What do we make at Umicore Bruges?
Umicore Specialty Materials Bruges has a long tradition in the production of alkyd resins and metal-organic compounds used in a wide range of applications. Doesn’t this ring a bell? Don't panic! We have a few examples that will quickly give you an idea of how our wide and diverse range of chemicals can be found in your everyday life.
Did you know that ...
… You can discover our products in the decoration of your home
As everyone has probably experienced, a lick of paint can make a huge difference to the look of a room. But did you know that Umicore Bruges’ products play an essential role in this? We produce the basis for paint, alkyd resins, this product forms an ideal binder for paint. In addition to the binder, we also produce metal-organic compounds that act as driers for your paint. Based on cobalt, manganese or many other metals, these products allow your paint to dry evenly and quickly. This ensures effective and beautiful results!
… Our catalysts are present in your insulation
Quality insulation panels are an essential part of an energy-efficient home. Good insulation can make a difference to people and nature. But what are these panels made of? They are made of a material called "polyurethane", more specifically "polyisocyanurate foam" (PIR). To make PIR foam, you need two components that react with each other, namely 'polyols' and 'isocyanates'. These components need a push to react together and this push is provided by Umicore's catalysts. Our catalysts are based on the metal potassium. This small component has a big impact on the final properties of the product, your insulation panel.
… The ink in your magazine contains our products
At the hairdresser's, at the dentist's, relaxing on the sofa... Everyone has flicked through a magazine. And whether it's an opinion piece, a festival review or juicy gossip, it wouldn't have been possible without ink. You may have never thought about it, but that ink needs a whole range of important properties to get the message across in a qualitative way! For example, our alkyd resins provide the right gloss, adhesion to the paper and integration of the pigments into the ink. And, as with paint, we also produce metal-organic compounds for inks to ensure proper drying.
… We ensure safe driving fun with our rubber adhesion promoters
Whether you are a fan of screaming Formula 1 cars or prefer to take it easy with some music in the background, durable and safe tires are a must! Your car tires are made of rubber and are reinforced with steel wire. It is extremely important for the structure of the tire that this steel wire is well bonded within the rubber. This is where our metal-organic compounds play a very important role. Our so-called "adhesion promoters" are based on the metal cobalt and are purple in color. These bonding agents are used by tire manufacturers to create a strong chemical bond between the steel and the rubber. Like this, you can get out on the track safely every time!
… We are contributing to renewable energy
It is impossible to imagine our landscape without these mighty white giants. We are talking about wind turbines, of course! Thanks to these machines, we can convert the forces of nature into renewable energy. But because wind turbines are exposed to all weather conditions, they need to be made of extremely strong materials. To give these composite materials the desired properties, we develop metal-organic compounds based on cobalt, potassium or copper. These products act as catalysts, helping to create the distinctive, strong characteristics of the composite material.