SABIC Automotive Businesses Premiere at VDI in Germany, Showcasing Solutions for Auto Engineering Challenges
March 5, 2008
MANNHEIM, Germany - Mar. 5, 2008 - For the first time, the SABIC family of automotive businesses from SABIC Innovative Plastics, SABIC Europe, and Exatec will exhibit together at the VDI Conference in Mannheim, Germany. At Stand 51, the three businesses will showcase the benefits of advanced plastics technologies in reducing automotive weight, increasing design flexibility, and enhancing part integration. This joint participation underscores the company's strong commitment to collaborating with German automakers and tiers, and to continuous materials innovation that can address demands for more environmentally compatible vehicles that offer high performance, increased safety, and cutting-edge styling.
"Working with our automotive customers as long-term partners to help them achieve business success is our number-one goal," said Derek Buckmaster, Automotive Marketing director, Exterior Body & Glazing, SABIC Innovative Plastics. "Strong partnerships enable us to understand our customers' needs and proactively develop new materials solutions like you see here at the VDI. Together with our German customers, we can solve tough challenges such as finding new vehicle weight reduction solutions and fresh design approaches."
Polypropylene solutions from SABIC Europe
"SABIC is exhibiting our latest technologies at the VDI, showcasing a unique front bumper made from SABIC polypropylene compound, a new front-end module made of SABIC® STAMAX long-glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene, and a MPV door made from SABIC polypropylene compound," said Mark Neville, business unit director Polypropylene Automotive Polymers. "The German auto industry is an extremely important market for SABIC due to our strong collaboration with many OEMs. Together with offerings from SABIC Innovative Plastics and Exatec, our vast portfolio of engineered plastics will play a key role in our customers' applications by helping manufacturers comply with environmental and safety legislation and demand for increased fuel efficiency."
Glazing Solutions from Exatec
Examples of Exatec solutions include the "Francis" backlite prototype, utilizing lightweight Lexan* polycarbonate resin with proprietary Exatec coating for durability and incorporating the proprietary Exatec defroster system. The world's first full-size, two-component injection-molded backlite, the "Francis" features integrated hinges, strut attachment points, handles, stop light, and interior lights. Innovative designs such as this one highlight the multiple advantages of thermoplastic glazing, which enables part consolidation for cost-out, weight-out, and streamlined design.
Also on display will be a two-component, molded polycarbonate roof panel prototype, developed in conjunction with Summerer Technologies, highlighting the unique design capabilities of Lexan polycarbonate automotive glazing as well as the ability to integrate attachment points on the inside surface of the component. The 2K tool in which this part is molded, is part of the unique capabilities of the Glazing Centre of Excellence recently launched by SABIC Innovative Plastics.
The combined automotive glazing resources of SABIC Innovative Plastics and Exatec are now able to offer the industry the widest range of siloxane coating, plasma-enhanced coating, defrosting, and polycarbonate resin solutions for automotive glazing. The team is also best-positioned to assist automotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers to implement these solutions for industrial production.
Technology Innovations from SABIC Innovative Plastics
In addition to automotive glazing, the SABIC exhibit will highlight the latest technologies from SABIC Innovative Plastics. These include exterior body panels from the latest French multi-purpose van, highlighting lightweight conductive Noryl GTX* resin fenders; interior components such as the Lexan* EXL resin prototype steering wheel; and lighting applications such as a Lexan* XHT resin lighting bezel exterior for a recent Swedish passenger car. Structural components include rear door handle and a pedestrian protection energy absorber for a new U.S.-built full-size truck made from award-winning Xenoy iQ* resins. All demonstrate the benefits of replacing traditional metal and other materials with lightweight, design-enhancing thermoplastic resins and composites.
