Engineered for the impossible
If you can imagine it, you can make it with Arfinio®. Our reaction injection molding technology combines liquid polymers with minerals to create ultra-lightweight yet durable solid surfaces. Arfinio® offers next-generation design freedom and high performance with a strong focus on sustainability.
Solid surfaces for innovative designs: truly seamless, strong and more sustainable
Free to form any vision: Create seamless, hygienic solid surfaces in any shape.
Arfinio® gives designers the freedom to create highly customized and complex shapes that can easily be upscaled. The injection molding results in truly seamless surfaces, with no joints or structural weak points, making them highly suitable for elements with built-in fittings like a shower plate, wash basin, or integrated interior components in mobility applications.
Arfinio® comes in a wide range of colors and gloss levels and is incredibly lightweight – even the heaviest version is still 40% lighter than standard sheet solid surface materials.
Engineered to perform – every day.
Great products and innovative designs should be built to last. Arfinio® high-performance injection molding materials combine premium aesthetics with resistance to scratches and abrasions.
The molded solid surfaces can be used to make everything from device casings and interior cladding to building facades and automotive interiors. The resulting surfaces are non-slip, hygienic, and easy to clean. This makes Arfinio® particularly well suited for manufacturing products that are regularly exposed to water such as shower plates or bathtubs.
Arfinio® also has highly effective insulating properties, thanks to its outstanding thermal coefficient when compared to standard solid surfaces.* Its low weight and high durability make it particularly suitable for visible interior applications in electric and autonomous vehicles, such as the SUE People Mover.
*72 vs. 770 m·W/m·K for a 30 mm thick plate with 600 kg/m3 density.
Sustainability is a key criterion for any design or manufacturing task. Solid surface materials produced by injection molding should ideally be repairable and make end products easier to recycle.
Arfinio® makes it possible to use partially bio-based raw materials to create cladding for interiors, bathroom elements, fittings for lighting and durable, repairable mobility interior components – all of which helps to close the carbon loop in the future. High impact resistance ensures these products have a long service life, after which they can be mechanically recycled into new Arfinio® products. In vehicle interiors, this enables fast in-vehicle repairs.
Explore the possibilities
Silky haptics for mobility interior design
- Luxurious haptics for premium interior elements in autonomous battery-electric people movers
- Ultra-lightweight solid surfaces help reduce vehicle weight and extend BEV range
- Exceptional design freedom unachievable with metal or standard plastics for integrated panels, armrests, side panels and trim elements
- Easy in-vehicle repair and recyclability for long service life and lower total cost of ownership
Hygienic properties for baths and showers
- Truly seamless surfaces and thinner shapes with excellent strength and hardness, e.g. for shower plates and wash basins
- Low weight for easier installation and high impact resistance for a long service life
- Excellent thermal insulation helps surfaces withstand daily exposure to water and retain warmth
Interactive surfaces at your fingertips
- Interactive surfaces like on/off buttons or phone charging stations
- Easily incorporate built-in fittings, electronic components and backlighting
- Durable and thin solid surface for lightweight consumer products
Easy-to-install building facades
- Lightweight solid surface with excellent mechanical and insulation properties for building and remodeling
- Highly customizable solid material for next-level design freedom
- Add built-in fittings and lighting effects with minimal effort
Lightweight interior cladding
- Molded polymer material that is at least 40% lighter than standard sheet solid surface materials
- Hygienic surface prevents bacterial growth and is suitable for frequent cleaning with chemical agents
- Applications involving backlighting or the integration of electronics
Scalable medical equipment casing
- Suitable for manufacturing large quantities of solid surface casings
- Impact-resistant molding material for protecting medical equipment and other devices
- Easily incorporate built-in fittings, electronic components and backlighting
Injection molding vs solid sheet manufacturing
Reaction injection molding (RIM) saves time and is less complicated than solid sheet manufacturing. A specially designed mold creates the shape in a single step, so there is no need for thermoforming, CNC cutting, gluing, sanding or polishing.
Covestro and Arcesso: united by innovation and entrepreneurship
We are committed to exploring all avenues in the search for solutions to our customers’ challenges. This includes partnering with companies that are among the best and brightest from around the world.
Arfinio® is the outcome of a powerful partnership between Covestro and Arcesso Dynamics SL, an innovative Spanish SME that manufactures custom polyurethane products. Arcesso specializes in meeting the requirements of highly technical companies in the medical and aeronautical industries.
We chose to partner with Arcesso because the company’s values align with our own endless curiosity, persistence and passion for innovation. The result speaks for itself: Arfinio® transforms liquid polymers into a countless number of shapes with truly seamless, hygienic solid surfaces.
Find out more about Arcesso here.
