Borealis Nepol™ PP aids BMW’s low weight dashboard innovation

16.03.2010

Nepol GB215HP from Borealis is the only LGF-PP compatible with BMW’s automated integral foam injection technology, known as SGI.

Borealis’ Nepol™ GB215HP, a tailor-made long glass fibre polypropylene (LGF-PP), is the material success behind BMW’s development of up to 20% lighter, single material dashboard carrier solution for its latest 7 Series models. The lightweight carrier supports BMW’s drive to simplify production and lower costs while improving its vehicles’ fuel efficiency and environmentally-friendly profile.

Nepol GB215HP from Borealis, a leading provider of chemical and innovative plastic solutions, is the only LGF-PP compatible with BMW’s automated integral foam injection technology, known as SGI. SGI enables BMW to produce lightweight parts which exhibit the same performance profile as compact material and heavier parts.

BMW’s choice of Borealis’ 20% LGF-PP grade to replace its previous two-component dashboard construction has secured a number of advantages in addition to weight reduction.

Nepol GB215HP gives significantly better warpage behaviour and therefore improved processing and lower system costs for the BMW team. The new single material solution requires less material to achieve the outstanding mechanical properties of high stiffness and strength, and excellent impact performance required for the dashboard carrier, adding to the overall production cost-efficiency and component performance. The use of recyclable PP contributes to raising the environmental profile of the 7 Series, with the general vehicle weight saving ultimately lowering fuel consumption to further benefit the environment.

To ensure optimal benefits from the switch to Nepol GB215HP, Borealis worked closely with BMW’s Landshut Innovation and Technology Centre to provide fine-tuning of the material for the injection moulding process and CAED support for processing and performance simulation.

“The long glass fibres of Nepol GB215HP provide for outstanding mechanical properties with the ease of processing and knock-on production efficiency benefits required for this dashboard application,” comments Harald Hammer, Vice President for business unit Mobility at Borealis. “BMW is at the forefront of automotive development and is continuously exploring new ways to make its vehicles safer, lighter and more fuel efficient, and more environmentally-friendly. By switching to Nepol GB215HP BMW fulfils its goal of improving component and vehicle performance and reducing production costs without compromising its very high standards of engineering.”

For further information please contact:

Kerstin Meckler
Head of Communications, Borealis
Vienna, Austria
+43 1 22 400 389
kerstin.meckler@borealisgroup.com

Borealis is a leading provider of chemical and innovative plastics solutions that create value for society. With sales of EUR 6.6 billion in 2008, customers in over 120 countries, and 5,400 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 centers and customer service centers 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 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 1,400 people, has customers in more than 50 countries and its headquarters are in Abu Dhabi in the UAE and Singapore.
Building on the unique Borstar® technology and their experience in polyolefins for almost 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 manufacture 4.4 million tonnes of polyolefins (polyethylene and polypropylene) per year. Borouge is currently tripling its polyolefins manufacturing capacity to 2 million tonnes per year (t/y) by mid-2010 and an additional 2.5 million t/y is scheduled for 2013. The companies continue to invest to ensure that their customers throughout the value chain, across the globe, can always rely on product quality, consistency 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.

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