ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, March 15, 2018 – Advanced polypropylene (PP) compounds provide a significant opportunity for high quality surfaces in automotive exterior and interior design. LyondellBasell showcased the latest materials to advance surfaces at the Plastics in Automotive Engineering technical conference, which is organized by the Association of German Engineers (VDI) in Mannheim, Germany.

“Today's components must have high quality finishes, be available in a variety of colors, matte and even with a pronounced soft touch - and above all must be lightweight”, said Erik Licht, LyondellBasell Business Development Manager for PP Compounds, Europe. “And at LyondellBasell we have a wide variety of products and technologies available to meet these demands supporting sustainability needs”.

Amongst the products shown at the LyondellBasell booth at the conference were:

• Automotive components that display a visual metallic effect through the use of finely dispersed metallic flakes in the polypropylene compound. These parts can be molded-in-color for paint-free exterior applications.
• Injection molded components made out of a new polypropylene compound that display a textile-like surface finish. Scratch resistant and with low gloss, this material can be used as pillar trim to enhance the optical appearance and assist modern automotive interior design allowing replace textile backmolding in single material approach.
• PP compound material for the production of foamed parts that are light in weight without compromising on the mechanical properties and support the weight saving objectives by all major car producers
• Surfaces produced with the Plastic Interface Technology (PIT) are displaying glossy, chrome-like finishes by using metal foils bonded on a thermoplastic substrate. This results in lightweight composites that make chrome substitution a reality and allow for light weight components with design elements such as surface structures or back lighting.  

The use of augmented reality at the LyondellBasell booth made it possible to show part details of a foamed compound, a pillar trim made with Softell Textile and a component clad with a metal foil produced with the Plastic Interface Technology. Using the Preality App and pointing the camera of a smartphone at a virtual reality tracker display allows to demonstrate surface features of a 3D model and enables the virtual inspection of each part.

LyondellBasell’s PP compounds are found in almost all modern vehicles and significantly contribute to improved fuel efficiency and the ability of automobile manufacturers to comply with strict environmental standards for car interiors. Apart of the solutions on display at the Plastics in Automotive Engineering conference, LyondellBasell PP compounds can help to:

• Reduce vehicle weight by using high flow materials that allow a reduction in wall thickness without compromising on the mechanical properties;
• provide a pleasant experience in door panels, trims and handles for interior applications using soft touch polypropylene compounds that;
• enable lowest levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and low odor in components used in car interiors and in doing so meet strict environmental standards and protect the health of the passengers; and
• provide a lightweight alternative for both interior and exterior applications using low density talc-filled compounds.

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About LyondellBasell

LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB) is one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world. Driven by its 13,400 employees around the globe, LyondellBasell produces materials and products that are key to advancing solutions to modern challenges like enhancing food safety through lightweight and flexible packaging, protecting the purity of water supplies through stronger and more versatile pipes, and improving the safety, comfort and fuel efficiency of many of the cars and trucks on the road. LyondellBasell sells products into approximately 100 countries and is the world's largest licensor of polyolefin and polypropylene technologies. More information about LyondellBasell can be found at www.lyondellbasell.com.