DSM Engineering Plastics Press Release Archive 2008

Advanced LED chips with increased light output, can now be used for automotive headlamps. Because of their long service life and compact size, LED lamps have become an attractive alternative to gas discharge lamps. Big advantages are the high endurance and new design possibilities. In addition, their high efficiency saves energy and and thus fuel. However, since the active chip surface is rather small, it requires adequate cooling. Fans optimized to the special needs of automotive headlamps deliver the required air flow for active cooling. In all this, high reliability and long life are indispensible for all headlamp components.

DSM Engineering Plastics has introduced a new grade of Xantar LDS PC/ABS suitable for Laser Direct Structuring (LDS) applications. Xantar LDS 3710 was developed for antennas in mobile telecom products such as telephones, PDAs and other applications where integrated circuitry is used to replace traditional printed circuit boards.

DSM Engineering Plastics today announced the expansion of its longstanding partnership with French firm Valeo to develop enhanced technologies for reducing the environmental impact from vehicles.

Akulon® Ultraflow™ PA6 from DSM Engineering Plastics is characterized by excellent material properties in combination with optimized processability. Above all, the polymer offers superior, up to 80 % higher flow rates than conventional nylon resins, and can thus be molded more easily.

Although automotive and industrial tubes and hoses vary widely, ranging from vacuum brake tubing and pneumatic tubing to hydraulic hoses, they all have something in common – they can benefit from the use of Arnitel thermoplastic copolymer-based elastomer (TPC) from DSM Engineering Plastics.

DSM Engineering Plastics and Ashland Distribution intend to dissolve their distribution agreement in North America effective Feb. 1, 2009. The firms recognized the partnership in North America was no longer effective for either party and agreed that each would take a different approach. Ashland Distribution’s North American operations will continue to buy and sell DSM products until the Feb. 1 deadline.

Arnite® T-XG 510 PBT Halogen Free (HF) PBT grade has received VDE Approval for electrical insulating materials. This new grade, produced by DSM Engineering Plastics is particularly suited for components like connectors in white goods applications, such as washing machines, dryers and dishwashers.

Royal DSM N.V., the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company headquartered in The Netherlands, today announces that the second polymerization plant for Stanyl® polyamide 46 on the Chemelot site in Geleen (Netherlands) has opened. The new plant doubles DSM’s worldwide production capacity for this high-performance plastic, supporting expected continuous strong growth in the coming years based on the leading position of Stanyl® in electronics and the growing usage in automotive applications due to higher demand for metal replacement. DSM has invested several tens of millions of euros in the new plant.

The escalation in the cost of raw materials, energy, transportation & logistics is unprecedented in the plastics industry. As a result, DSM Engineering Plastics will increase prices in North America for Stanyl and Arnitel.

DSM introduces 3 new Akulon® Ultraflow grades for the Low Voltage Switchgear (LVSG) segment. Akulon Ultraflow K-FKGV4, Akulon Ultraflow K-FKGS6, and Akulon Ultraflow K-FKGV6 are the newly introduced grades that will complement the wide product portfolio that DSM Engineering Plastics offers for this segment.

Royal DSM N.V., the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company headquartered in the Netherlands, today announces the inauguration of its new polymer plant in Jiangyin (Jiangsu province, China). The plant produces high viscosity grades of Akulon® polyamide 6 (PA6) aimed at the fast growing high end food packaging market in Asia. Construction of the plant, which was announced in September 2006, involved several tens of millions of USD.

DSM Engineering Plastics today announced the launch of Stanyl® LED 1551, the latest grade of Stanyl used in plastic lead chip carriers (PLCC) for high brightness LED’s. These LED’s are conventionally selected for back lighting LCD display panels used in Mobile phones, PDAs, notebook PCs and hand held devices.

DSM Engineering Plastics announces that it has reached an agreement on the acquisition of the polymerization assets of Diolen Industrial Fibers BV. These include the facilities for polyester polymer production in Emmen (Netherlands), which will now be integrated with DSM’s polyester compounding facility in Emmen. As part of the acquisition, DSM will offer employment to 45 Diolen employees.

DSM Engineering Plastics has launched a new website for its Arnitel® TPC product: http://www.arnitel.com . The site features a complete new look and feel and a user friendly navigation structure for easier access to information within the site.

DSM Engineering Plastics announces a price increase of EUR150/ton for all Yparex® extrudable adhesive resins. The price increase is effective as from 1 July 2008 or as contracts permit on all shipments.

