CO-EXTRUDED SHEETS OF LUSTRAN® ABS AND CENTREX ® WEATHERABLE POLYMER FROM BAYER POLYMERS TAKES ON THE RIGORS OF THE OPEN ROAD

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CO-EXTRUDED SHEETS OF LUSTRAN® ABS AND CENTREX ® WEATHERABLE POLYMER FROM BAYER POLYMERS TAKES ON THE RIGORS OF THE OPEN ROAD
20 October 2003 - Bayer MaterialScience AG

So, when Dutchmen was looking for a highly durable, yet attractive material to form the front end caps of the mid-profile model of its 2003 and 2004 Colorado Fifth Wheel RV, the company turned to an industry-proven solution: Co-extruded sheets of Lustran®ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) and Centrex® weatherable polymer from Bayer Polymers.

A Winning Combination

Lustran ABS capped with Centrex weatherable polymer is a winning combination for demanding outdoor applications, such as recreational vehicles, that require toughness, strength and impact resistance, as well as a high-gloss, smooth finish. The Lustran ABS substrate provides strength, toughness and rigidity while the Centrex resin offers high gloss, a Class A surface, and excellent ultraviolet (UV) and impact resistance. But that's not all: The end caps formed from the co-extruded sheet also weigh less than their fiberglass counterparts.

'The co-extruded sheet offered a high-gloss, smooth finish that also is durable and can stand up to the abuse of the road, such as rock damage,' explained Joe Hosinski, marketing manager and communications manager for Dutchmen Manufacturing. 'It has a smoother and nicer look that is preferable over other materials,' he continued.

Allen Extruders co-extrudes the Centrex 825 weatherable polymer over Lustran 752 ABS resin and supplies the sheet to Duo-Form Plastics Inc. Duo-Form thermoforms the sheets into the end caps, which measure 62 inches tall by 96 inches wide.

An important consideration in this application was the ability for the front end cap to match up perfectly in appearance with the fiberglass sidewall, according to Tom Werts, vice president marketing and new product development at Duo-Form. 'Bayer's resins matched the fiberglass sidewall in terms of gloss, smooth-surface finish and color,' he said.

Furthermore, Werts appreciated Bayer's technical expertise. 'Bayer was very helpful, offering a variety of technical support, including material testing, design testing, environmental testing and FEA (finite element analysis).'

http://www.bayermaterialscience.com

About: Bayer MaterialScience AG
Bayer Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, is part of the worldwide Bayer Group, an international health care, nutrition and innovative materials group based in Leverkusen, Germany. Bayer employs 23,300 in North America with net North American sales of 8.8 billion euros in 2003. Bayer’s three operating business areas – HealthCare, CropScience and MaterialScience, improve people’s lives through a broad range of essential products that help diagnose and treat diseases, protect crops and advance automobile safety and durability.

Bayer MaterialScience AG is one of the world's largest producers of polymers and high-performance plastics. The main customers for Its innovative developments in coatings, adhesives, insulating materials and sealants, polycarbonates and polyurethanes are the automotive and construction industries, the electrical/electronics segment and manufacturers of sports and leisure goods, packaging, and medical devices.

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