SABIC IP to produce long glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites in Korea

27-Feb-08

SABIC Innovative Plastics has commenced production of long glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites in Chung-Ju, Korea, to provide enhanced service and support for customers in Korea and Asia. The new line will produce LNP Verton long glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites, which are widely used across the burgeoning automotive, telecommunications, and appliance industries in Asia. By providing customers with local production and resources, the company will greatly benefit from reduced delivery times, helping customers reduce time to market for a competitive advantage and help customers develop and market innovative applications, especially in the fast-moving telecommunications and electronics sectors. These high-performance materials are in great demand as superior replacements for metal and short-fiber-reinforced plastics. The LNP Verton production line, which will begin operating this month, will run 20 grades of the composites in a variety of resin systems including Polypropylene, Polyamide and PPA. LNP Verton thermoplastic injection molding compounds offer high strength and are an excellent metal-replacement option. They feature long glass-fiber reinforcement produced by a unique pultrusion process. Molded Verton components offer exceptional mechanical performance, combining rigidity and outstanding resistance to impact failure. Widely utilized across all industries, long-fiber compounds bring significant cost savings to many material replacement projects. For metal replacement, Verton can help customers to save on total cost and increase productivity. For example, according to testing done by SABIC Innovative Plastics' technology team, mobile phone makers could achieve up to a 30 percent cost savings and a 30 percent increase in productivity by replacing the magnesium or other metal used for internal parts of sliding-type mobile phones with LNP Verton composite. Other benefits include weight reduction and design flexibility.As a replacement for short-fiber-reinforced plastics, LNP Verton grades provide higher impact and dimensional stability, greater strength and creep resistance, and improved surface finish.