As we near the close of the year, most everyone working in the polyurethanes marketplace—and in the many vertical industries the technology serves —will agree that 2021 was a year like no other. From the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic to the subsequent global supply chain crisis, almost all business categories—and certainly those in the manufacturing, construction, automotive and electrical fields—have been either directly or indirectly impacted. But there is good news as we move into 2022 in the form of robust infrastructure spending ahead that will likely have a trickle-down effect on the polyurethanes space.
Last month marked the passage of phase 1 of President Joe Biden’s infrastructure package. According to business publication Quartz, the $1.2 trillion package, which the President has lauded as a “once in a generation” program, will “rebuild America’s roads, bridges and rails, expand access to clean drinking water, and ensure every American has access to high-speed internet.” A significant portion of the bill’s financial commitment has been “earmarked to repair roads, highways, and bridges”—giving a hefty boost to construction spending.
While many of the elements in the bill speak to heavy national development projects, polyurethanes certainly can, and will, play a supporting role. Carlisle Polyurethane Systems manufactures and markets materials such as coatings, adhesives, sealants, binders and elastomers, which all have a hand in various facets of the development and building construction and improvement fields.
While the new infrastructure program will focus heavily on the transportation sector—erecting new bridges and highways, resurfacing roads, completing supporting structures, and other ancillary programs such as broadband development —the plan includes a “wide range of physical infrastructure projects” and, according to the New York Times, plans for “electric grid and housing, efforts to jump-start advanced manufacturing, and (projects for) other industries.” For example, the program includes $42 billion for ports and airports, and another $85 billion for transportation, that will likely include development of bus stations, terminals and other facilities that will rely on polyurethane innovation and supporting technology in their interiors.
Additionally, the White House—in implementing the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA)—aims to enact a plan that “creates good jobs, boosts U.S. global competitiveness, strengthens supply chains and acts against inflation.” (Source: For Construction Pros). The development industry is hopeful that, once the groundwork is laid for the program to come into fruition, it will help to further address the stagnation of raw materials availability and distribution and kickstart growth within the entire building category—ultimately, helping to stimulate overall construction starts.
It’s important though to note that, according to For Construction Pros, what “the IIJA represents is not a stimulus bill designed to give an immediate boost to the economy,” but rather a package “designed as a longer-term approach to rebuilding American competitiveness through infrastructure.” Experts counsel that it will take time and significant effort to properly prepare the nation and various supporting industries for the work to be done—so patience will be required across the manufacturing sector. But the opportunity for a host of vertical industries to be positively impacted by the bill’s passage looks to be promising.
How does Carlisle Polyurethane Systems figure into this equation?
For most every spray, pour, and cast application customers might require, Carlisle Polyurethane Systems, part of the Carlisle Companies family, brings advanced problem-solving solutions to ensure that our materials match our customer’s specific application needs. As the leading independent polyurethane systems house in North America, our company is dedicated to delivering innovative polyurethane technology and solutions to our network with the speed, scale, and efficiency necessary to meet the demands of a rapidly growing marketplace. Our brand’s dedication to delivering customized solutions to disciplinary industries is what truly sets Carlisle Polyurethane Systems apart from nearly every other polyurethane chemistry space player. And, now with years of national infrastructure development ahead of us, we will rise to the occasion to support various industries—such as construction, flooring, landscaping, filtration, electronics and other industrial fields—as the Administration’s many anticipated projects take center stage beginning in the New Year.
For more information on polyurethane materials—such as coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers and rigid casting—and the role this technology plays in supporting a variety of industrial and commercial industries, please visit www.CarlislePS.com.