Composite PU flooring is a lightweight alternative to traditional materials

Bayer MaterialScience LLC (Pittsburgh, PA) co-authors George Pavlovich, product safety & regulatory affairs, Product Sustainability & Life Cycle Assessment; Shen Tian, life cycle specialist; and Harry George, manager, New Applications, Polyurethanes; will share results of a recent study comparing environmental impacts of interest and relevance to the logistics community, such as: energy and GHGs associated with the entire life cycles of flooring made with fiberglass/polyurethane (PU) composites, plywood and bamboo wood. Their presentation, "Life Cycle Assessment of Composite Shipping Container Floors Compared to Conventional Wood Flooring," will be presented at Composites 2013 in Orlando, Florida, Jan. 29-31, 2013.

The presentation will demonstrate findings that the lighter weight of the composite flooring compared with conventional wood flooring could translate to energy savings associated with reduced fuel consumption on container ships and transport applications in general, as well as a smaller carbon footprint. A lighter weight container also provides the possibility of adding more cargo weight.

The study finds that although composite floors may require more energy during manufacturing compared with wood floors, during the usage phase the composite floor saves more energy and avoids GHGs due to its lighter weight. In addition, the authors will address land occupation (land required for cultivation/manufacturing) that was estimated for the composite flooring compared with conventional plywood and bamboo wood.

To learn more about the benefits of polyurethane composite materials for shipping containers, visit Bayer's booth, #1033, at Composites 2013.