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CTSA: Foam Fabrication 1

Description of the foam fabri-cation industry

Case study on Foam CraftInc, a foam fabricator inCerritos, CA

Case study on Prestige, afoam fabricator in NorthCarolina

Case study on LatexInternational, in Santa FeSprings, CA

Case study on HickorySprings, a flexible slabstockpolyurethane foam manufac-turer

B ulletin Contents

June 2000

Alternatives to ChlorinatedSolvent Adhesives in theFoam Fabrication Industry

The Institute for Research and Technical Assistance (IRTA), anonprofit organization located in Santa Monica, California, analyzedthe cost and performance of alternative adhesive technologies used by thefurniture and sleep products industries. This project was sponsored by theU.S. EPA with a grant from the Design for the Environment (DfE)Program. The Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment (CTSA) is apartnership with industry including Southern California Edison (SCE)and the Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers(AWFS).

Industry DescriptionFlexible slabstock polyurethane foam is produced by 23 companies inabout 75 pouring plants in the United States. In 1977, approximately830 million pounds of slabstock foam were produced. By 1998, slab-stock foam production doubled to about 1.6 billion pounds.

Flexible slabstock foam is fabricated (cut and shaped) into pieces to beused in carpet underlay, furniture, bedding, packaging, transportation

Cleaner Technologies SubstitutesAssessment Case Studies:

Foam Fabrication

EPA 744-R-00-007

2 CTSA: Foam Fabrication

seating, and other products where a durable andresilient cushioning material is required.

Many foam manufacturers are vertically integrated andhave on- or off-site foam fabrication operations usingthe foam stock they manufacture. Flexible foam manu-facturers fabricate about half of the foam produced intheir own facilities. The other half is purchased byindependent fabricators who cut and shape it into vari-ous products. There are approximately 350 foam fabri-cation plants in the United States. All foam fabricators

perform fabrication services for other companies that manufacture bed-ding, upholstered furniture and other products.

Some of the foam is fabricated using adhesives and some is not. In manycases, the foam requires a particular shape or a particular feel. Duringfabrication, several different densities of foam or other materials, likepolyester fiber, are bonded together to form a particular shape with spe-cific characteristics. The foam used in sofa arms, for example, does notrequire adhesive because it has the proper shape and density. In contrast,pieces of foam are cut then bonded together with adhesive to achieve theproper shape for sofa seat cushions. It is estimated that about one-thirdof the foam used in furniture manufacture and five percent of the foamused in bedding manufacture requires adhesive in the fabrication opera-tion.

Adhesive AlternativesIn the 1980s and early 1990s, most of the adhesive used by foam fabrica-tors was based on 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), a chlorinated solvent.TCA was an effective carrier for the adhesive because it evaporates rapid-ly leaving an instant bond, it is fairly low in toxicity, it does not have aflash point, and it is not classified as a Volatile Organic Compound(VOC) that contributes to photochemical smog.

In the 1990s, TCA was designated as a class one ozone depleting sub-stance and, in 1996, its production was banned for that reason. AlthoughTCA inventory was still available, the chemical had become very expen-sive because of a Federal tax on ozone depleting substances. Virtually alladhesive formulators stopped making TCA adhesives and began offeringadhesives based on methylene chloride (METH), also a chlorinated sol-

Flexible slabstock foam manufac-tured at a pouring plant.

About IRTAIRTA is a nonprofitorganization establishedin 1989 to assistcompanies in adoptinglow- and non-solventtechnologies. IRTAprovides technicalassistance in generaland precision cleaning,drycleaning, paintstripping and coating,adhesive and inkoperations.

vent. Like TCA, METH evaporates quickly, does not have a flash pointand is not classified as a VOC. However, METH is a suspected carcino-gen. In 1997, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) issued a regulation on METH that lowered the worker exposurelevel from 500 ppm to 25 ppm measured as an 8-hour time weightedaverage. The regulation also set an action level at 12.5 ppm. Companieswith worker exposure above that level are required to institute monitor-ing and medical surveillance. The regulation was effective for foam fab-ricators with more than 150 employees in April, 1999 and for fabricatorswith less than 150 employees in April, 2000. Many foam fabricatorshave converted to alternative adhesives because they do not believe theycan meet the new worker exposure levels for METH. Other fabricatorsare testing alternatives and still others have not done anything to addressthe changing regulatory requirements. A few fabricators plan to contin-ue using METH adhesives.

