Envalior launches norda 055 trail shoe with Arnitel midsole and new foaming grades

Envalior and norda launched the norda 055 trail running shoe, built on Envalior's 100% Arnitel thermoplastic copolyester elastomer (TPC) midsole with a thicker midsole for extended ultra-distance racing. Envalior also introduced next-generation Arnitel foaming grades designed to improve foam performance and expand processing capabilities for footwear applications. The launch was announced from Düsseldorf on July 6, 2026.

Key facts

Market context

Thermoplastic copolyester elastomers such as Arnitel are valued for their combination of flexibility, resilience and fatigue resistance, which makes them well suited to midsoles that must return energy with each stride. In footwear, these materials are commonly processed as foams, where the cell structure governs cushioning, rebound and weight. Demand for high-rebound foams comes mainly from performance running, where runners look for lighter and more responsive shoes, and from athletic footwear more broadly. Elastomer grades that offer better foam performance and wider processing windows can help shoe makers and component suppliers adjust designs without changing their core tooling. For buyers, a move like this tends to strengthen a supplier's position in specialised footwear compounds rather than in commodity polymer volumes, since qualification by brands and midsole producers is typically lengthy and product-specific. Competition in this segment usually centres on foam density, rebound and processability rather than on price alone.

Source: official release on envalior.com. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.