Furniture, foam consumption

In 1993, a total of over 6 x 10 t of polyurethanes were consumed worldwide (Table 8). The flexible foam market in the United States totaled 932,000 tons in 1994. Flexible slab foam is used predominantly in furniture, carpet underlay, and bedding molded foam is used extensively in transportation. Carpet underlay is manufactured from either virgin or scrap polyurethane foam, which is combined with a binder adhesive. The consumption of flexible polyurethane foam in the various U.S. markets in 1994 is shown in Table 9. 

Applications of Fiexible Urethane Foams. Cushioning materials are the major applicatioii of flexible urethane foams. In 1980, the worldwide consumption of urethane foams was as follows (48) furniture and mattress applications, 37% and automotive applications, 18%. In addition to these applications, a wide variety of additional applications have been reported, including transportation, textiles, packaging, appliances, household materials, medical supplies, sound absorbents, sporting goods, cosmetics, agricultural applications such as artificial soil, and toys. 

In industry, polyurethanes are frequently referred to as "tailor-made plastics". Despite this very promising description, the proportion of polyurethanes in the total plastics consumption is at present well below 10 %. If we also consider that the majority of this is made into foam slabs for processing in the upholstered furniture... 

Polyurethanes represent approximately 6% of global plastic consumption, and 50% of the entire PU consumption occurs in North America and Europe. Roughly 30 /o of PUs are used for furniture and mattresses, 15 /o for vehicles, and 13%i for construction. In all of these applications, PU foams are used. In fact, over 80 /o of polyurethane applications use foam materials. Other forms of PU available include solid blocks, fibers, paints, adhesives, and coatings. 

The consumption of polyurethane foam has matured since 1973 Rapid growth occurred through 1973 due to penetration and/or replacement of rubber and spring cushions in upholstered furniture, other seating including auto and transportation, and bedding applications. 

Flexible urethane foam for furniture applications is the largest single end use accounting for an estimated 37% last year. Consumption of foam in furniture vas estimated to be flat last year and is expected to decline in 1980. This should be followed by strong growth years in 1981-83 which we are estimating at 1-9% per year (see below). 

The random copolyether triols PO-EO, usually called heteropolyether polyols, with a MW of 3000-3600 daltons, are the most important polyether polyols for flexible PU slabstock foams, generally used in furniture industry. The worldwide consumption of flexible PU foams is presented in Figure 4.16. 

Polyurethane contributes more than 5% of the total world consumption of polymers. Although the greatest consumption of urethane products is still in the foam sector, the trend in polyurethane applications is increasing in the areas of surface coatings, adhesives, electrical insulating lacquer, packaging, footwear, furniture assembly, the automotive industry, medical products, composites and microelectronics. 

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