Pioneering PP solutions for automotive industry

01-Oct-08

Borealis, a leading provider of value creating plastics solutions, is all set to exhibit pioneering Polypropylene (PP) solutions for automotive industry at IZB, the International Suppliers Fair (October 29 - 31) in Wolfsburg, Germany. The company will demonstrate the applications for its Daplen™ PP resins and Xmod high performance short glass fibre-reinforced compounds in automotive industry which meet the manufacturing, performance, weight and fuel-reduction challenges which automakers face. The major highlight amongst several exhibits will be the all-polypropylene (PP) rear-seat carrier made using Xmod compounds which will replace a polyurethane and steel hybrid previously used by a major European car maker. The yet-to-be launched new car model will offer 35% weight reduction than its predecessor and significant cost cuts in production. Further, the Skoda Fabia interior are enhanced three different Daplen PP grades which effectively tackled issues concerning scratch resistance, a balance of stiffness and impact strength, thermal expansion, gloss, emissions, odour, fogging and reduced scrap rates. Borealis has developed a Daplen ED230HP for application in Daimler Group's Smart fortwo body panels whose requirements included improved environmental performance and higher quality aesthetics compared with the original version. Smart is set to be first vehicle worldwide to use PP in all its vertical body panels which will offer benfits including 15% weight reduction, reduced gap between parts, higher surface quality, as and an excellent impact/stiffness ratio. In addition, Borealis will show The front and rear bumpers of Audi's new TT are made in Daplen ED223AE, a 20 % mineral and elastomer modified PP compound for injection moulding with an excellent impact/stiffness ratio. The reasons for using this material for new Audi TT are superb surface aesthetics, very low CLTE thermal expansion values and excellent paint adherence. The company has recently opened a PP plant in Burghausen, Germany using its pioneering Borstar® PP2G technology and installed a new Borstar pilot plant in Schwechat, Austria. Also, Borealis has broken ground on its EUR 50 mln expansion of Innovation Headquarters in Linz, Austria.