MAIN GROUP's new technology: RUBBER+PUR sole obtained in a single integrated process utilizing any type of polyurethane.

FRIENDLY RUBBER is the advanced process developed by Main Group through 3 years of research and optimization.

It is used to obtain high quality shoe with RUBBER+PUR soles produced by direct injection, in a fully integrated cycle without either fabric or cement between the two layers.

FRIENDLY RUBBER makes it possible to optimize production cycles and eliminate all operations to store rubber bottoms, ensuring great flexibility, high productivity and costs reduction. It allows to eliminate highly harmful and polluting solvents and cements.

The rubber use is now more practical and easier to manage in production.
The integrated process is even more advantageous in the case of rubber as it allows true control of the finished product quality: from the rubber compound, to the production of the shoe in one machine only.

It also means that production can be programmed as required, without planning any external supply of pre-treated soles, thus meeting market demands quickly and dynamically.

FRIENDLY RUBBER is not merely an injection process, but a true production process as it puts together and optimizes the technological components required for its success. These are:

ADVANTAGES ON THE FINAL PRODUCT 
Being able to use RUBBER for the bottom

• This is the material with the highest performance, as it is extremely resistant to abrasion (the only material that withstands thermo-abrasion well) and non-slip; moreover, it remains flexible in a vast range of temperatures.
  
  Moulding using the INCOM PROCESS® enhances performance and design and allows savings in costs, as the sole is extremely thin with profiled edges which can come well up the sides of the upper (this would be impossible to obtain with closed mould injection), precise and extremely detailed design of the bottom and easily inserted inserts.

Being able to use POLYURETHANE for the midsole

• This is an excellent material for the midsole - light, comfortable with excellent spring back and the best for combining with the bottom in an integrated process. In fact an excellent material for midsoles like EVA is limited because it can only be used as an insert applied to the bottom and hence with high added costs.

ADVANTAGES ON THE PRODUCTION PROCESS

• It makes it possible to use a single machine, the PRAGMA Combi, to produce the complete RUBBER-PUR sole directly in an integrated process, that is without having to produce the bottom in a previous phase and then reactivate and manipulate it to add to the mould for polyurethane injection.
  
  This guarantees quality of the finished product, process consistency and great savings in production costs, due to the limited use of both labour and materials, without costs and inconvenience of storing the bottoms.
  

• Combining the bottom with the midsole is performed in two successive phases (injection pouring of the rubber and injection of the polyurethane) which adhere to each other warmly using specific components to guarantee not only increased production efficiency (reduced cycle times) but also fewer rejects.
  

• The MAIN GROUP process does not oblige to use a specific Polyurethane or Rubber type and client is free to choose his most suitable supplier.
  
  Polyurethane is readily available on the market and clients do not need to contend with inconvenient and costly extra storekeeping.

RUBBER+PUR The integrated process guarantees a high quality finished product, process consistency and great saving in production costs.

click here for large view of the machine

for Technical Specifications and Other Details Please Contact

MAIN GROUP S.p.A.
V.le dell'Industria, 65 - 35129, PADOVA, Italy
Tel.: +39 049 8290111, Fax: +39 049 8290133
Telex 430330 MAINGR I, P. O. Box 1043 Padova
E-mail: sales@maingroup.com
Website: www.maingroup.com