Contact
LinkedIn
Youtube
Products

Sustainable products

Sustainable products

Commitment to sustainability

Our mission is clearly defined: We want to offer polyester resin products of the highest quality that meet today's market demands while being sustainable. Sustainability is a key concern for us. Over 20 years ago we committed ourselves to protect people and the environment. Thanks to sustainable selection of raw materials and our environmentally friendly technologies, we continue to broaden our portfolio. Our focus is thus for example on advanced fire prevention systems with the production of fire-resistant, fibre reinforced composite components and polyester resin solutions with reduced styrene content. Measures of this kind not only contribute to increase the quality of our products and their safety for people and the environment, they also help significantly to reduce our ecological footprint.

Our goal is to offer polyester resin specialties that enable manufacturers of fibre composite materials to design and manufacture sustainable composite components. Every one of our products reflects our many years of experience and our commitment to quality and sustainability. We underpin our technical knowledge and experience in this field with our many certificates and awards and thanks to our close collaboration with leading research bodies. ‘Our clear focus for the future: a sustainable BÜFA portfolio sold via BÜFA’s own distributions and sales partners. It is our view that sustainability and success go together. Our clear vision and our environmental management strive towards a greener, more sustainable future for everyone,’ says Lothar Kempf, managing director of BÜFA Composite Systems.
 

Innovative and sustainable reactive resin specialties

 

Environmentally Friendly Labelling: Introduction of the ‘BÜFA®-future’ Label

Recently the BÜFA Group created the in-house ecological quality label ‘BÜFA®-future’. ‘With this label, we would like to make it clear to you as the customer that we are emphatically committed to creating a more liveable future. Our products are not intended only to satisfy your current needs but also to be in harmony with a responsible, sustainable and future-orientated form of product development,’ says Felix Thalmann, CEO of the BÜFA Group. This label is intended to provide a clear indication of sustainable products. In the composites field, for example, these products help reduce VOC emissions, use raw materials from biological sources or use recycled waste streams to minimize environmental impact. Reduced material consumption or improved safety aspects can also be benefits.

At BÜFA Composite Systems the ‘BÜFA®-future’ label stands for future-orientated visions in the composite materials industry. The word ‘future’ in the name indicates that our commitment is focused on innovation, progress, and sustainability. Our products and solutions which carry this label are designed in such a way as to have a positive effect on future generations. Over the past decades, BÜFA Composite Systems has already developed a series of sustainable products and systems. The innovations in our portfolio not only extend to low-styrene and styrene-free resins and products based on recycled PET material and resins with increased bio content, but also include products with sustainable added values that we designate as unique selling propositions (USPs). These USPs are manifested in the highest quality of our products, the promotion of lightweight design and in ensuring safety, particularly in the areas of fire protection and electrical discharge capability. The logo with the ‘Play’ button symbolises our focus on innovation and sustainable development. Just as pressing a Play button sets something in motion, our logo likewise signals the dynamic drive for pioneering innovations and a sustainability that is future-ready. ‘It should encourage customers to choose environmentally friendly products and to reduce their ecological footprint,’ explains Lothar Kempf, managing director of BÜFA Composite Systems. With BÜFA®-future we would like to explore ways with you for creating a sustainable and promising future.

BÜFA®-future: our Vision for Tomorrow

Welcome to the World of Sustainable Products from BÜFA Composite Systems.

Our ‘future’ label products that meet the highest standards in terms of environmental friendliness and
sustainability. Every product that carries this label has been carefully checked and satisfies at least
one of the following sustainability criteria:


Reduced-styrene or styrene-free Products:
For a production process with reduced emissions and a healthier and more environmentally friendly
end product.

Organically based Raw Materials:
Products that originate from renewable sources and preserve our natural resources.
Products with Recycled Raw Materials:
There are already resin solutions containing up to 25 % recycled PET material from post-consumer
waste (PET bottles).

