Dow Polyurethane Systems “Softens” a New Playground at New Baseball Stadium in Midland
Midland, MI - April 13, 2007
Polyurethane binder material from Dow Polyurethane Systems, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, contributed to a safe, “kid-friendly” platform for a playground constructed at Dow Diamond Stadium in Midland, Michigan. Dow donated a brand new product,
VORAMER™ MR 1165 polyurethane binder, to help “soften” the platform for the playground, providing children visiting the ball park with a safe place to play.
The platform consists of layers of recycled rubber tires and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. VORAMER™ MR™ 1165 polyurethane binder from Dow, a material used as a binder for rubber rebonding, was used to create and bond the two layers of rubber together, providing a softer, more resilient surface compared to traditional materials such as mulch, sand or gravel. The flexible surface increases the safety of the playground and may lead to fewer injuries in the play area.
“It is great to be a part of making the Dow Diamond a safer and more fun place for kids,” said Pat Dawson, president for Dow Polyurethanes, resident of Midland and avid baseball fan. “It’s not too often we look to the 5-year-old crowd for the stamp of approval on our products, but we certainly hope they and their parents will enjoy the softer surface to play on.”
VORAMER MR polyurethane binder is designed with the proper tensile and elongation properties to work in conjunction with the rubber to provide maximum resiliency and impact deflection. To produce the safest surface possible, various tests were performed to optimize the polymer design and determine the appropriate amount of polymer to be used in the platform. This particular platform was designed and engineered to protect children from injuries due to falls from up to 6 feet off the ground.
“Parents can rest assured knowing the playground’s surface was designed specifically to help protect their children from serious injuries,” said Mark Adams, Technical Service Representative for Dow Polyurethane Systems. “Rubber playground surfaces, like the one at Dow Diamond Stadium, are one of the safest recreational surfaces, and we hope the children will agree they are even more fun.”
Construction of the platform, which includes a shape of the state of Michigan, was completed on March 30, 2007. Construction of the stadium began in April 2006.
Dow Diamond Stadium is home to the Great Lakes Loons, Midland’s Single-A Minor League baseball team, and is scheduled to open today, April 13, 2007. The Loons are affiliated with the Los Angeles Dodgers and will face the Lansing Lugnuts during the stadium’s inaugural game.
About Dow Polyurethane Systems
Dow is a global leader in polymer chemistry and one of the major producers of isocyanates and polyols, as well as fully formulated polyurethane systems for a broad range of applications. This includes a wide variety of flexible, rigid and microcellular foams, elastomers and binders for major industries such as construction, automotive, footwear, furniture, appliance and CASE (coatings, adhesives, elastomers and sealants). Focused on meeting the specific needs of customers in their local region, Dow Polyurethanes Systems operates a global network of 18 systems houses with manufacturing units and 8 service centers, supported by three research and development centers. Dow Polyurethane Systems is focused on providing innovative, tailor-made solutions to customers world-wide. For more information, please visit www.dowpolyurethanes.com.
About Dow Polyurethanes
Dow is the world's largest producer of polyether polyols, a leading producer of quality aromatic isocyanates, such as MDI and TDI, and a major supplier of propylene oxide, an essential component of polyether polyols. Dow's polyurethanes products and formulated systems are used in rigid foams, flexible foams, adhesives, sealants, coatings, and elastomers, as well as many other applications. Dow also offers the latest in polyol technology with its VORANOL™ VORACTIV™ polyols, part of an ongoing initiative by Dow to lead the industry in providing high-performance products with reduced VOC-emissions. For more information, visit www.dowpolyurethanes.com, www.pusystems.com and www.voractiv.com.
About The Dow Chemical Company
®™* Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow
For Editorial Information:
Myra Dean
The Dow Chemical Company
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Urszula Murphy
Gibbs & Soell, Inc.
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