Sales of Zotefoams’ high performance fluoropolymer-based Zotek foams passed the $1m (E0.8m) mark last year in the first full year of sales, the UK company says.
The initial Zotek F product, based on Kynar PVdF from Arkema, is planned to be the first in a series of high performance materials and was supplemented at the beginning of the year with Zotek F HT offering higher temperature levels and improved chemical resistance.
Applications are being developed in the aviation, military and the chemical industry sectors although lead times and development costs are considerable, the Croydon-based firm acknowledges.
Zotefoams continued its recovery last year, results announced today show, with pre-tax profit before exceptionals up 40% at £1.8m (E1.5m) and sales up 11% at £28m (E23m) with overall volumes ahead by 3%.
The company has accelerated a refurbishment programme at its plant having discovered “unanticipated” corrosion of the water cooled high pressure vessels and will now commit a £9m (E7m) programme over a six-year rather than ten-year period.
