Lanxess eyes to tap auto industry with innovative plastics

Lanxess, German specialty chemicals major, is eyeing growth opportunities in India’s growing passenger car and two-wheeler markets for its engineering plastics. The company is presenting a range of modern and light weight solutions with high-performance plastics for the automotive and two-wheeler industry at PlastIndia 2015. The company also exhibited select applications of high-performance plastics in the electronics and electrical industry.
 
“We are optimistic about the prospects of our high performance plastics in India and a large platform like PlastIndia will only validate the potential. Various new applications are being continuously tested and tried by all large auto manufacturers and this year, the two wheeler industry holds promise too. The compounding facility for Durethan and Pocan (engineering plastics) in Jhagadia (Gujarat) is able to address the needs of not just the Indian market but also customers overseas,” said Milan Vijnevic, director - sales and marketing, Asia Pacific, Business Unit High Performance Materials, Lanxess.
 
Polyamides and polybutylene terephthalates, reinforced with a glass fibre content of up to 60 percent, are ideal for applications in lightweight construction, which can be attributed to their strength and stiffness. They form a lightweight and economical alternative to sheet moulding compounds (SMC) and other reinforced thermosets, as well as to metals like steel, aluminium and die cast zinc. Lanxess therefore, has been regularly adding new variations to its already wide range of injection moulding materials in this segment.
 
At PlastIndia 2015, Lanxess is exhibiting lightweight solutions for automobiles such as front end module structure, air intake hose, engine cover, brake pedal, spare wheel recess, oil module and other parts frequently used by automobile manufacturers. The company is one of the largest suppliers of high performance materials in the field of engineering plastics (Durethan, Pocan) both in India and globally. A breakthrough this year, is the application of these materials in both injection moulded and blow moulded designs in different parts of two wheelers, for example – blow moulded single layer polyamide fuel tank. “This is the first-of-its-kind application, in which specifically developed Durethan BC550Z is being used to manufacture the fuel tank of two wheelers matching the stringent norms laid down by Environmental Protection Agency, USA,” said Lanxess in the press release.
 
Lanxess has a compounding facility at its site in Jhagadia with a capacity of 20,000 metric tonnes. This facility manufactures polyamide and polyester composites reinforced with glass fibres and other fillers, namely products from the Durethan and Pocan product range, which in turn, offer benefits for a variety of applications in the automobile, electrical and electronics industries. Interestingly, this facility also has capability to develop and manufacture coloured compounds, which helps meet the newer customer requirements in automobile as well as electronics and electrical industries.