Fire Protection – the BÜFA®-FireFox System:
Safety and sustainability go hand in hand. Fire retardant products with this mark offer the highest
fire protection. A premium system for the production of fire-retardant fiber-reinforced composite components
in closed processes that offers a wide range of possible combinations. The focus here is on
protection of people and the environment.

Class A Surface Quality:
A quality property that satisfies the highest standards for surfaces. This Class A resin is processed
in a closed mould system, resulting in fewer emissions from the processing. High thermal dimensional
stability ensures a long life. Additional print barriers such as a barriercoat or skincoat are not
necessary. This saves material and resources, while also reducing rejection rates and reworking to a
minimum.

BÜFA®-Foaming Resin:
GRP foam resin components (bulk density approx. 1.1 g/cm3) offer a weight reduction of up to 45 %
in comparison to a standard composite component (bulk density approx. 1.6 g/cm3) – to say nothing
of the comparison to steel (bulk density approx. 7.8 g/cm3). Use of foam resin in transport applications,
for example, results in fuel savings and a reduction in CO2 emissions. Our foam resins can also
be provided with fire protection.

Conductive Line:
These products are conductive, so protecting people and environment. The use of
BÜFA®-Conductive products in mould tooling reduces dust adhesion, which in turn reduces the reworking
required (cleaning). By reducing the demoulding forces, the component is easier to remove.
This results in a longer working life for the component moulds. Work safety is also significantly
improved, since electrical charges that would otherwise cause uncontrolled flash discharges
(e.g. during demoulding) are safely discharged through a simple earthing.

Tank with various hoses for adding chemical solutions
Sustainable products

Products with low styrene content

The following sustainability objectives are the focus of the BÜFA Composite Systems product range: increasing the proportion of renewable raw materials, using recycled raw materials, increasing the proportion of low-styrene and styrene-free products. Associated with this is the objective of reducing emissions or avoiding them altogether.

BÜFA Composite Systems has a wide range of sustainable products. This begins with BÜFA©-Pigment Pastes, styrene-free plumbing gelcoats, styrene-free marine topcoats and styrene-free hand lamination resins, continues through styrene-free bonding pastes for structural applications, and goes through to styrene-free cast resin systems and relining resins. Products and solutions for greater sustainability in the composite industry.

Gelcoats and topcoats
Resins and resin systems
Pigment pastes
Bonding pastes
Fire safety systems

Example of resins and bonding pastes in a close-up of a finished product
Sustainable products

Resins and bonding pastes with renewable raw materials and recycled materials

BÜFA Composite Systems includes BIO-resin in its product range, with the aim of reducing the use of fossil raw materials.

We also aim to increase the use of recycled materials in our specialist products, substituting them for primary raw materials. We have corresponding resins in our range. Simply get in touch with us!

Resins and resin systems
Bonding pastes

Working a screw into a conductive product
Sustainable products

Safety: Conductive products

Conductive products from the BÜFA®-Conductive Line conduct dangerous voltage charges safely away and thus contribute to safety for people and the environment – perfect for using components in EX areas.
This technology can be used in various industries, for conductive floor covering applications for example, conductive applications in tank construction, conductive SMC components, even for electrostatic powder coatings – anywhere where the safety of people and equipment is the focus.

Using conductive systems brings many advantages for mould tooling (BÜFA®-Tooling System). An electrically conductive gelcoat, for example, ensures that dust adhesions are minimised, demoulding problems are drastically reduced and tools are more durable – and those are just a few of the advantages!

 
Conductive systems
Mould tooling systems

Fire safety test with the BÜFA®-FireFox System
Sustainable products

Safety: Fire safety products

BÜFA Composite Systems has low-styrene fire safety systems in its range that meet the highest rail vehicle standards – for safety and lower emissions.

The BÜFA®-FireFox System offers a selection of our best fire safety products for use in closed-cycle systems. This allows components to be made with lower weight but the same rigidity. Components can also be produced more quickly. Thus, high-quality fire safety protects not only people but also the environment.