In the early 1990s, the formulators developed one-part and two-partwater-based adhesives and many foam fabricators, particularly inSouthern California, began testing them. In Southern California, METHis classified as a toxic and could not be used when the formulatorsstopped using TCA adhesives. The early one-part water-based adhesiveswere based exclusively on natural latex and they did not bond instantlylike the solvent-based adhesives. The two-part adhesives were difficultto use in equipment but did bond instantly. Because they were muchmore expensive than the one-part adhesives, however, the foam fabrica-tion industry did not adopt them. At this stage, new one-part water-basedadhesives composed of natural latex and a small amount of syn-thetic polymers are available. These adhesives bond much morerapidly than the older one-part adhesives that are based exclu-sively on latex. Many California foam fabricators have convert-ed to these new one-part latex/synthetic water-based adhesives.

Another alternative is an adhesive based on acetone, a non-chlo-rinated chemical. Acetone is low in toxicity and like TCA andMETH, readily evaporates leaving a quick bond. It does have avery low flash point, however, and measures must be taken tominimize the chance of fire or explosion. The National FireProtection Association (NFPA) has rated acetone as an NFPA704 level 3 flammability hazard. State building codes and firecodes are based on NFPA guidelines. The codes vary according to loca-

Mention of trade

names, companies, or

commercial products

does not constitute

endorsement or

recommendation for

use by either the U.S.

Environmental

Protection Agency or

other firms,

organizations, or

individuals who have

participated in the

preparation of this

publication.


New one-part latex/syntheticwaterbased adhesives bondmore rapidly.


tion and local fire departments have regulations that affect the amount ofthe adhesive that can be stored, require explosion-proof motors and highair flow ventilation systems. Some formulations based on acetone alsocontain other chemicals like heptane, hexane, and mineral spirits. Theother chemicals in these formulations are classified as VOCs.

Another alternative is an adhesive based on n-propyl bromide (nPB).This chemical, like TCA and METH, evaporates readily and has no flashpoint. It has unknown but likely high toxicity. nPB is structurally sim-ilar to other brominated chemicals that are carcinogens or have repro-ductive toxicity problems. nPB-based adhesives used by fabricatorscontain some 2-bromopropane (2-BP) as a contaminant. 2-BP is toxicand has caused reproductive problems in Korean workers. nPB is cur-rently classified as a VOC and it also contributes to stratospheric ozonedepletion. OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety andHealth (NIOSH) have nominated nPB and 2-BP for carcinogenicity andreproductive toxicity testing.

In Southern California, VOC regulations are very stringent and fabrica-tors cannot use adhesives based on nPB or the acetone adhesives blend-ed with other chemicals. In most cases, California fabricators haveadopted one-part water-based or acetone-based adhesives. In other partsof the country, North Carolina in particular, where VOC regulations areless stringent, many fabricators, especially small ones, are adopting nPB-based adhesives. A few are adopting the acetone adhesives that containother chemicals and very few have converted to water-based adhesives.

Fabricators that wish to continue using METH-based adhesives have topurchase and install effective ventilation systems that reduce the workerexposure to the legal OSHA limit. Fabricators that wish to use acetoneadhesives must also install ventilation systems to ensure that the acetoneconcentration is below the lower explosion limit of the chemical.Fabricators that are converting to nPB adhesives are installing ventila-tion systems to reduce the worker exposure to a potentially toxic chem-ical. Fabricators adopting one-part water-based adhesives generallyinstall a ventilation system; the water-based systems produce aerosolparticulates that can be removed from the workplace with the ventilationsystem. In effect, fabrication facilities that select any one of the alterna-tive adhesives must expect to install a ventilation system.

