Celebrating ingenuity and performance advancements across the value chain, CPI’s annual competition highlights how material science continues to address circularity, fire safety, and functional efficiency across industrial and consumer end-markets.
Overview of the Finalist Technologies
All Weather Insulated Panels (InnovaCELL): An insulated metal panel foam core engineered to deliver enhanced fire performance, reduced smoke generation, and superior thermal efficiency. The system integrates recycled PET to reduce the embodied carbon of building construction.
Carpenter (Casper Core+): A 100% polyurethane foam mattress core replicating the support profile of traditional metal springs. Integrating edge rails and support structures into a mono-material foam component, it reduces weight compared to hybrid mattresses and streamlines end-of-life recycling.
Elastochem Specialty Chemicals (Insulthane OCX Plus with X-PASS): An open-cell spray polyurethane foam designed for attics and crawlspaces without requiring an additional ignition barrier coating. The sucrose-free formulation achieves an ASTM E84 Class 1 rating without halogenated flame retardants.
Winner to Be Announced in October
The finalists will present their innovations during the opening session of the 2026 Polyurethanes Technical Conference in Orlando, Florida, on October 5. Following technical panel reviews and attendee voting, the award recipient will be officially revealed on October 7.
Jason Sloan, Director of CPI:
The Polyurethane Innovation Award showcases the ingenuity, technical excellence, and leadership that moves our industry forward. This year’s finalists demonstrate how innovation is solving real-world challenges and creating new opportunities across a wide range of applications.
