Dow Plastics Receives Award for New Thermoplastic Pultrusion Process Technology
NEW YORK – December 13, 1999 — Dow Plastics† is a winner of INDUSTRY WEEK Magazine's seventh annual Technology and Innovation Awards Program for developing FULCRUM* Thermoplastic Composites Technology. The editors of the leading manufacturing management magazine selected FULCRUM as one of 25 Technologies of the Year for 1999.



Winners are selected by the magazine's editors who solicit reader nominations and follow a judging process designed to recognize outstanding achievement in technology, says John R.Brandt, editor-in-chief. To be eligible, candidate technologies must relate in a significant way to accomplishments and achievements in the current year. Winners span the entire range of science and engineering, with the editor panel seeking developments that show a high potential for redirecting business opportunities and creating new growth in the manufacturing world.

FULCRUM technology is the combination of a new resin and a new pultrusion process for the production of continuous fiber thermoplastic composites. Introduced in July 1999, the new technology is designed to help customers achieve higher strength and greater versatility for profile products.

"As an established leader in thermoplastics processing technology, Dow applied its materials and processing knowledge to create a new processing option that dramatically increases the performance of thermoplastic composites, and makes them a strong candidate for a wide range of structural applications never before open to thermoplastics," explains Dick Sosville, vice president for Engineering Plastics at Dow.

Historically, thermoplastic composites have lacked the mechanical properties of thermoset composites. According to Chris Edwards, market development manager for FULCRUM, past limitations were due to poor fiber impregnation and poor fiber adhesion. This, he says, has been the primary obstacle to the widespread introduction of thermoplastic composites for structural applications.

"FULCRUM Thermoplastic Composites Technology, using an engineering thermoplastic polyurethane resin (EPTU), brings mechanical properties comparable to the best thermoset composites combined with significantly higher toughness and damage tolerance," Edwards says. "It is thermoformable, allowing for greater design freedom and versatility. Additionally, it brings significant environmental benefits due to zero volatile emissions and the ability to be effectively recycled."

Edwards adds that FULCRUM technology opens new markets for thermoplastics, especially as a new class of structural materials, providing an attractive alternative to thermoset materials. One example is an alternative to structural lumber, which gives the appearance of wood, the strength of steel and the maintenance ease of vinyl siding. A number of applications such as window frames, fences and decking are under evaluation.

A complete list of winners of the 25 Technologies of the Year for 1999 is featured in the December 6th issue of INDUSTRY WEEK and at www.industryweek.com.

The Dow Chemical Company is a global science and technology-based company that develops and manufactures a portfolio of chemicals, plastics and agricultural products and services for customers in 168 countries around the world. With annual sales of more than $18 billion, Dow conducts its operations through 15 global businesses employing 39,000 people.

For Editorial Information:

Fulcrum Composites Incorporated
info@fulcrumcomposites.com