About AWFSAWFS was incorporatedto fulfill a major need torepresent the interests ofcompanies andindividuals who supplythe home andinstitutional furnishingsmanufacturing industries.Today, AWFS has aninternational membershipthat includesmanufacturers anddistributers of machinery,hardware, lumber,upholstery materials,bedding, wood productsand other supplies tofurniture and cabinetmanufacturers.

About SCESCE, the flagship of theEdison Internationalfamily of companies, isthe nations secondlargest investor-ownedelectric utility company.Central to the growth ofthe regions economy,SCE continues itsdecades-old commitmentto assist businessesseeking to start, expand,or relocate to its serviceterritory.

Characteristics of Alternatives

Adhesive Classified Toxicity Ozone Flash Issuesas VOC Depleter Point

1,1,1-Trichloroethane No Medium Yes No Production banned

Methylene Chloride No High No No Heavily regulated

n-Propyl Bromide Yes Likely high Low No Unknown but likely high toxicity

Acetone No Low No Yes Fire regulations

Acetone Blends Yes Some high No Yes Fire regulations

Water-Based No Low No No Forms aerosols



Foam Fabricator Helps Push

Water-Based Adhesive Technology

Foam Craft Inc., located in Cerritos,California, employs 160 people. Thefirm started operation in 1965 and wasbought by Future Foam, a flexible slabstockfoam manufacturer, in 1994. Foam Craftfabricates foam for use in packaging, furni-ture and bedding. Products like futons,recreation vehicles, trucks, tractors and dogbeds use the foam fabricated by Foam Craft.

Several years ago, like most of the industry,Foam Craft used methylene chloride(METH)-based adhesives for bonding foam-to-foam in their fabrication operations.Because of air regulations put in place by theSouth Coast Air Quality ManagementDistrict, Foam Craft converted their process-es from METH to 1,1,1-trichloroethane(TCA)-based adhesives. Like other compa-nies in Southern California, Foam Craft usedTCA-based adhesives until the cost of the

chemical became prohibitive. TCA con-tributes to stratospheric ozone depletion andproduction was banned in 1996. A Federaltax placed on the chemical made it extreme-ly expensive to use.

"We have completely converted to water atthis stage," says Bob Nylander, FoamCraft's plant manager. The company beganinvestigating water-based adhesive alterna-tives about six years ago when it becameclear that TCA would be phased out. At thattime, the water-based products were new tothe market and Foam Craft went through along learning curve to optimize their use.Foam Craft and the vendors, in a partner-ship, were able to solve all the problems thatarose during a long testing phase.

Foam Craft emerged as one of the industrypioneers for water-based foam bonding

"The ban on TCA was

a good thing. It forced

us to examine our

process and find a bet-

ter alternative for work-

ers and the environ-

ment," says Bob

Nylander.

adhesives. The company spent two years ofintensive testing to determine the best meth-ods of using the new adhesives. They beganwork with a one-part adhesive made byUpaco. Foam Craft found that the adhesivedid not dry as fast as the solvent-borne adhe-sives so they tested different applicationtechniques. Instead of spraying two pieces offoam and putting them together for an instantbond, the workers now spray a stack of foampieces and then join them. Worker applica-tion time is virtually identical now to what itwas before the conversion.

Foam Craft had to work out several otherproblems over the two-year period. Theyhad difficulty developing an adhesive feedsystem for their eight stations that had a totalof 32 spray booths and guns. Going to agravity feed system eliminated shearingissues.

They also found that at first they used about1.6 times more of the water-based adhesivethan the solvent-borne adhesive. With expe-


rience, they were able to optimize the appli-cation process and now they use aboutthree-fourths as much of the water-basedadhesives. This reduction in materials usemeans that the cost of doing business forFoam Craft was reduced by the switch towater-based adhesives.

Foam Craft is now testing new water-basedproducts to see if they can reduce their costsfurther. The company is also investigatingnew cutting processes that could help elim-inate some of the requirements for adhesiveuse altogether.

"The ban on TCA was a good thing. Itforced us to examine our process and find abetter alternative for workers and the envi-ronment," says Bob Nylander. "We've pro-vided information to the other Future Foamplants in the country. They are planning touse our example to convert now that meth-ylene chloride can't be used. We're investi-gating other methods to reduce our costsfurther."


