(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
The U.S. Department of the Interior reports that Americans throw away at least 300 million pairs of shoes each year. Unfortunately, the traditional rubber sole is not easily recyclable and need 30-40 years to breakdown in a landfill.
Berkshire Hathaway’s Lubrizol may have solved that problem with an innovative new material.
The company has debuted its new polymer-based material solutions for the footwear market, Estane TRX TPU and BounCell-X.
First displayed at Chinaplas 2018, the plastics and rubber trade fair in Shanghai,Estane TRX TPU is billed as an innovative rubber replacement for outdoor, athletic and work shoe outsoles. Outsoles made from Estane TRX TPU provide outstanding benefits for both consumers and footwear designers. Among its its features:
Automation
• Reduced labor costs via thermoplastic injection molding
• Automated production possibilities versus traditional rubber outsole molding
Sustainability
• Recycling* possibilities at outsole manufacturing and post with TPU (not available with thermoset rubbers)
Applications
• Exceptional slip resistance with wet ground conditions
• Excellent wear resistance against heat friction on the shoe outsole at room/high temperatures
• Transparent outsole allows color freedom for novel design
• Thinner TPU outsole improves flexible feeling and improves weight reduction
© 2018 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.