A New application Area for Polyurea

Ultra-light but extremely durable sculptures

Arclight AB creates gigantic statues and logos, mechanical monsters, imaginative environments and extraordinary effects. Thanks to an extremely hardwearing polyurea coating from Teknos, Arclight can now also produce highly durable sculptures for all environments out of ultra-light polystyrene.

Not many people get to work at their childhood dream job, and even fewer end up transforming their childhood fantasy world into a successful business. Martin Högberg, CEO of Arclight AB, has achieved both. "As a child I was a huge Star Wars fan," he says. The groundbreaking special effects used back then left a lasting impression and later became his job. In 1994 Martin started creating special effects for the film industry.

Martin Högberg, CEO, Arclight AB

Everyone at the company shares a passion for the spectacular. "We all want to experience it in real life," says Martin. ”When you understand how films are made, you also understand how to achieve those same effects live – with our own special twist of course," adds Gabriella Kalteneckar, Deputy CEO, Arclight AB.

Decorative elements and sculptures need to be extremely weather-resistant.

Having the right creative team is key, since there is often no exact science in the industry, no standard solution or direct route from idea to product. ”Sometimes we don't know if something will work until we try it out," explains Martin.

By combining technical expertise with artistic design, Arclight creates impressive themed environments, reproductions, artworks and effects for clients in a wide range of industries including hospitality, event production, visual merchandising, media and PR, construction, culture, and public sector.

Extremely hardwearing surface coating

Amusement parks are a good example, where themed environments with decorative elements and sculptures need to be extremely durable and weather-resistant. The end product is often large and heavy even if it is made of fiberglass, which is in itself a light and durable material.

Ordinary polystyrene becomes ultra-strong when coated with polyurea, a key step in Arclight's work process. 

Thanks to a new, extremely hardwearing surface coating, products can now be made from ultra-light polystyrene that is even easier to work with than fiberglass.

Nils Gulliksson, Creative director at Arclight, shows a hammer and anvil made of polystyrene and coated with TEKNOPUR 300 before decorative paint is applied. The special equipment used for applying the polyurea is seen in the background.

"Nobody else in our field of industry uses polyurea technology as a surface coating method. We're something of a pioneer in this respect," says Gabriella. She adds, "The sculptor Eskil Eloftsson introduced us to polyurea, and our supplier recommended Teknos as a coating supplier."

Claes Nord, Head of Technical Support at Teknos, discusses the application of polyurea with sculptor Eskil Eloftsson, Arclight AB. 

Due to its toughness and elasticity, polyurea is one of the most durable surface treatments around. Moreover, TEKNOPUR 300 is solvent-free and emits no volatile organic compounds, making it a sustainable choice.

A Halloween pumpkin made of polystyrene, coated with polyurea and, in this case, handpainted.

"We initially had concerns about whether polyurea might pose a health risk, and had to adjust our health and safety procedures slightly to meet the requirements for use of thermosets. It was also crucial for Teknos to train our staff in using polyurea safely and productively so they would feel comfortable working with the technology. Teknos provides excellent service and we're delighted with our collaboration," says Gabriella.