April 15, 2008 - Pearlbond® ECO D900 TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) grade, for footwear and textile applications, can be processed by extrusion or in powder form via sintering. Non-reactive hot melt adhesive features Oeko-Tex Class I compliance and 75% renewable content. For High Performance Reactive Hot Melts (RHMs), Pearlbond® ECO D590 offers characteristics optimized for green strength and setting/open times. It addresses challenges of water-based adhesives in automotive and furniture industries.

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Merquinsa North America Inc.
34 Folly Mill Rd.
Seabrook, NH, 03874, USA

Barcelona, Spain - April 10, 2008.
In its contribution to a sustainable world and environment protection, Merquinsa will launch its first renewable sourced Pearlbond® ECO grades for adhesives at WAC 2008 (World Adhesives Conference from April 20th to 23rd, Miami, Florida).

The new Pearlbond® ECO TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethanes) grades made from renewable sources and based on Merquinsa´s breakthrough proprietary ECO technology (patent pending) address market needs for performing and environmentally friendly adhesives solutions.

The newly developed Pearlbond® ECO product grades include:
o Pearlbond® ECO D900: This grade is designed for a wide range of footwear and textile applications such as eco-friendly shoe stiffeners or thermobonding textile tapes and films. It can be processed by extrusion or in powder form via sintering. Its adhesive performance and its Oeko-Tex Class I compliance, along with its 75% renewable content as certified according to ASTM-D6866, makes this grade a material of choice for a new generation of non-reactive hot melt adhesives.
o Pearlbond® ECO D590: This grade is Merquinsa´s latest innovation in TPUs for High Performance Reactive Hot Melts (RHM). It provides formulators with a new set of features and benefits related to green strength and setting/open times to address current challenges presented by water-based adhesives in the automotive and furniture industries.

Merquinsa will continue to develop and invest in the most effective TPU technologies and
operating procedures to innovate, while monitoring the environmental impact of its business.

About Merquinsa:
Merquinsa is a leading thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) specialty producer, providing
innovative products for injection moulding, extrusion, calendering, melt coating, compounding and adhesives applications.

Merquinsa's headquarters are in Barcelona, Spain with regional centres in Asia and North America.

For more information about Merquinsa, and PEARLBOND®, PEARLSTICK®, PEARLTHANE®, and PEARLCOAT® Specialty TPU resins, please visit our Web site at www.merquinsa.com or call at + 34 93 572 1100.

Contacts: View detailed contact information.