NPE ’15: Lighter autos boosts plastic demand – US DuPont execs

Jessie Waldheim

23-Mar-2015

Lighter autos drive plastics demand

Focus article by Jessie Waldheim

ORLANDO, Florida (ICIS)–The move to reduce the weight of automobiles to comply with stricter fuel-efficiency standards can be a boon to the plastics industry and the development of plastics technology, executives with US-based DuPont said on Monday.

“I think this will be another accelerator for the growth of the plastics industry,” Hok Hoh Wong, DuPont regional director of the Americas, said.

Plastics have been part of vehicles for decades, and what can easily be replaced with plastics has been, Jeffery Sternberg, DuPont global automotive technology director said.

“We’ve picked the low-hanging fruit, so I think there’s a recognition that we need to dig deeper, we need to be more creative, we need to work together more intimately in order to address that next level of light-weighting opportunity,” Sternberg said.

The executives spoke on the sidelines of the National Plastics Exposition (NPE) in Orlando, Florida.

Increasingly, automobile producers are relying on plastics to reduce the weight of their vehicles. The American Chemistry Council (ACC) estimates that each vehicle contains an average of $3,500 worth of chemicals, an amount that has increased, in part, because companies are replacing metals with plastics that weigh less.

DuPont recently announced the expansion of its Zytel performance nylon capacity at its Richmond, Virginia, facility by 10% in part due to high demand from the automotive sector. The material can make engine cooling components, powertrain components, transmission housings and parts of brake, ignition systems and motors.

Wong and Sternberg believe there is further opportunities in the automotive industry for high-performance plastics.

As fuel efficiency standards become more stringent, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) are seeing the value in working with material suppliers.

Sternberg called the developing relationships a “synergistic strategy”.

For example, an OEM asked DuPont to develop a better adhesive for its transmission baffles, which is a steel plate with attached rubber pieces. DuPont was able to use thermoplastic elastomers to recreate the entire part as one piece, alternately stiff and flexible where needed. The new solution is lighter and simpler.

As transmissions move from six-speed to 10-speed, they get heavier and the lighter-weight materials can make a bigger impact, Wong added.

For the auto industry, light-weighting offers more than fuel efficiency benefits. As the trend continues to move away from more traditional parts, there will be the opportunity to look at simplification and easier assembly, Wong said.

Lessons learned in working with OEMs to develop lighter, stronger, higher-heat resistant and other advanced plastics can translate into applications for other industries like consumer electronics, Wong said.

Other transportation modes, like aerospace, trains and boats, also can benefit from the developments.

“It’s an exciting time to be working in the plastics space,” Sternberg said.

NPE runs through Friday.

READ MORE

Global News + ICIS Chemical Business (ICB)

See the full picture, with unlimited access to ICIS chemicals news across all markets and regions, plus ICB, the industry-leading magazine for the chemicals industry.

Contact us

Now, more than ever, dynamic insights are key to navigating complex, volatile commodity markets. Access to expert insights on the latest industry developments and tracking market changes are vital in making sustainable business decisions.

Want to learn about how we can work together to bring you actionable insight and support your business decisions?

Need Help?

Need Help?