US agricultural giant Cargill (Minneapolis, Minnesota; www.cargill.com) says it has developed technology that overcomes the problems of consistency and odour that have hampered attempts to make bio-based polyols for production of flexible foams. Earlier efforts have been concentrated on rigid foam manufacture.

Cargill is now selling commercial volumes of bio-based polyols to large, flexible polyurethane foam manufacturers in the automotive, furniture and bedding industries and claims it has become the leading bio-based polyol maker for the flexible foam market.

The company says its bio-based polyols for flexible foams – made through a proprietary process that can employ a number of natural oils, including linseed, rapeseed, soy and sunflower – meet the technical requirements for commercial scale manufacturing processes. Cargill is to develop a series of bio-based polyols across a range of urethane applications.