Borealis' Daplen™ thermoplastic olefin (TPO) delivered benefits from superb aesthetics to raised productivity, to the 2009 European "Car of the Year" Opel Insignia. The company's advanced PP compounds were opted for the Insignia's bumper fascias, covers and grilles because of their ability to meet the ergonomic, eye-catching design and high-level performance and safety criteria specified for General Motor's flagship," next generation" mid-sized car, based on its Epsilon II platform. The three Borealis Daplen grades chosen for the individual parts allowed Decoma to achieve its targets through low development costs, low moulding cycle times and low scrap rates. According to the company, the outstanding paint adherence using a more efficient 2-layer painting system, in combination with high flowability for easy processing with consistent quality, added to Tier One supplier Decoma's ability to raise production speed and reduce costs without affecting part quality.
In order to meet the high-level surface aesthetics demanded by Opel, Daplen grades with outstanding UV stability were used. Their very low Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion (CLTE) values, particularly of Daplen EE109AE used for the painted bumper fascias, helped Decoma to achieve precise-fitted finished parts with the narrowest gap tolerances to further enhance overall appearance. Further, the excellent dimensional stability and stiffness/impact ratio of the Daplen-based bumpers and grilles supports Opel in fulfilling its safety performance specifications, contributing to the Insignia's Euro NCAP ratings - the best yet in the large family car segment. The new Opel Insignia is the second "Car of the Year" winner to feature Borealis materials. Borealis was a key material supplier for selected parts on the "Car of the Year 2008", the Fiat 500.
28-Mar-09 
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