Pebax® Rnew selected for the first time in soccer ball!

06/08/2010    Press Release

Pebax® Rnew, a bio-sourced elastomer produced by Arkema has been selected by Sony for its original soccer ball, named “Join the Team!”, specifically developed for donation to children in Africa.

In many African countries, including Republic of South Africa, where 2010 FIFA World Cup™ will take place and for which Sony is an official sponsor, soccer is often being played in very demanding conditions, which shortens durability of the balls.

Wishing the children to play soccer as long as possible, Sony has leveraged its expertise in material research to make “Join the Team!”, a unique soccer ball built to endure Africa’s rugged terrains, in which Pebax® Rnew is used. This high durability thermoplastic elastomer, is partially made from non-edible renewable resource, castor oil, which contributes to global warming reduction. This ball features a dual layered surface, one of them being in Pebax® Rnew, which brings 1.6 times higher durability than conventional soccer balls.

These footballs will be distributed by NGOs - UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) and JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) - during and after the 2010 World Cup. This football donation program is part of a wider project called « Earth FC » (www.sony.net/earthfc) which aims to draw the attention of the international community to the major health challenges facing Africa, e.g. the spread of AIDS.

For more information about “Earth F.C.”: http://www.sony.net/earthfc

By clicking on this web site, everyone can contribute to send Sony soccer balls to Africa.

1000 clicks = one ball sent

A global chemical company and France’s leading chemicals producer, Arkema consists of three businesses: Vinyl Products, Industrial Chemicals, and Performance Products. Arkema reported sales of 4.4 billion euros in 2009. Arkema has 13,800 employees in over 40 countries and seven research centers located in France, the United States and Japan. With internationally recognized brands, Arkema holds leadership positions in its principal markets.