Borealis receives Frost & Sullivan automotive innovation award

02.12.2010

Borealis Global Mobility Marketing Manager Jost Eric Laumeyer (right) receives the award from Keith Schlagbauer, Director of Consulting at Frost & Sullivan.

Borealis, a leading provider of chemical and innovative plastics solutions, has received the Frost & Sullivan 2010 Global New Product Innovation Award in the category Automotive under the Hood Plastics. The award recognises the unique capabilities of Borealis Xmod™ GB306SAF polypropylene (PP) compounds, which significantly lower system and production costs for automotive system suppliers and manufacturers (OEMs).

Borealis Xmod GB306SAF is a pioneering high stiffness, 36% glass fibre reinforced engineered PP compound. It is specifically tailored for air intake manifolds (AIMs) and other technical under the hood components, exposed to high loads and peak temperatures of up to 140°C. Vibration resistance, long-term chemical and heat resistance, combined with high fatigue and a broad operating temperature are among the material's key characteristics.

The innovation offers a wide range of benefits compared to current glass reinforced polyamide (PA) solutions used for AIM applications, making it a viable replacement alternative for PA.

Additionally to meeting the customers need for component cost reduction, Borealis Xmod GB306SAF offers improved dimensional stability and therefore more consistent processing results compared to existing plastics solutions for AIMs. As a light-weight, low density material, Borealis XmodGB306SAF enables weight reductions of up to 15%, thus scaling down overall vehicle weight and delivering fuel consumption savings for the vehicle owner. The exceptional sound dampening behaviour of Borealis Xmod outperforms current acoustic performances of PA AIMs to improve driver and passenger comfort.

Borealis Xmod GB306SAF contributes to lowering overall production costs for AIM parts through its lower material price, improved process handling and reduced energy usage. Lower processing temperatures and no necessity for pre-drying further reduces overall energy consumption and eliminates extra manufacturing steps to achieve more cost-effective production. Borealis Xmod can be used with existing manufacturing equipment and processes for AIMs.

As a result of these benefits, Volkswagen (VW) became the first automotive OEM to switch from glass reinforced PA to PP for its AIM application, now used in a variety of its car models with engine sizes from 1.4 to 1.6 litres. Borealis Xmod GB306SAF was the material of choice for part manufacturer MAHLE Filter Systems UK and VW in meeting their needs for lower system costs without significant changes in tooling, part design or equipment investment as well as improving acoustic part behaviour and the use of a more environment-friendly material.

"With this engineered Borealis Xmod polypropylen grade, our automotive customers can now significantly lower material costs in the production of air intake manifolds without compromising on any part characteristics," comments Jost Eric Laumeyer, Borealis Global Mobility Marketing Manager who received the award on behalf of Borealis in London on December 1, 2010. "This meets the customer`s key priority in being an innovation oriented plastics supplier through achieving weight reduction targets, improving environmental performance and cost-efficiency. Our engineered material solutions lead the way in further diversifying automotive applications for polypropylene and we are delighted to have our step-change capabilities recognised with this Frost & Sullivan award."

"The Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Research Team benchmarked Borealis' new product against key competitors across a number of performance criteria, including innovation, value added features/benefits, and increased customer return on investment," adds Robert Outram, Frost & Sullivan Global Programme Manager. "The findings showed Borealis Xmod GB306SAF's leading capability in addressing the market need for under the hood plastics that offer advanced performance at lower system and production costs. Frost & Sullivan is proud to present the 2010 Global New Product Innovation Award in the category Automotive Under the Hood Plastics to Borealis."

Borealis' step-change automotive innovations are the result of its commitment to working closely with the industry's OEMs and Tier One suppliers to deliver value where it is needed. In terms of adding innovation and production benefits, the new Borealis Xmod grade joins Borealis' Daplen™ thermoplastic olefin (TPO) compounds recognised for meeting the ergonomic, aesthetic and high level performance and safety criteria required for today's cutting-edge vehicles. With its innovative solutions, Borealis was a key material supplier for the 2008 and 2009 Car of the Year winners - the Fiat 500 and Opel Insignia. Together with Smart® the company developed the first car with all-PP body panels.

