Each year, CPI presents the Polyurethane Innovation Award program, which highlights the role that innovation plays in the polyurethanes industry and recognizes companies and individuals whose vision and perseverance bring new products, technologies, and initiatives to the marketplace. CPI presents the Innovation Award at the annual Polyurethanes Technical Conference. This year’s conference was October 3-5, at the Gaylord National Harbor in National Harbor, MD.
Polyurethane Innovation Award Program

2022 Polyurethane Innovation Award Finalists
Carbon EPU 44: “EPU 44 is a 40% bio-based production-grade elastomeric 3D printing resin especially well-suited for lattices where high resiliency is needed. It has superior latticing performance, prints faster, uses less material, and has higher green strength which protects delicate designs. EPU 44 proves it’s possible to have highly-sustainable materials without sacrificing performance.”
DuPont Thermax™ Non-Halogen Insulation: “DuPont’s new Thermax™ Brand Non-Halogen (NH) Insulation series is a best in class, safer-by-design product with exceptional performance to support the needs of architects, contractors and occupants in high performance, energy efficient buildings. With this reformulation, DuPont is the first polyisocyanurate (polyiso) wall insulation manufacturer to offer Class A products without the halogenated flame retardants commonly used in building insulation polyurethane foams while meeting the stringent wall building code requirement.”
The Chemours Company Opteon™ 1150: “Chemours commercialized Opteon™ 1150 – also referred to as HFO-1336mzzE, a next generation HFO foam blowing agent with a unique boiling point, superior thermal performance and remarkable stability. A solution for an industry ready for a transition to a sustainable future, meeting and exceeding regulatory standards.”
Voting Process:
Voting for the Polyurethane Innovation Award took place during the Opening Session of the 2022 Polyurethanes Technical Conference on Monday, October 3. Each individual Conference registrant attending the Opening Session cast one vote for one finalist. The finalist with the most votes received an additional 20 points to be added to the judges’ score. The Innovation with the highest total score was deemed the winner and announced on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, during conclusion of the Conference at the Awards Luncheon.
The Polyurethane Innovation Award Winner
The winner is:
- Presented an award during the Awards Luncheon of the Polyurethanes Technical Conference;
- Announced in a CPI news release distributed to the media;
- Featured on the Innovation Award page of the CPI website through which visitors will be able to learn more about the innovation;
- Provided use of the Polyurethane Innovation Award logo to showcase its achievement;
- Provided one complimentary registration to the following year's Conference;
- Showcased at the following year's Polyurethanes Technical Conference.
“EPU 44 proves it’s possible to have highly-sustainable materials without sacrificing performance. Our team is honored to be recognized for creating a bio-derived 3D-printable elastomer. EPU 44 is well-suited for products that need to be highly resilient and durable, such as the midsoles in running shoes. It offers an advantageous alternative to traditional foam materials because of its tear strength, energy return, and elongation at break and unlocks tunable and unique compression profiles that enable excellent cushioning and comfort.”