimabun in the structural analysis of the grating design with its Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) technology. Utilizing the technology, the development team was able to optimize designs at the earliest stage and maximize the strength and performance of the product with efficient usage of materials.
“Facing labor shortage at the construction and logistics sectors across Japan, project owners are increasingly looking for construction materials that are durable yet lightweight to increase construction productivity and reduce the demand for workers,” said Isamu Yamamoto, Director Performance Materials, BASF Japan. “Together with Shimabun, we have been able to meet the industry’s needs for greater loading efficiency and improve business productivity.”
Gratings are commonly used for external facilities such as bridge decks, sidewalks, stadiums, and kitchens. They act as drainage gutters to prevent clogging from large particles and to facilitate the flow of water and air.
For more information on BASF’s Ultramid solutions, visit https://products.basf.com/en/Ultramid.html
About BASF’s Performance Materials division
BASF’s Performance Materials division encompasses the entire materials know-how of BASF regarding innovative, customized plastics under one roof. Globally active in four major industry sectors – transportation, construction, industrial applications and consumer goods – the division has a strong portfolio of products and services combined with a deep understanding of application-oriented system solutions. Key drivers of profitability and growth are our close collaboration with customers and a clear focus on solutions. Strong capabilities in R&D provide the basis to develop innovative products and applications. In 2018, the Performance Materials division achieved global sales of €7.65 bn. More information online: www.plastics.basf.com
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 122,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €63 billion in 2018. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.
