Japanese steel maker joins plastics firm to promote GMT sales
I Europe's
rail industry to increase use of composites
MANY f a b r i c a t o r s c l a i m t h a t Eu r o p e' s rail industry is t h e m o s t i m...
MANY f a b r i c a t o r s c l a i m t h a t Eu r o p e' s rail industry is t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t growth sector for structural plastics including composites, according to a recent report. Stractural Plastics
in the West European Rail Industry 1992-1997, based on interviews with raw material s u p p lier s and Euro p e a n coach builders, says
t ha t the opening of borders across E ur ope and advances in t r ai n design will help increase t he use of composites. The moves towards a E u r o p e a n economy and the new access to countries of the Eastern bloc have given an impetus to high-speed travel. High-speed trains are challenging airplanes over
[ ] Japanese steel maker joins plastics firm to promote GMT sales JAPANESE steel maker Sum i t o m o Metal I n d u s t r i e s has j o i n e d K u r a r a y in a j o i n t v e n t u r e to d e v e l o p and m a r k e t glass mat therm o p l a s t i c (GMT) for t he a u t o m o t i v e i n d u s t r y , acc o r d i n g t o The N i k k e i
Weekly. Kuraray has struggled to increase sales of its GMT. The plastics m a n u f a c t u r e r hopes to take advantage of S u m i t o m o ' s leverage ~vith vehicle makers to boost the sales of this product. The v e n t u r e will build a p l a n t to c r e a t e b e t w e e n 3000 and 6000 tonnes of the material a year ~vithin two years.
Up until 1988 there were only two j o i n t ventures in Japan making GMT, I d e m i t s u NSG a n d UbeNittokasei. T he se c o m p a nies acquired t hei r manufacturing t e c h n o l o g y from PPG Industries of the USA and m a d e a b o u t 1800 tonnes of the thermoplastic a year. Today, b e c a u s e of t h e u p t a k e of the material by J a p a n e s e vehicle makers, the m a r k e t stands at about 9000 tonnes a year. Honda, for example, uses GMT in models it makes for the US market. Toyota Motor and Nissan Motor also use the material in t hei r cars.
long distance routes. The advancing design of these vehicles has used reinforced plastics. T he r e p o r t shows how composites based on polyester and phenolics are finding greater use in c o m p o n e n t s such as cab f r o n t s , wall a n d c e i l i n g panels, and seat backs. Some high speed coaches u s e u p t o 3 t o n n e s of reinforced plastic. The report assesses the growth prospects for therm o s e t s and high p e r f o r m a n c e t h e r m o p l a s t i c s . It says t h a t the fire resistance of phenolics and their low emisions of smoke have m a d e the growth of these plastics the fastest. The r e p o r t is available from E u r o t r e n d s Research of New Barnet, UK.
k l Petrol stations will increase GRP use EUROPEAN petrol station reinforced plastics. In the forecourts show great po- countries of t he Eastern tential for the use of glass Bloc, the road network is fibre r e i n f o r c e d pl as t i c s one of the priority areas (GRPs), says C o r p o r a t e for development. There is Development Consultants also a need for more filling of Bristol, UK. The firm i s s t a t i o n s b e c a u s e of t h e l a u n c h i n g a n i n - d e p t h increasing sales of cars in s t u d y into o p p o r t u n i t i e s these countries. The consultants believe in this area. Fierce c o m p e t i t i o n in t h a t makers of pultruded, the west between retailers f i l a m ent - w ound or sheet of petrol is forcing m any m o u l d i n g compound companies are developing (SMC) pr oduct s have the ancillary services such as o p p o r t u n i t y to e n t e r into a car washes and shops to m ar ke t for high volumes of a t t r a c t customers. This has parts. Corporate Development led to increased refits and d e s i g n c h a n g e s of pr e - Consultants; tel: + 4 4 fax: mises, providing great po- ( 0 ) 4 5 4 - 4 1 9 5 0 5 ; t e n t i a l f o r t h e u s e o f + 44- (0) 454-413421.