Innovation in advanced foam materials has always been at the heart of the Zotefoams business model. For over 100 years, we have pioneered the development of uniquely sustainable materials using supercritical fluid foaming technology.
What is supercritical fluid foaming?
The principle of foaming using supercritical fluids is simple: we borrow an inert gas from the atmosphere and turn this into a supercritical fluid which we dissolve into a polymer. Then, under controlled conditions, we allow the fluid trapped in the polymer to return into a gas state which, in doing so, expands the polymer into a foam. This process requires significant know-how around both the equipment and the materials to produce good-quality foams efficiently. Both nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) can be used as the supercritical fluid because they are inert, non-toxic and easily recoverable. This eliminates the need for chemical foaming agents, produces products of equivalent performance using less raw material and consumes fewer resources, while also creating lighter, more durable foams. We primarily use nitrogen in our processes – not only is it the most environmentally friendly option, but it also produces unparalleled product performance characteristics.
A hub-and-spoke approach to innovation
To accelerate the impact of innovation, we are adopting a hub and spoke model:
_UK Innovation Centre of Excellence (hub)a dedicated centre focused on developing platform technologies that drive long-term innovation
_ Market-focused Innovation Centres (spokes): embedded centres tailored to specific industries, ensuring that innovation is customer-centric and directly aligned with market needs.
This model ensures that our innovation pipeline is both strategic and agile, combining cutting-edge technology development with real-world applications in key markets.
Picking the right projects
The key to successful innovation lies in choosing the right opportunities. By embedding our market-focused Innovation Centres within strategic growth areas – Consumer & Lifestyle, Transport & Smart Technologies, Construction & Other Industrial Applications – we ensure that our effort is targeted where we have a deep expertise and a strong right to win.
Working alongside academic institutions, raw material suppliers and equipment manufacturers, our UK Innovation Centre of Excellence will develop breakthrough technologies that can be efficiently implemented through our market-specific Innovation Centres.
Footwear Innovation Centre
One of our most exciting innovations is in footwear technology, where we are redefining performance, efficiency and sustainability.
To support this, the first Innovation Centre that we will launch will be our Footwear Innovation Centre in South Korea, located near our key customer and their Tier 1 manufacturing partners. This proximity will allow us to work directly with customers, implementing new developments into specific shoe models.
Breakthrough technologies
By combining localised innovation with cutting-edge materials science, we can collaborate more effectively to develop sustainable footwear solutions across a range of polymers.
Recent major advancements include:
3D foam midsole: eliminates over 90% of waste compared with traditional processes.
Expanding our capabilities
Our UK Innovation Centre of Excellence, independent from production facilities, will drive our technology leadership while safeguarding our intellectual property.
With over 100 years of supercritical fluid foam experience, we are now expanding our capability beyond raw materials to deliver fully engineered solutions to our customers.
Digital transformation
We are harnessing the power of AI to accelerate development cycles, reducing time to market for our next generations solutions.
Sustainability focus
Our focus is on sustainable innovation – both enhancing existing technologies and developing new solutions to reduce energy consumption, emissions and waste across the entire value chain. Shaping the future of foam technology At Zotefoams, innovation is not just about staying ahead; it’s about leading the way. Our investment in sustainable, high-performance materials ensures that we remain the preferred partner for industries looking to push the boundaries of lightweight, durable and sustainable materials.
By placing innovation at the heart of our business model, we don’t just respond to market shifts; we define them.