look what we did!Innovations From Polyurethane Manufacturers

Polyurethane Advances Tennis Racket Technology

Thanks to polyurethane, and a bit of innovation, tennis racket technology is evolving to accommodate a more modern style of play.

The Problem

Many athletes on the court today favor power and spin in their tennis games. To achieve both, players must strike the ball, using the top of the racket face, rather than hitting the ball with the middle of the racket. While effective, striking the ball repeatedly in this manner can tax a player’s arm and result in fatigue or even injury.

The TPU Solution

To accommodate this aggressive style of play, the team at Dunlop mobilized to...

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To Create a Better Lacrosse Ball Researchers Look to PU

Polyurethane is changing the sport of lacrosse for the better with a new kind of game ball that resists becoming greasy and avoids hardening over time. 

The Risk

Solid rubber has long been the primary material used in the production of lacrosse balls. Over time, however, additives and oils used in traditional balls can leech out, creating a sleek exterior on the surface that make the balls slippery. These materials also sometimes harden. When this happens, the balls lose their resiliency and their bounciness.

The Answer

Recently, Guardian Sports came up with a PU solution. The equipment manufacturer is producing...

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Polyurethane Holds & the Future of Climbing

The sport of rock climbing has grown in popularity in recent years, and it is easy to see why. It can provide a great way to get into shape, and thanks to rise of indoor climbing facilities, climbers are no longer at the mercy of the elements to get in a climbing session.

Plus, the sport is highly customizable thanks to highly individualized polyurethane climbing holds. All skill levels – from weekend warriors to lifelong professional climbers – can be accommodated. 

Polyurethane Takes Hold

Polyurethane is the essential ingredient in the creation of these holds, which often are the oddly-shaped,...

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Polyurethane Skinsuits Help British Skeleton Athletes To Victory

In the world of elite women’s skeleton racing, the difference between staking a place on the podium or not, can come down to a matter of milliseconds. In a sport where fractions of time can make a huge difference, it is no wonder that athletes, trainers and coaches are constantly scouting for new ways to shave a few precious moments off run times.

Whether it is making uniforms sleeker or sleds more aerodynamic, today, there is a whole industry dedicated to the science of helping racers go faster. However, even with every team jockeying for a clear advantage, definitive improvements...

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Polyurethane Flooring Systems Have Multi-Use Purpose

From your time in high school, you may remember your gymnasium’s wooden floor. While wood flooring was once considered the standard in athletic facilities across the country, much has changed in recent years in the world of multipurpose and athletic flooring. Today, material options run the gamut – from vinyl tiles to vulcanized rubber and even carpeting.

New Polyurethane Flooring Systems

The polyurethane flooring system — a newcomer to the space — is currently poised to challenge the status quo in the market. Composed of a base mat – usually consisting of rubber – with a polyurethane surface, these flooring...

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How Polyurethane Can Help You Keep Your New Year Resolution

This year, you may join the more than 45 percent of Americans making a New Year’s resolution. But did you know only 8 percent of resolutions are actually kept? 

Thankfully, polyurethane is here to play a part in helping you meet your goals – in ways you may never have even imagined: 

Have some home improvement plans?

If you are looking to update your home, consider accent and detail pieces made from polyurethane. The material is incredibly versatile. It can be made to mimic the look of wood and metal, and it can also be used to form almost everything...

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Cornhole Takes Aim with Polyurethane

Baseball may be America’s national pastime, but as cornhole becomes a more common sight at tailgate parties, backyard barbecues and breweries, it may soon be issuing a formal challenge to baseball for the title. An impressive feat for a simple game played with just a few bean bags and two boards, but simplicity may be what makes cornhole so appealing.

The game is becoming so popular that several made-for-purchase, pre-fab sets have entered the marketplace, which can be a good option for rookies just getting familiar with the game. However, enthusiasts will tell you the true hallmark of any cornhole...

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A Polyurethane-Fueled Transportation Craze Turns 20

More than 20 years ago, Swiss inventor Wim Ouboter was looking for a safe and efficient way of getting around his home city of Zurich when he hit upon a new idea for two-wheeled transport. The journey between Ouboter’s home and his favorite bratwurst stand was only a few miles – a term he later coined a “micro-distance,” too far to travel on foot but too short to travel by bicycle or car. While thinking up how to solve his transportation dilemma, inspiration struck in the form of a well-worn childhood favorite, the scooter.

Growing up, Ouboter and his siblings...

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How the Polyurethane Surfboard Got to be King of the Beach

Did you know that polyurethane helped popularize and bring surfing into the mainstream in the 1950s?

So the story goes: after World War II, interest in surfing was on the rise in the United States. However, boards back then were made from wood and were often too clunky and cumbersome.

It took a polyurethane redesign of surfboards in 1955 for the sport to really take off. A surfer named Lorrin Harrison saw the potential for polyurethane, a relatively new substance at the time, to make boards stronger, faster and lighter than ever.

Today, most polyurethane surfboards are made in the...

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