Huntsman Develops High-Performance Running Shoes

High-Performance Running Shoes with Huntsman Polyurethane specialists from Huntsman collaborated with running shoe expert Joe Nimble and Footwear Innovation Lab GmbH on an innovation project to create a revolutionary, high-performance running shoe. Released in limited quantities this week, Joe Nimble's Ultreya offers extra comfort to marathon and long-distance runners and can help minimize pain and injury risk. Ultreya contains nmblFOAM®, based on Huntsman's PU elastomers. Designed by Joe Nimble founder Sebastian Bär and renowned biomechanics expert Lee Saxby, the Ultreya shoes feature a unique design that helps protect the feet of serious runners who typically cover approximately 40 miles per week. While conventional running shoes restrict the toes, hindering natural stabilization and balancing function, Ultreya uses Joe Nimble's toefreedom® technology in the final shoe design to enhance stability of the foot in motion. With a wider, anatomically correct toe box that provides natural balance function during the ground contact phase of running, muscles are protected from overuse. Adding extra comfort and performance enhancement potential, the Ultreya running shoe features a high energy-return polyurethane midsole. Based on Huntsman's proprietary dual-density DALTOPED® polyurethane system—called nmblFOAM® by Joe Nimble—this technology delivers a running shoe with physiologically balanced cushioning and zero heel height. The DALTOPED® system also enabled Joe Nimble to radically simplify shoe production by eliminating fundamental production steps. Johan Van Dyck, Global Application Development Manager at Huntsman, provided further explanation: "It has always been a pleasure to work with Sebastian and his team and with our colleagues at Footwear Innovation Lab. Being part of a project where running science and foot biomechanics are so closely translated into shoe and sole design and manufacturing is extremely exciting. The unique and dynamic performance our DALTOPED® polyurethane system brings to the Ultreya shoes will have a major impact on runners worldwide and is another proof of the exceptional opportunities polyurethanes can provide in shoes, far exceeding what other sole materials can offer." Lee Saxby said: "Mother Nature provided humans with a well-padded and rounded heel bone to maximize shock absorption and provide a soft rolling transition to the flat-foot phase of gait. The geometry of the Ultreya shoes supports this, and the polyurethane midsole made using Huntsman technology provides extra cushioning to propel the user through the push-off phase of running. So it's a powerful combination that enables Joe Nimble to fulfill its mission of helping create running shoes that could facilitate a lifetime of pain-free running." Joe Nimble President Sebastian Bär continued: "The idea for the Ultreya shoe came to me while watching runners compete in the Badwater® Ultra Marathon, which is claimed to be the world's toughest running race. I was team captain of the top-ten runners twice in the race and noticed that many elite athletes cut open the fronts of their running shoes to give their toes more freedom. This led me to introduce our toefreedom® technology in a sports shoe for the first time." "When it came to making the first samples of Ultreya, I knew that Huntsman and Footwear Innovation Lab would provide the material and production, and they did. Huntsman's foam is key to the shoe's comfort and performance. I witnessed this firsthand in the 2021 Berlin Marathon, where I ran in prototype models. Using Huntsman's polyurethane system and the latest automatic production techniques provided by Footwear Innovation Lab, we created a shoe that, produced locally in Europe, uses less energy, less water, less solvent and less labor, and has a smaller transportation footprint. This exciting collaboration and product launch proves that with the right approach, right materials and methods, and the best team, it is possible to create shoes that can prevent running-related pain and injuries associated with repetitive impact and shock absorption." Jens Schmidt from Footwear Innovation Lab said: "Our goal was to combine extraordinary material properties, biomechanical expertise and a unique design with modern production methods—in other words, to redefine the perspective on running shoes. This goal was achieved by the team using the latest production methods and state-of-the-art materials." The first samples of Ultreya shoes were manufactured in Portugal; from Fall 2022 onward, Joe Nimble plans to produce larger sports shoe series in Pirmasens, Germany. Pirmasens is located approximately 300 miles (500 km) from Deggendorf, where Huntsman manufactures DALTOPED® shoe systems, and less than 100 miles from Ludwigsburg, where Joe Nimble's headquarters are located. To support the launch of Ultreya, Joe Nimble is sponsoring the 2022 Badwater® 135 in California. Eighty runners competing in the event each received a pair of Ultreya shoes. The 2022 Badwater® 135 will take place from 11-13 July over three days at a location where participants will run a continuous 135 miles (217 km) from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney. Joe Nimble was the official shoe brand of the 2021 Badwater race and provided all participants with a pair of recoveryToes sandals manufactured using Huntsman's polyurethane systems. The name Ultreya perfectly summarizes Joe Nimble's positioning, deriving from original Latin roots meaning an old Spanish word signifying "Forward," "Beyond," or "Go Beyond."   Source