The 110th China International Occupational Safety & Health Goods Expo (CIOSH) concluded successfully at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. Coinciding with the expo’s 60th anniversary and themed “Six Decades of Excellence: Craftsmanship Protects Every Step into the Future,” the event covered 80,000 m² and brought together nearly 1,400 leading companies from China and abroad. International names including DuPont, Ansell, MSA, 3M and Haifeng appeared alongside leading Chinese companies. The show covered the full personal-protective-equipment supply chain, from basic protective equipment to intelligent safety systems, presenting new products, processes and technologies for the PPE industry.
Haifeng Automation follows the latest developments in the industry and is committed to providing safety-footwear manufacturers with efficient, stable and cost-effective polyurethane equipment and process solutions.
The power to protect
01. What can polyurethane spraying do for safety footwear?
Thanks to their excellent abrasion resistance, slip resistance and cushioning, polyurethanes have become a mainstream choice for safety- and work-shoe soles. Polyurethane spraying is an important application of these materials in the work-footwear industry.
By forming color and material together, controlling hardness precisely in different zones and automating the process with robotic arms, polyurethane spraying can help safety-footwear manufacturers achieve high-quality, efficient and environmentally responsible production.
Key advantages
· Color molded into the material: Pigment is dispersed uniformly and becomes part of the material, so it does not peel or fade and retains its appearance with extended wear.
· Abrasion- and scratch-resistant: Abrasion resistance is 3–5 times that of ordinary rubber, with much higher scratch resistance than traditional paint.
· Environmentally responsible, low-VOC process: Water-based systems have VOCs ≤50 g/L, while solvent-free systems produce almost no volatile emissions, supporting greener production.
· Flexible finishes: Supports a range of surface effects, including gloss or matte and smooth or textured finishes.
Automated spraying capabilities
· Pinhole-free molding: Atomized spraying and three-dimensional robotic-arm paths provide coverage for a smooth surface with virtually no pinholes and no hidden bubbles.
· Dual-density “rigid shell, soft core”: Precision metering and zoned spraying provide high-density support in the sole frame and low-density cushioning underfoot, balancing function and comfort.
· Automation lowers costs: Continuous robotic spraying completes a one-piece sole in three minutes, eliminates adhesive brushing and several traditional process steps, and is available in rotary-table or conveyor-line configurations.
02. What can we provide to safety-footwear manufacturers?
As a polyurethane equipment manufacturer, we focus on complete polyurethane forming solutions for safety and work footwear. Our scope covers midsole casting, injection and spraying; outsole casting, injection and spraying; and TPU pelletizing, helping customers achieve efficient integrated production from raw materials through finished products.
· Midsole and outsole casting and injection: Supports polyurethane systems with different densities and hardness levels. Injection molding can form a dual-density midsole and outsole in one step, combining the abrasion resistance of a dense outsole with the comfort of a soft midsole.
· Midsole and outsole spraying: In addition to pinhole-free surfaces, dual-density construction and automated spraying, the process can precisely apply functional coatings for slip resistance, corrosion resistance and other properties.
· TPU pelletizing: Haifeng provides TPU pelletizing equipment to prepare raw materials for functional sole components and ETPU foam beads, supporting safety footwear’s demand for lightweight, highly resilient materials.
Working with industry leaders to deliver proven quality
We maintain long-term, in-depth partnerships with leading companies in the industry. Well-known brands such as Huide Technology, Xima and Saina use our polyurethane equipment and related process solutions.
With nearly 30 years of polyurethane-material experience, Huide Technology covers sole-system materials, TPU and water-based microfiber leather, building a complete material portfolio from sole raw materials to coatings.
Shanghai Xima Technology (Group) Co., Ltd., founded in 2004, specializes in the R&D, design, production and sale of safety footwear.
Saina Group Co., Ltd. was founded in 1979. Its safety footwear is exported to more than 30 countries and regions across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. It is one of China’s larger safety-footwear manufacturers, with a broad product range and comprehensive functions. The trust of these industry leaders is strong evidence of our equipment quality and process capabilities.
03. Customer installations and on-site examples
