Apr 17 2008
Based on the commercial success of its environmentally-friendly acoustic materials with major auto makers, Polymer Group, Inc. (PGI) today announced it is expanding the use of these substrates to other vehicle components.
Designed to silence interior vehicle noise, the company's Silonyx(TM) materials are currently being used in production vehicles by General Motors, Ford and Honda, including North America's best selling Chevy Malibu as well as the Ford Focus and Honda Civic models.
The company is featuring the expanded Silonyx(TM) line at this week's INDEX08 show here at booth 2131.
Introduced last year in trunk and wheel-well liners, the PGI materials are being expanded into package trays, hush panels, dash insulators and HVAC ducts. PGI also has enhanced the product offering in highly engineered wheel- well liners with Silonyx(TM) 4, a new four-layer product manufactured in a single-step process.
These substrates made from recyclable polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) provide a barrier to absorb sound and reduce noise in the interior compartment of a vehicle. In addition, the components themselves are recyclable.
PGI developed the unique one-step manufacturing process that combines the recycled materials with a facing material through multiple layering and needlepunching in a single step. This one-step process, and use of recyclable materials, produces a more cost-effective product.
The high-strength Silonyx(TM) materials range from 25 to 40 ounces and are lighter than traditional plastic parts, answering the market need for more efficient vehicles that consume less fuel.
"Silonyx(TM) materials have been a winning combination for OEM and Tier I automotive suppliers by providing a green, acoustic product that is light weight and cost effective," said Don Bokshan, PGI's automotive sales and marketing director. "Acoustic performance is helping auto makers differentiate themselves with consumers and succeed in today's competitive market."
Polymer Group, Inc., one of the world's leading producers of nonwovens, is a global, technology-driven developer, producer and marketer of engineered materials. With the broadest range of process technologies in the nonwovens industry, PGI is a global supplier to leading consumer and industrial product manufacturers. The company operates 18 manufacturing and converting facilities in 8 countries throughout the world. For more information, visit http://www.polymergroupinc.com