Huntsman donates raw materials to combat coronavirus

Huntsman Corporation, a multinational specialty chemical company, has donated 1 million yuan (US$140,000) worth of raw materials that can be used to manufacture items urgently needed in the fight against the coronavirus in China.

The raw materials include methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and TEROL® polyester polyol, which are used to manufacture prefabricated panels for the construction of hospitals and spandex needed for the production of medical protective articles.

“Huntsman has always been committed to social responsibility,” said Kenny Pan, vice president of Huntsman’s Polyurethanes Division for Asia Pacific. “Working with our customers, we are doing our part in the battle against the coronavirus.”

As the epidemic spreads in China, the problem of insufficient hospital beds has become prominent, seriously affecting efforts to combat the coronavirus. The construction of new isolation hospitals and mobile cabin hospitals is critical.

Huntsman provided the raw materials to Tianfon Assembly Group, which has 20 years of experience in the prefabricated building industry. With these materials, Tianfon is producing polyurethane insulation boards for the construction of hospitals.

Recycled from PET bottles, TEROL® polyester polyol can be used to produce polyurethane sandwich panels, which are widely used in the insulation of prefabricated buildings such as mobile cabin hospitals. The panel can be installed swiftly and have excellent insulation performance. 

To alleviate the shortage of materials for producing medical supplies for frontline health workers, Huntsman also donated its pure MDI to Huafon Group to support its production of spandex for medical protective articles.

Spandex can be used to produce medical protective items such as masks and gloves. Huafon is a leading spandex manufacturer in China, whose spandex capacity accounts for 25 percent of the national total.