8 Jan 2007
Milestones: GE Plastics Continues to Drive Automotive Innovation After Nearly 50 Years of Service
For nearly half a century, GE Plastics has set standards for high-performance automotive polymers. Beginning in 1958 with the introduction of Lexan* resin, its first engineering plastic, GE has continued the tradition of developing advanced automotive materials, while delivering world-class technical support and unparalleled customer service.
A brief chronology of GE Plastics’ major automotive milestones follows:
1893: Thomas Edison experiments with plastics filaments for light bulbs.
1890s: Thomas Edison experiments with the electrification of automobiles.
1930: GE creates its first Plastics department.
1958: GE introduces Lexan resin as a commercial product.
1964: GE introduces Noryl* modified PPO resin, providing automotive OEMs with a lightweight, ecologically optimized, high-performance alternative to metal for auto interiors and body panels.
1969: Lexan resin first used for taillights and indicator lenses on European sports cars.
1971: GE introduces its family of Valox* resins.
1982: GE Plastics introduces its high-heat resistant Ultem* resin for headlamp reflectors.
1983: The first bumper fascia in Xenoy* resin is launched on the Opel™ Manta™ GTE in Europe.
1988: 1989 GM Cadillac™ “C” Deville™ & Fleetwood™ win Society of Plastics Engineers Grand Award for Noryl GTX* front fenders.
1988: The first vehicle using GE thermoplastic material for all “vertical” body panels (front and rear bumper fascias, front fenders, doors and rear quarter panels) is launched on the BMW™ Z1 roadster.
1992: Chrysler™ instrument panel system wins Grand Award for 1993 LH Platform for Azdel*, Noryl.
1994: Society of Plastics Engineers honors GE Plastics with Hall of Fame award for clear polycarbonate lenses in headlamp assemblies for Ford Motor Company.
1994: The first production polycarbonate roof glazing is launched with Lexan resin on the targa roof of the GM Corvette™ C6.
1997: GE Plastics forms joint venture, Exatec LLC. for development of polycarbonate auto glazing.
1998: Society of Plastics Engineers Honors GE Plastics and Visteon for the first free-form complex reflector made from Ultem Resin.
1998: First place in the "Exterior Body" category is awarded to GE Plastics and Dynamit Nobel Kunststoff for the Micro Compact Car (later known as the smart™ car) by the Society of Plastics Engineers (Europe).
2000: GE Plastics acquires Cadillac Plastic and Commercial Plastics and Supply.
2002: GE Plastics purchases LNP* Engineering Plastics, adding compounding technology to its family of customer solutions.
2002: GEP introduces weatherable Lexan SLX* film for paint elimination.
2003: Society of Plastics Engineers honors GE with Grand Award for Lexan SLX film on the DaimlerChrysler smart™ Roadster roof module.
2004: Society of Plastics Engineers honors GE Plastics with Hall of Fame Award for Xenoy resin bumper box beam for Ford Motor Company.
2005: GE launches first global ecomagination* campaign for the environment spotlighting Flexible Noryl resin for Wire Coating and Lexan SLX film for paint replacement.
2005: Automotive windows molded from Lexan polycarbonate resin and coated with Exatec900™ were cleared for use in "driver visibility applications" (as long as they pass tests listed in the "AS-2" specification) by the US Department of Transportation's National Highway Transportation Highway Safety Authority (NHTSA).
2006: Valox iQ* and Xenoy iQ* ecomagination family of resins launched globally to address three critical environmental concerns for auto manufacturers: conserving energy, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing post-consumer waste.
2006: 1st Annual GE Plastics PLASTicon design competition launched with Royal College of Art.
2006: Society of Plastics Engineers Europe honors GE with Grand Award for Lexan SLX film on the Opel™ Zafira™.
2006: GE joins Board of Directors at Electric Drive Transportation Association.
2006: Extem* resin line launched for exceptional thermal, chemical, and mechanical performance in extreme environments for applications such as underhood.
* Lexan, Noryl, Valox, Ultem, Xenoy, Noryl GTX, LNP, Lexan SLX, ecomagination, Valox iQ, Xenoy iQ and Extem are trademarks of General Electric Company.
*Azdel is a trademark of Azdel, Inc., a GE Plastics joint venture.
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