Dow Elastomer Booster Running Shoes Shock Absorption

The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) recently won the 2016 Ringier Technology Innovation Award for its new-generation sports shoe midsole solution - INFUSE? Olefin Block Copolymers (OBCs). In this year's selection, Dow also contributed the only award-winning technology in the "Rubber/Elastomer and Additives" category.

"It is a great honor to receive this year's Ringier Technology Innovation Award," said Mr. Bob Gowell, Global R&D Director of Dow Elastomers, Power and Information Business, "Dow hopes to use cutting-edge technology to help customers create innovations in terms of performance and comfort. Both are groundbreaking running shoes, and this award is the greatest recognition of Dow’s unremitting efforts in this regard.”

Over the past few years, consumers around the world have placed ever higher demands on the shock-absorbing properties of running shoes. This demand trend has driven manufacturers to continuously search for higher performance running shoe midsole solutions.

In the design process of running shoes, the midsole is a key reference factor, and its performance directly determines the life and quality of running shoes. In particular, a good midsole can absorb the shock generated by people when jumping and running, and reduce the impact and pressure on the body, thereby reducing the risk of injury for ordinary consumers. For professional athletes, the midsole of a good running shoe can act as a stabilizer, helping athletes reduce injuries and pain by preventing the feet from rolling inside and out.

Traditional midsole foams offer limited comfort to consumers. In contrast, footwear foam made with INFUSE OBCs technology can perfectly meet various challenges that existing materials cannot solve.

When developing the revolutionary INFUSE? OBCs solution, Dow combined its own INFUSE? technology, so that the former can help reduce the weight of running shoes while improving the elasticity, softness and durability of running shoes. These features will help running shoe manufacturers better meet consumer needs.

Before the advent of INFUSE? OBCs technology, in the field of polyolefin elastomer chemistry, no one has ever been able to achieve the mixing of soft polymers and hard high-melting point polymers. With this pioneering initiative in the industry, INFUSE? OBCs successfully won the ICIS Product Innovation Award in 2012.

Huang Xudong, Asia Pacific R&D Director of Dow Elastomers, Power and Information Business, said: "As early as the 1990s, Dow began to explore high-performance polyolefin elastomers. It has deep experience in the field of advanced catalysts. Knowledge and breakthroughs in high-throughput research methods have led to major breakthroughs such as Dow's pioneering ENGAGE™ and AFFINITY™ plastomers, VERSIFY™ propylene-based elastomers, and the latest INFUSE™ olefin block copolymers. The birth of ? was inspired by customers, it can not only endow running shoes with better performance, but also make combined processing methods possible.”

The 2016 Ringier Technology Innovation Awards covers nominations in 11 categories in the Asia-Pacific region. The awards in the "Rubber/Elastomers and Additives" category were selected by experienced industry experts and public online votes after a rigorous screening process.