Prestige Evaluates Several GlueTechnologies

Prestige is one of the largest foam fabrica-tors in North Carolina. The companyalso manufactures polyurethane slabstockfoam in Asheboro. About 80 percent of thefoam the company manufactures is used inthe fabrication operation and 20 percent issold to other firms.

The foam pouring and fabrication operationswere located in the same building untilrecently; the foam fabrication now takes

place in a separate 200,000 square footfacility. Prestige does fabrication for a vari-ety of furniture manufacturers. Adhesive isused to bond the foam-to-foam in the fabri-cation operation. The company also manu-factures sleeper mattresses for sofa bedsbut, in this case, has found that lifetime test-ing results are better with sewing for thoseproducts.

Prestige has a very large fabrication opera-tion with 30 gluing stations. The companyhas 250 employees and about 40 of themapply adhesive. In 1991, the company useda 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA)-based adhe-sive. Prestige started evaluating alternativetechnologies when it became clear that TCAproduction would be banned because of thechemical's contribution to ozone depletion.

The company converted to a one-part water-based adhesive and has been using it forseveral years. They also used a two-partwater-based adhesive for critical bonding

"I think we'll go with acetone

glues," says Joe Wingfield.

"Acetone is flammable, but it

has low toxicity and the

glues perform well."

Prestige produces thousands of styles and sizes ofcut foam, pillows, sleeper mattresses, and garnettedfiber.

applications on furniture arms, ears, seamsand other complex parts. "We never liked theperformance of the water-based glue," saysDanny Sykes, General Manager at Prestige."It took four to six weeks for the workers tolearn to spray the water-based glues and sixto eight weeks to get their speed up," he says.The company purchased and installed 30spray booths when they converted from TCAto the water-based adhesives.

Recently, the company began using an n-propyl bromide adhesive on the line wherethey used the two-part water-based glue. The


two-part adhesives are very costly to main-tain. "We like the performance of the n-propyl bromide glue but are concernedabout possible regulation," says JoeWingfield, President of Prestige.

The company has also evaluated the costs ofacetone-based adhesives and is consideringusing them. "I think we'll go with acetoneglues," says Joe Wingfield. "Acetone isflammable but it has low toxicity and theglues perform well. The cost of using ace-tone glues is also lower than the cost ofusing the n-propyl bromide products."

In 1983 Prestigebegan manufac-turing its ownfoam.

The fabri-cated foamis cut,buffed,glued,labeled,and pre-pared forshipment.

Annual Cost Comparison for PrestigeCost One-Part Two-Part Acetone n-Propyl Bromide

Water-Based Water-Based Adhesive AdhesiveCapital Cost $11,182 $11,182 $12,160 $11,182

Adhesive Cost $656,250 $1,356,000 $218,700 $656,100

Labor Cost $720,000 $720,000 $720,000 $720,000

Maintenance Cost $3,780 $7,200 $3,780 $3,780

Electricity Cost $2,160 $2,160 $2,160 $2,160

Training Cost $1,080 $1,080 $1,080 $1,080

Total Cost $1,394,452 $2,097,622 $957,880 $1,394,302


Latex International, a large manufacturerof latex foam, has two manufacturingplants worldwide. The company has a fabri-cation plant in Santa Fe Springs, Californiawith 50 employees where they fabricatefoam used primarily in the bedding industry.

In the 1980s, like other companies in thecountry, Latex International used methylenechloride-based adhesives in their fabricationoperation. More recently, as methylene chlo-ride was more heavily regulated by the localair district, the company converted to an ace-tone-based adhesive. Latex International didnot want to continue to use solvent-borneadhesives and initiated work on water-basedproducts. Today, the company is exclusivelyusing water-based adhesives.

