Morumbi Stadium to receive Brazil's first "sugar seats"

Giroflex-forma, in partnership with Braskem and Cromex, debuts its first line of seats made from renewable raw materials at the stadium of São Paulo Football Club.

São Paulo, July 2012 - Giroflex-forma, a leading furniture maker in Latin America, has launched Brazil's first seats incorporating plastic made from renewable raw materials, which will be installed in the boxes at Morumbi Stadium in the city of São Paulo. Developed in partnership with Cromex and Braskem, the seats use polyethylene made from sugarcane ethanol, a high-value material that is 100% renewable and recyclable.

"The main innovation is the high level of sustainability incorporated into the project's design, with the plastic used in the seats made from ethanol, a renewable energy source that replaces the traditional petroleum-based compound," said Linaldo Vilar, director of new business at giroflex-forma. Over the next three years, the company plans to invest nearly R$6 million in the sports-arena seating market.

Manufactured by Braskem, the world's leading biopolymer producer, the resin in these "sugar seats" is recognized worldwide for maintaining the benefits and properties of traditional plastic, while being more sustainable. The most important advantage is its capacity to help reduce the greenhouse gas effect, since it removes 2.5 tons of carbon gas (CO2) from the atmosphere for every ton produced.

Cromex, the leader in color masterbatches and additives, has developed a new generation of compounds for use in the Green PE seats. These are additives that enhance performance and processing with formulas free of heavy metals and halogen-free flame-retardant properties and that comply with the standards of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the Brazilian Association of Technical Norms (ABNT).

About giroflex-forma
The largest Brazilian company in its market segment, giroflex-forma is the leading Brazilian manufacturer of furniture, seats and solutions for workspaces. Its leading position reflects its pioneering nature. It was the first company in Brazil to apply ergonomic concepts to corporate furniture and chair designs. The brand has become a reference in well-being by imparting comfort, flexibility and beauty in work environments. With over 30 stores nationwide, giroflex-forma has nine points of sale in Latin America.

About Braskem
Braskem is the top thermoplastic resins producer in the Americas. With 35 industrial plants in Brazil, the United States and Germany, the company produces over 35 billion pounds of thermoplastic resins and other petrochemicals per year. Braskem is the world's leading biopolymers producer with its 440 million pound green polyethylene plant that produces polyethylene from sugarcane-based ethanol.

About Cromex
Cromex is Brazil's leader in color masterbatches and additives for plastics, with two industrial units (Sao Paulo and Bahia) with production capacity of 132 kton/year and average annual revenue of more than R$400 million. Its two production facilities create more than 500 direct jobs and hold ISO 9001, 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications. Cromex has a portfolio of over 13,000 colors and additives developed by its in-house laboratories, which serve 18 different segments in the plastics industry, including toys, packaging and caps for various segments (food, beverages, cosmetics, personal care, cleaning) civil construction plastics, auto industry and agribusiness.

Source: http://www.braskem.com.br