Leading Chinese Appliance Manufacturer Adopts Honeywell Low-Global-Warming-Potential Insulation Material

Hisense will use Honeywell's Solstice® blowing agent for refrigerator and freezer insulation in China

News provided by

Apr 07, 2015, 10:00 ET

SHANGHAI, April 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced today that Hisense, a leading Chinese appliance manufacturer, will begin using Honeywell's low-global-warming-potential (GWP) insulation materials in its refrigerators and freezers to reduce the global warming impact of its insulation while increasing its energy efficiency.

Hisense, which sells appliances globally under the Hisense and Hisense-Kelon brands, will implement Honeywell's Solstice^® Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA) widely.

Solstice LBA is a non-ozone-depleting blowing agent that has an ultra-low global warming potential of 1, which is 99.9 percent lower than HFC-245fa, a commonly-used blowing agent. Blowing agents allow closed-cell polyurethane foam insulation, used in the walls of refrigerators and freezers, to expand while providing the majority of the foam's excellent insulating properties.

"Solstice LBA can help appliance manufacturers achieve an 8 to 10 percent improvement in energy efficiency compared with alternative blowing agents," said Sanjeev Rastogi, business director for Honeywell Fluorine Products. "Hisense's decision to adopt this new blowing agent demonstrates their innovation leadership in the appliance industry and builds on the long-standing strategic partnership between our two companies."

Hisense was the first Chinese appliance manufacturer to adopt Honeywell's prior-generation Enovate^® 245fa blowing agent, which provided Hisense refrigerators and freezers with improved energy performance and reduced ozone impact.

"We are excited to lead the way again by implementing Honeywell's innovative and cost-effective low-GWP Solstice LBA at manufacturing locations in China. Through this collaborative effort, we stand at the forefront of the latest global technologies and we are helping advance environmentally-preferable technology in China," said Hisense.

Chinese manufacturers produce about 90-100 million refrigerator and freezer units per year, more than half of the total number of refrigerators and freezers produced globally.

Solstice LBA is being adopted rapidly across the globe. To date, nine residential and commercial appliance manufacturers worldwide have adopted Solstice LBA to meet or exceed environmental and energy efficiency regulations.

Solstice LBA is non-flammable and can help appliance manufacturers achieve an 8 percent to 10 percent energy efficiency improvement compared with cyclopentane, which is flammable and widely used as a blowing agent in appliance insulation.

Solstice LBA is approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program and is also registered under the European Union's REACH program. It is not a volatile organic compound. Honeywell's new world-scale production capacity manufacturing plant for Solstice LBA started up in May 2014 in Louisiana, United States, to meet the rapid increase of global demand.

Blowing agents from Honeywell can be used in a wide range of applications, including spray foam insulation, household refrigerators and freezers, insulated architectural panels, and refrigerated shipping containers.

In addition to Solstice LBA, Honeywell's family of Solstice-branded products includes stationary and mobile refrigerants, gaseous blowing agents, propellants, and solvents based on Honeywell's new hydrofluoro-olefin technology that helps customers lower their carbon footprint without sacrificing end-product performance.

Honeywell's Fluorine Products business is a leader in the manufacture and supply of non-ozone-depleting refrigerants used by top air-conditioning and refrigeration makers worldwide, and blowing agents for energy-efficient foam insulation, as well as hydrofluoric acid 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. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. 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