DSM in Building & construction: Building it better: From bridges to bricks
We produce high-performance composite and coating resins, plastics and fibers that are used in everything from sewer pipes and bridges to anti-graffiti coatings for buildings, doorframes, industrial lifting and pulling. We’ve even perfected a way of recycling carpet back into its raw material (which we also happen to manufacture).
The building and construction market encapsulates perfectly the dilemma we face as a species: Using nature’s resources to create man-made constructions that invariably swallow up yet more resources. The only answer is to find alternative, sustainable materials that perform well and look good. Which is exactly what we do.
Next generation materials for civil engineering
An estimated 7% of global CO2 emissions are a direct result of the manufacturing and use of concrete. Our latest composite materials can do the job just as well. In construction, for example, we’re contributing to lighter, stronger, greener bridges.
In industrial pipes and cables, our sustainable plastics like Arnitel® are increasingly popular because of their resistance to corrosion and ability to cope with temperatures of up to 95°c.
Meanwhile, our vinylester resins are being used to build next-generation pipes and vessels used for water desalination – in other words, turning sea water into clean water that can be used not just for drinking, but also by the world’s manufacturing industries. Pipes made with DSM composite resins are superior to traditional steel and concrete. They offer superior corrosion resistance – which means less maintenance and less process interruptions.
Our resins are even used in chemical anchoring – the products used to fasten mechanical elements like steel studs, bolts and anchorages.
General building & construction
In floor coatings – whether wooden, concrete or PVC – our resins like NeoCryl® last longer and contain less solvents than the current alternatives.
When it comes to concrete floors, our UVolve® Instant Floor coatings use UV-curable technology to provide durability, decoration, sustainability and best of all, a much faster return to service. Many traditional floor coatings require long drying times and have strong odors. UVolve® coatings have neither.
For the flat wooden panels commonly used in construction, our NeoCryl® acrylic resins provide such a huge advantage (speed, cost, convenience), that they have now almost completely replaced solvent-borne products. In fact, in most areas of carpentry and joinery we offer resins for stains, paints and varnishes that provide both protection and decoration.
Commercial lifting and pulling
Traditionally, steel was the only fiber sturdy enough for industrial lifting and pulling – until Dyneema®, an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) material. This lightweight fiber is 15 times stronger than steel, yet weighs far less. This brings much-improved efficiency to the building environment. Just as importantly, pulleys and lines made with Dyneema® are far healthier and safer for people to work with. For example, steel wire is sharp, and extremely heavy to manoeuver often causing back problems for construction workers.
From hands to feet
Continuing this theme of protection, Dyneema® is even used as the key ingredient in a new generation of protective gloves that combine protection with comfort for the wearer.
Meanwhile, with 2 billion kgs of carpet thrown into landfill in the United States alone each year, we’ve developed a process that recycles caprolactam (the principle raw material in carpets) back into its raw state – thanks in no small part to our expertise gained as the world’s number one caprolactam manufacturer…
