Recticel International SA (12 Ave de Broqueville, B-1150 Brussels), one of the leading European foam manufacturers, has taken over distribution and some production functions of Europlastic Pahl & Pahl GmbH & Co (PO Box 330330, D-40403 Düsseldorf). Development, manufacture and sales of the former Europlastic foam materials product line will stay on the same site and be managed by Recticel Technische Schaumstoffe GmbH (Am Gatherhof 41, D-40472 Düsseldorf). Recticel's position will be strengthened by the purchase of Europlastic, especially within the automobile sector, since the company has a long tradition in the manufacture of quality, high value foam materials for technical applications. In 1994 Europlast achieved a turnover of DM 30.5m from a workforce of 75.

Recticel Deutschland GmbH (Lichtenkopfer Weg, D-66450 Bexbach) has commissioned a new plant for the manufacture of PU flexible foam in Burkhardtsdorf, south of Chemnitz. This plant works on the variable pressure foaming (VPF) method. This state of the art manufacturing process allows foaming under both positive and negative pressures conditions, in which the pressure may be varied from 500 right up to 1300 mbar. DM 9m has been invested in the plant, which avoids the use of environmentally-damaging blowing agents such as FCHC's or methylene chloride. Liquid carbon dioxide is also not required as an additive. Foams can be manufactured down to a density of 10 kg/cbm, previously only possible using large quantities of environmentally-damaging blowing agents. Major customers will be the upholstery and bedding industries. The German Recticel Group achieved a 1994 turnover of DM 400m with 2000 employees.