German cushioning specialist Hukla is one of the

German cushioning specialist Hukla is one of the world’s biggest
producers of moulded flexible polyurethane foam furniture and is
committed to waterblown MDI-based materials. The company,
based at Gengenbach in the Black Forest, employs 10,000 people
in Europe, Japan and the USA. It offers a wide range of sofas,
settees, seat/bed combinations, armchairs, upholstered beds
and mattresses.
Polyurethane foam was introduced for upholstery production m
1968. The choice of moulded foam rather than cut slabstock brought
many advantages: the formation of a protective skin and the potential
to integrate springs and supporting parts
within the foam led to higher quality and
greater freedom of design, perfect fit and
practically no waste. In addition, modular
design allowed for a multitude of furniture
variations to be made economically.
The Gengenbach facility has achieved
a high degree of computer-integrated manufacture. It features one
of the world’s largest flexible foam production lines, some 198 m
in length. This comprises 120 mould carriers, served by two highpressure dispensers, and is capable of producing up to 7,500 parts a
day. Hukla and ICI have worked together for many years - leading
for example to the complete conversion of moulded foam to CFC-free,
waterblown MD1 systems as early as 1989. They are currently
co-operating closely to achieve further product, processing and
environmental advances as part of Hukla’s continuous improvement
philosophy.
Typical is the recent introduction of a range of mattresses
featuring ‘Waterlily’ comfort materials from ICI. “As an innovative
company, our interest in this novel type of comfort material is
obvious,” declares mattress production manager Gerhard Essig.
‘That’s why we decided to take advantage of its excellent properties
right from the start.”
Mr Fred Winter, Hukla-Werke Gmbtt, Germany;
Phone: 07803-9310 Fax: 07803-931408