Fire safety systems
FireFox-System
Foam resin systems
Railway vehicles

Close-up of foam resin systems
Sustainable products

Safety & lightweight engineering: BÜFA®-Foaming Resin

Safety and light weight – that’s what the BÜFA®-Foaming Resin system stands for. Components that are up to 45% lighter can be manufactured with this foam resin system. Other product advantages include: saving on materials, heat and sound insulation, reduction in production times, adaptable fire resistance – with fire safety of the highest level. The use of foam resin in lightweight engineering therefore helps to protect people and the environment in many ways.

BÜFA®-Foaming Resin is also available in an RTM version, which is used with the BÜFA Tec injection system. Processing in closed-cycle systems is a clean and environmentally friendly way to work.

 
Automotive
BÜFA Tec
Foam resin systems

Illustration of an injection process / vacuum injection
Sustainable products

Reducing emissions: Closed-system processes

Processing using closed-system manufacturing procedures brings with it a significant reduction in emissions. Enclosed moulds are used, for example, in vacuum injection and the RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding) process. BÜFA Composites offers resin systems for sustainable solutions here, too.

Along with the reduction in emissions, there are other advantages, such as better surface quality, an increase in productivity and a massive reduction in reworking. Defective batches are avoided and resources are used efficiently.

We recommend BÜFA®-Resin VE RTM 6520 Class A here, for example.

Reinforcement, core and non-woven materials
BÜFA Tec

Low emission machine processing in closed-cycle systems
Sustainable products

Reducing emissions: Machine processing

At BÜFA Tec, we are developing low emission machine processing and processing in closed-cycle systems. On the one hand this saves resources, on the other it reduces emissions and increases efficiency.

The benefits are clear: production time is cut, less waste is created because products can be transported directly in the drum or IBC, and styrene emissions are reduced. The machine technology of BÜFA Tec offers sophisticated, robust and user-friendly machine technology that reliably contributes to protecting people and the environment.

BÜFA Tec

Container of BÜFA-Gelcoat on the conveyor belt
Sustainable products

Saving resources: Tinting

When manufacturing GRP components, there are always applications for which only smaller, clearly defined quantities of gelcoats are required in special colours. BÜFA Composite Systems has a solution to this problem too.

At our locations in Europe, we use sophisticated tinting technology which offers maximum flexibility when colouring gelcoats. The exact quantities required can be produced here, and waste is avoided. Efficiency in its pure form.

Automotive
Boat building
Commercial vehicles
Plumbing

Close-up of foam core for manufacturing high-strength sandwich and lightweight constructions and as reliable components in fire safety systems.
Sustainable products

Core materials

We work in cooperation with 3D|CORE™ to manufacture high-strength sandwich and lightweight constructions and reliable components in fire safety systems. These innovative and sustainable solutions can be obtained through selected BÜFA distribution outlets.

The product range of 3D|CORE™ includes, for example, the 100% recycled 3D|CORE™ PET GR foam core and the 3D|CORE™ PET FR fire safety foam core with outstanding FST properties. These 3D|CORE™ PET variants are closed-cell, thermoplastic, recyclable hard foams. The integrated honeycomb structure offers more flexibility, simplifies handling in production and improves the technical properties of the final component hugely. Light and effective products for sustainable fibre composites.

​​​Reinforcement, core and non-woven materials

3D|CORE™

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

Innovative natural fibre materials 


The BÜFA portfolio has recently been expanded to include sustainable reinforcement materials through the strategic partnership with Cordenka and EcoTechnilin. Cordenka offers high-strength, durable industrial rayon fibres that impress with their exceptional performance. This is complemented by the innovative natural flax fibre materials from EcoTechnilin, which are particularly environmentally friendly. These sustainable reinforcement materials enable us to offer solutions that are both high-performance and environmentally responsible. With this expansion, we are setting new standards in combining quality and sustainability for our customers.