Ford Licenses Soy Seat Foam Technology to Deere and Sears Manufacturing
14 December 2007
Ford has licensed Deere & Company and Sears Manufacturing Company to further develop Ford’s soy-based flexible seat foam for John Deere farming equipment and other applications.
Ford first introduced soy-based polyol to the auto industry in the seat backs and seat cushions of the 2008 Ford Mustang. (Earlier post.) The 2008 Ford F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator now also feature this technology, with the next application coming on the 2009 Ford Escape. Meanwhile, Deere has used soy-based products for body panels on some farm equipment.
Ford’s soy-based foam will be developed for use in the seat backs, seat cushions, arm rests and head rests of John Deere equipment, which is used in agriculture, forestry, construction, and lawn and turf care. Sears Manufacturing also will work to incorporate the technology into Class V-VII medium and heavy trucks.
The soy-based foam is licensed through Ford Global Technologies, LLC.
Does this mean we will see one more food crop increase in price due to competition from the transportation sector? Or is this soy from food byproducts?
Posted by: jrojai | 14 December 2007 at 11:54 PM
I read somewhere that Henry should have been remembered for two things one being his introduction of production line technology and the other being the introduction of bakelite plastics and paint from - soya bean.
Seems the more things change the more they stay the same.
Posted by: Arnold | 15 December 2007 at 04:19 PM
The sub-title to this piece can be "Who ate my seat?". In case Ford and Deere hadn't noticed, most Deere farm equipment is used on, umm, farms. What else lives on farms? Rats and mice. Guess what, soy-based foam and insulation actually taste like, umm, soy. I have a Subaru wagon with soy-based undercoating that squirrels and mice love, a friend has a Honda CRV with soy-based wiring insulation that has been devastated by rodent munching. Methinks the engineers need to spend a few more days in the field. Literally.
Posted by: Aaron | 17 December 2007 at 02:28 PM
Are you sure, Aaron?
That sound funny, really!
Anyway, the recycle process is much more easy in that sense, well.
Posted by: piao2 | 18 December 2007 at 04:30 AM