"The Frost & Sullivan innovation award confirms that Borealis' engineered PP solutions have the ability to set new standards for plastics in automotive applications," comments Harald Hammer, Vice President Business Unit Mobility at Borealis. "We will continue to build on our global business structure by expanding our world-wide production footprint and by investing into our global innovation capabilities. Our commitment to delivering added-value to our global customers is fundamental to our growth strategy and recognition by Frost & Sullivan adds strength to this."

For further information please contact:

Lena Lehner
External Communications Manager
Vienna, Austria
+43 1 22 400 602
lena.lehner@borealisgroup.com

Mobility Business Units

Borealis' and Borouge's Mobility Business Units specialise in supplying advanced polyolefin plastics to leading manufactures in the automotive industry. The portfolio of products includes materials for exterior, interior and under the bonnet applications, such as bumpers, body panels, trims, dashboard, door cladding, climate control units, air intake manifolds as well as battery cases. Through close collaboration with our customers, innovative technologies and our extensive product portfolio, Borealis and Borouge have established a leading position in the automotive market across Europe, South America and Asia.

Both companies find that customer-driven innovation is the only way to achieve and sustain progress. Through foresight and focus on customer needs, we continue to provide innovative solutions for the automotive industry that add real value throughout the value chain. We also know the high value that our customers in the automotive industry place on quality and product consistency. We pride ourselves on the performance of our products, and through ongoing investment in upgrades and new plant programmes, we continue to set new records for output efficiency and product reliability.

They believe that responsiveness is the foundation of fruitful customer partnerships. The Business Unit Mobility ensures this through their resources of strategically placed global hubs: Borealis Belgium, Borealis Central Europe, Monza (Italy), two compounding facilities in Brazil, Itatiba and Triunfo and two in China, Shanghai and Guangzhou (end 2012). In addition, they are supported by the innovation centres all over the world.

About Borealis and Borouge

Borealis is a leading provider of chemical and innovative plastics solutions that create value for society. With sales of EUR 4.7 billion in 2009, customers in over 120 countries, and 5,200 employees worldwide, Borealis is owned 64% by the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) of Abu Dhabi and 36% by OMV, the leading energy group in the European growth belt. Borealis is headquartered in Vienna, Austria, and has production locations, innovation centres and customer service centres across Europe and the Americas.

Through Borouge, a joint venture between Borealis and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), one of the world's major oil and gas companies, the company's footprint reaches out to the Middle East, Asia Pacific, the Indian sub-continent and Africa.. Established in 1998, Borouge employs approximately 1,600 people, has customers in more than 50 countries and its headquarters are in Abu Dhabi in the UAE and Singapore.

Building on Borealis' unique Borstar® technology and their experience in polyolefins of more than 50 years, Borealis and Borouge provide innovative, value creating plastics solutions for the infrastructure (pipe systems and power and communication cables), automotive and advanced packaging markets. In addition, Borealis offers a wide range of base chemicals from melamine and plant nutrients to phenol and acetone.

Today, Borealis and Borouge have a manufacturing capacity of over 5.4 million tonnes of polyolefins (polyethylene and polypropylene) per year of which 26% are the result of a recently completed capacity expansion in Abu Dhabi. An additional 2.5 million tonnes per year is scheduled for completion by the end of 2013, creating the world's largest integrated polyolefins plant. The companies continue to invest to ensure that their customers throughout the value chain, around the world, can always rely on superior products and security of supply.

Borouge and Borealis are committed to the principles of Responsible Care® and proactively contribute to addressing the world's water and sanitation challenges through their Water for the World™ initiative.

For more information visit:
Borealis: www.borealisgroup.com
Borouge: www.borouge.com
Water for the World: www.waterfortheworld.net

Daplen, Xmod and Borstar are trademarks of the Borealis group.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from 40 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit www.frost.com.

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