The extraordinary escalation in the cost of raw materials, energy, transportation & logistics is unprecedented in the plastics industry. As a result, DSM Engineering Plastics will increase prices in North America for Akulon and Nylatron.

DSM Engineering Plastics has announced a price increase for its range of polyester resins in Europe, effective June 15th, or as contracts permit, for all shipments. These increases affect both Arnitel® TPE and Arnite® PBT and PET products.

In the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, DSM is listed as one of the leaders in the chemical industry sector. Within the Performance Materials cluster of DSM, DSM Engineering Plastics has launched an entirely “Green Portfolio” of engineering materials for new halogen-free applications.

In an effort to offset the escalating cost of raw materials, energy and transportation costs, DSM Engineering Plastics will increase prices on Arnitel® TPE materials by at least $0.10 per pound and Stanyl® PA 46 by at least $0.15 per pound in the US, Canada and Mexico. These increases will take effect as of June 1, 2008.

Over the last period the prices for petrochemical raw materials, shipping and energy have been consistently increasing, including inflatory effects of the US Dollar. DSM is no longer able to set off these cost increases by efficiency improvements and needs to revert to price increases.

DSM Engineering Plastics has announced a new addition to its Arnitel® line of copolyester thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) that is designed to meet the stringent performance and compliance needs of today’s automotive designers.

In response to industry demand for products with a reduced environmental impact, DSM Engineering Plastics has extended its product offerings across its portfolio to include halogen free grades in all its product lines. These products address the needs across a wide range of technical parts for the electrical and electronics industry with a focus not just on a greener material but also delivering the required electrical, mechanical and processing performance.

Frost & Sullivan has awarded the European Process Enhanced Engineering Plastics Excellence in Technology Award for 2008 to Stanyl® Super Flow. Frost & Sullivan is a global growth consulting company and partners with clients to accelerate their growth.

DSM today announced the launch of a new grade in Stanyl®. Stanyl, a high performance polyamide is used extensively for automotive applications where extreme wear resistance is required. The new grade named Stanyl TW272B6 is a special grade with very high stiffness and outstanding wear resistance suited ideally for taking very high loads during sliding and roller bearing applications.

DSM Engineering Plastics launches Arnite® TV4 260SXF, a special grade meant to cater to the advanced needs of the electrical industry. This grade is specially targeted for thin walled insulating components such as relays and bobbins. Arnite TV4 260SXF is a special PBT grade which is UL94 V0 at 0.4mm and has a CTI rating of 300 V.

DSM Engineering Plastics have announced the introduction of Akulon® UltraflowTM with added gloss. The new grades will have improved surface finish, even with glass fiber loadings as high as 60%.

DSM Engineering Plastics today announced its association with the Tata Nano small car in India. Tata Motors unveiled its small car at the Autoexpo automotive fair in New Delhi in January this year. The Tata “Nano” was Mr. Ratan Tata’s dream to deliver a family car for the masses at a target price of US$2500/-.

DSM Engineering Plastics has announced a price increase for its’ Akulon® polyamide polymers and compounds in Europe, effective April 1st, or as contracts permit, for all shipments.

In an effort to offset the escalating cost of raw materials, energy, transportation and logistical costs, DSM Engineering Plastics will increase prices in North America for Akulon, Nylatron and Arnite.

At VDI’s Plastics in Automotive Engineering, DSM Engineering Plastics highlights its range of established and new materials for key automotive applications.

A high-precision 36-way sectioning connector set for Renault automobile front/rear harnesses benefits from the exceptional dimensional stability, high electrical insulating property and mouldability of Arnite® polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) TV4 261 (30%GF) resin from DSM Engineering Plastics.

DSM Engineering Plastics today announced a new addition to its Arnitel® line of copolyester thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) that is designed to meet the stringent performance and compliance needs of today’s automotive designers. Arnitel® C, a breakthrough technology for wire and cable coating, delivers the best high-heat aging performance of any TPE-E, combined with halogen-free flame retardance and hydrolysis resistance that surpasses that of other copolyester elastomers.

DSM Engineering Plastics launches Arnitel® XG, a zero halogen flame retardant product, for cable insulation in consumer electronics. This innovative Arnitel solution meets the UL VW1 specification which is the standard widely used by this industry. This product tailors to growing needs in the consumer electronics industry for using materials and technologies that are environmentally safer.