PITTSFIELD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 6, 2003--GE Plastics, a leading worldwide producer of engineering thermoplastics and a division of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) today announced a one-year sponsorship of the DEWALT #17 stock car, driven by Matt Kenseth in the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Racing Series.
GE Plastics is the manufacturer of LEXAN(R) resin, a material that has long played an important role in NASCAR safety and stock car performance. LEXAN resin is one of the toughest and most versatile polymers in existence and can be found in everything from the bullet resistant canopies on fighter jets to camping equipment, computers, cell phones, CDs and DVDs.
2003 marks the 50th anniversary of GE Plastics' invention of LEXAN polycarbonate. The company is celebrating this important milestone with events and activities throughout the year.
For more than 15 years, LEXAN polycarbonate technology has contributed to driver safety and is a critical component to the sport of NASCAR. Most NASCAR stock cars feature front windshields composed of LEXAN resin.
The LEXAN resin is then coated with a patented GE polycarbonate adhesive film that can quickly be peeled away during a race when it is soiled by oil, grease, and other race debris, revealing a new, clean windshield.
LEXAN resin is also used in the shells of drivers' helmets because it is lightweight and impac resistant. Helmets made with LEXAN resin are also used in the National Football League, and the National Hockey League.
Windshields manufactured with LEXAN resin and its peel-away adhesive make pit stops faster, which is critical in a sport where every second counts, said Robbie Reiser, Team DEWALT crew chief. Its strength, toughness, and clarity prevent windshield disfiguration and allows our driver to concentrate solely on winning the race.
LEXAN resin is one of the most widely used and flexible materials in NASCAR today because of its superior clarity, strength, toughness, and design flexibility, said Greg Adams, General Manager of Global Marketing for GE Plastics. We are very excited about our sponsorship of the DEWALT #17 car. We want to raise awareness of what a versatile performance material LEXAN resin is--both in NASCAR and in the everyday lives of consumers.
The DEWALT racing team is one of the most successful teams in NASCAR today. In 2002, driver Matt Kenseth and crew chief Robbie Reiser clinched five wins, a pit crew championship, one pole position, and 11 Top 5 and 19 Top 10 performances.
In addition to being featured in 38 Winston Cup races in 2003 (for full schedule, visit NASCAR online at:
http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/data/schedule.html), the DEWALT #17 car will make several promotional appearances at GE Plastics events and locations throughout the year.
About GE Plastics
A division of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), GE Plastics is a leading producer of engineering thermoplastics, with major production facilities worldwide. GE Plastics materials, including LEXAN(R) polycarbonate, are used in a wide variety of applications such as CDs, automobile parts, computer housings, cookware, outdoor signage, cell phones, bullet resistant shielding and building materials.
Through its LNP Engineering Plastics business, the company is a worldwide leader in the custom compounding of engineering thermoplastics. GE Plastics is also a global distributor of resins through GE Polymerland, and of sheet, film, rod and tube products through Polymershapes and GE Structured Products.
The company's Web site is located at www.geplastics.com. For more information on LEXAN,
visit www.gelexan.com.
About DEWALT
Based in Towson, MD, DEWALT manufactures and markets high performance industrial power tools and accessories for residential and industrial construction, professional remodeling and woodworking applications.
For more information on the full line of DEWALT high performance tools and accessories, contact DEWALT at 701 E. Joppa Road, TW425, Baltimore, MD 21286; phone toll-free at 1-800-4-DEWALT (1-800-433-9258) or visit us at www.DEWALT.com.
LEXAN is a registered trademark of General Electric Company.
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Jay Pomeroy, 413/448-7481
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Brendan Mullin, 212/931-6173
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