Honeywell Starts Full-Scale Production Of Low-Global-Warming Propellant, Insulating Agent, And Refrigerant

Honeywell's Baton Rouge, Louisiana, manufacturing facility is producing HFO-1234ze for aerosols, extruded polystyrene and refrigerants applications

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Honeywell

Jan 06, 2015, 10:00 ET

MORRIS TOWNSHIP, N.J., Jan. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced today that it has started full-scale commercial production of a low-global-warming-potential (GWP) material used as an aerosol propellant, insulating agent and refrigerant.

The material, known by the industry designation HFO-1234ze and marketed by Honeywell under its Solstice^® line of low-global-warming materials, is being produced at the Honeywell Fluorine Products facility in Baton Rouge, La.

"Honeywell's Baton Rouge production facility is ready to serve customers around the world with this innovative material, which has an ultra-low GWP of less than 1," said Ken Gayer, vice president and general manager of Honeywell's Fluorine Products business. "We are seeing increasing demand for our entire Solstice line of low GWP materials, and this new product has already been adopted by a range of customers globally."

Honeywell's Baton Rouge facility was built in 1945 and continues to serve as one of Honeywell's main manufacturing sites for its Performance Materials and Technologies business. The site employs more than 200 people.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal said, "Honeywell helps support hundreds of jobs in our state, and we're proud the company is expanding in Baton Rouge with a brand new product line. This project is a good example of how Louisiana's outstanding business climate is convincing companies like Honeywell to reinvest in our state, retain great existing jobs and create additional new career opportunities for our people."

In September 2014, at an event sponsored by the White House, Honeywell announced that it will increase production of its low GWP refrigerants, insulation materials, aerosols and solvents, and, prior to 2020, will drive a 50 percent reduction in its annual production of high GWP hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) on a CO₂ equivalent basis. The company projects that use of its low GWP Solstice materials to replace HFCs will eliminate more than 350 million metric tons in CO₂ equivalents by 2025, equivalent to removing 70 million cars from the road for one year.

HFO-1234ze is a next-generation material that is non-ozone-depleting, non-flammable per ASTM E681 and ISO 10156:2010 testing, and has a low-global-warming-potential of less than 1. It is also not a volatile organic compound (VOC), as determined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resource Board (CARB). HFO-1234ze is considered a preferred replacement for both HFC-134a (which has GWP of 1,300) and HFC-152a (which is flammable and has a GWP of 138) in aerosol applications and thermal insulating foams, including extruded polystyrene board and polyurethane foams. It is also being considered to replace HFC-134a for large stationary and commercial refrigeration applications and, compared to other low GWP refrigerant options, Honeywell's HFO-1234ze provides energy efficiency benefits.

HFO-1234ze is part of Honeywell's line of Solstice hydrofluoro-olefin (HFO) products that have extremely low global warming potentials – either equal to or less than carbon dioxide – and that are safe, available today and capable of making a significant positive environmental impact. Honeywell's Solstice HFOs are alternatives to high GWP HFCs and are energy-efficient, safe to use, non-ozone-depleting and have a minimal global warming profile.

Honeywell's Solstice line of HFOs include Solstice yf for automobile air conditioning, Solstice Propellant for aerosol applications, Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent and Gas Blowing Agent for foam applications, and Solstice Performance Fluid for use as an industrial solvent. Each of these products has been approved under the EPA's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program.

In addition to its industry-leading line of low-global-warming-potential HFOs, Honeywell's Fluorine Products business manufactures and supplies non-ozone-depleting refrigerants used by top air-conditioning and refrigeration makers worldwide, blowing agents for energy-efficient foam insulation, hydrofluoric acid used in gasoline and steel manufacturing, and precursors for nuclear fuel.

Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies (PMT) is a global leader in developing advanced materials, process technologies and automation solutions. PMT's Advanced Materials businesses manufacture a wide variety of high-performance products, including environmentally friendlier refrigerants and materials used to manufacture end products such as bullet-resistant armor, nylon, computer chips and pharmaceutical packaging. Process technologies developed by PMT's UOP business (www.uop.com) form the foundation for most of the world's refiners, efficiently producing gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, petrochemicals and renewable fuels. PMT's Process Solutions business (www.honeywellprocess.com) is a pioneer in automation control, instrumentation and services for the oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, industrial power generation, chemicals and petrochemicals, biofuels, life sciences, and metals, minerals and mining industries.

Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; turbochargers; and performance materials. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.

This release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that we or our management intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon certain assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. The forward-looking statements included in this release are also subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to economic, competitive, governmental, and technological factors affecting our operations, markets, products, services and prices. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ from those envisaged by such forward-looking statements. We identify the principal risks and uncertainties that affect our performance in our Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Honeywell