The latex foam cores that are used in mat-tresses are manufactured in LatexInternational's plant in Conneticut. Theingredients are poured into molds of vari-ous types. Two twin molded cores are gluedtogether to form a king sized core. Theplant in Santa Fe Springs receives latexfoam cores from the Conneticut plant andbonds two types of foam products. In oneoperation, latex is bonded to latex to formthe foam core of a high end mattress. Thelatex foam takes the place of springs that arecommonly used in lower end mattresses.The company also uses glue to attach alu-minized "cigarette tape" to the edges of themattress to prevent cigarette fires. In thesecond operation, Latex International uses

Santa Fe Springs Foam Fabricator Converts to Water-Based Adhesives

"We did a lot of testing and

converted away from sol-

vent-based adhesives

entirely," Roger Coffey says.

"The water-based adhesives

work effectively and they

are better for the workers

and the community."

Annual Cost Comparison for Latex InternationalCost Acetone Adhesive Water-Based Adhesive

Capital Cost $400

Adhesive Cost $34,188 $27,360

Labor Cost $196,000 $196,000

Maintenance Cost $490 $372

Electricity Cost $1,440 $1,440

Training Cost $470

Regulatory Cost $352 $352

Total Cost $232,870 $225,994


adhesives to bond "racetracks" which aresmaller cores of latex foam with an outerperimeter of polyurethane. These cores areused in less expensive bedding.

In the polyurethane foam-to-latex operation,Latex International uses a one-part latexwater-based adhesive which does not have animmediate tack. In the latex-to-latex opera-tion, a different one-part water-based adhe-sive which has a shorter tack time is used.The latex is less porous than polyurethane

foam so a faster tack adhesive is required.

Says Ron Bruneau, Plant Manager at LatexInternational West, "our adhesive use hasbeen reduced by about 30 percent since weconverted from acetone to water-basedadhesives." The cost of using the water-based adhesives is roughly the same as thecost of the acetone adhesives. "We are test-ing other water-based adhesives to see if wecan lower our costs," says Ron Bruneau.

Roger Coffey, President of LatexInternational West, is pleased with the con-version and continued work to find lowercost adhesives. "We're an environmentallyconscious company. "We did a lot of testingand converted away from solvent-basedadhesives entirely," he says. "The water-based adhesives work effectively and theyare better for the workers and the communi-ty."

Latex is bonded to latex to form the foam core of ahigh-end mattress.


Hickory Springs Decides on Acetone

Hickory Springs is a major manufacturerof flexible slabstock polyurethanefoam. The company has six pouring plants inthe country, including Conover, NorthCarolina and City of Commerce inCalifornia. The foam is used in diverseapplications like packaging, bedding, furni-ture and recreational vehicles.

In addition to manufacturing thepolyurethane foam, Hickory Springs also hasa number of fabrication operations. Thecompany has fabrication operations in all oftheir foam pouring plants; in addition,Hickory Springs owns about 30 separate fab-ricating companies. About half the foam thecompany produces is used in their own fabri-cation operations. In all, the company hasabout 2,000 employees who manufacture andfabricate foam.

Hickory Springs historically used methyl-ene chloride (METH) as an auxiliary blow-ing agent in their slabstock foam productionoperations. Because of more stringent toxicregulations on METH, the company beganinvestigating alternatives in the early 1990s.In 1993, Hickory Springs patented a newblowing agent process that used acetone as

"Acetone is low in toxicity

and it's as effective as

METH as a blowing agent

and in the glues," says

Bobby Bush. "We think it's

the best overall solution."

The foam is used in diverse applications includingpackaging, bedding, furniture, and recreationalvehicles.


based adhesives in their fabrication opera-tion at the pouring plant. "The companywas very familiar with acetone because itwas used as a blowing agent in our pouringplants," says Bobby Bush, Vice President ofthe Foam Products Division at HickorySprings. "People are nervous about acetonebecause of its combustibility," he remarks."Our insurance rates did not go up; we hadto install a ventilation system but we wouldhave had to do that with water or METHadhesives too."

The Conover plant has 16 stations whereadhesive is applied. With the conversion toacetone, the company installed ventilationsystems that collect from the floor at 11 ofthe stations; at the remaining five stations, afan pulls the air outside. At the City ofCommerce plant, which has a much smallerfabrication operation, the company hasalways had one spray booth and no addi-tional ventilation was necessary for the con-version to acetone adhesives.

In the Conover plant, the company uses anadhesive formulation that is a blend of ace-tone and heptane. In the City of Commerceplant, the company uses a straight acetone-based adhesive because of the more strin-gent local air district regulations on VOCs."Acetone is low in toxicity and it's as effec-tive as METH as a blowing agent and in theglues," says Bobby Bush. "We think it's thebest overall solution."

At the City of Commerce plant, the compa-ny reduced their costs in converting from

the auxiliary blowing agent in foam manu-facture in place of METH. A few years, later,when acetone was deemed exempt fromVOC regulations, the company converted allof their pouring plants from METH to ace-tone.

Like other companies, Hickory Springs usedTCA-based adhesives in the early 1990s.When the production ban on TCA wasannounced and the price of TCA increased,the company converted to METH-basedadhesives for their fabrication operations.

In 1990, the pouring plant in City ofCommerce used TCA-based adhesives.From 1991 to 1998, the company decided notto continue fabrication at that site. In 1998,the company decided to reenter the fabrica-tion market. At that stage, METH was heav-ily regulated by the local air district andHickory Springs investigated and adoptedwater-based adhesives. "We tried for about ayear to make the water-based adhesives workfor us but we were unsuccessful," says SteveIsenhour, Plant Manager at the City ofCommerce plant. "We're using acetone adhe-sives now and we've had no problems," hesays.

When the Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA) regulated METHmore stringently, Hickory Springs decided toconvert away from METH in their fabrica-tion operations throughout the country. Inthe Conover plant, the company converted towater-based adhesives for a short time. In1998, the company began testing acetone-


Annual Cost Comparison for Hickory Springs, City ofCommerce Plant

Cost Water-Based Adhesive Acetone Adhesive

Capital Cost $100


Labor/Maintenance Cost $23,833 $15,889

Electricity Cost $215 $143

Total Cost $31,608 $23,932

Production-Adjusted Total Cost $31,608 $17,949

water-based to acetone adhesives. The com-pany's production efficiency is much greaterwith the acetone-based adhesive. The tablebelow shows that the production adjusted

cost of using acetone adhesives is about 43percent less than the cost of using the water-based adhesives.

Annual Cost Comparison for Hickory Springs, Conover PlantCost METH Adhesive Acetone Adhesive

Capital Cost $1,793


Labor Cost $288,000 $288,000

Maintenance Cost $2,403 $2,403

Electricity Cost $1,260

Total Cost $345,403 $359,456


About the Design for the Environment (DfE) ProgramThe Design for the Environment (DfE) Program is a cooperative effortbetween the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), industries,research institutions, environmental/public interest groups, and othergovernment agencies. Working with these partners, the DfE programidentifies cost-effective alternatives to existing products and processesthat reduce risks to workers and the environment while maintaining orimproving performance and product quality. Through the DfE program,EPA encourages businesses to incorporate environmental considera-tions into their products, processes, and technical and management sys-tems. To help industry implement some of the ideas and technologiesidentified, the DfE program has published a number of case studies ofcompanies which have found that environmental improvements canalso lead to economic benefits. The case studies encourage other ven-dors, as well as other businesses, to learn from these environmental suc-cesses and adapt the techniques to their own processes.

Check Out IRTAs WebSite:

http://home.earthlink.net/~irta

Check Out DfEsAdhesives Web Site:

http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/dfe/adhesive/adhesive.htmlFor More Information

To obtain additional copies of this or other case studies, or formore information contact:

Institute for Research and Technical Assistance (IRTA)2800 Olympic Blvd., Ste. 101

Santa Monica, CA 90404

Telephone: (310) 453-0450Fax: (310) 453-2660

E-Mail: [email protected] website: http://home.earthlink.net/~irta

http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/dfe/adhesive/adhesive.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/opptintr/dfe/adhesive/adhesive.htmlhttp://home.earthlink.net/~irtahttp://home.earthlink.net/~irtamailto:[email protected]://home.earthlink.net/~irta

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