CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 23, 2003--GE Plastics, a division of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), today launches unique new product designs and imaginative application technology in the GE Plastics' booth at the National Plastics Exposition (NPE) in Chicago (McCormick Place, South Hall, Booth #2215) from June 23-27.
It's exciting to be back at NPE, which always provides us with a great platform to showcase our application advancements to both current and potential customers, said John Krenicki, president and CEO of GE Plastics.
Since we were at the NPE three years ago, we've made tremendous progress in new material technology, processing techniques, and part performance and design. Every development is tied to a customer benefit, and we're happy to be here in Chicago to demonstrate those benefits directly.
The theme for GE Plastics' 24,000-square-foot booth at NPE is Imagination At Work. On display is an arrangement of revolutionary resin products featuring the latest technology and application developments in diverse market segments, including automotive, computer and business equipment, telecommunications, building and construction, medical, packaging, electrical/electronics, and more.
The booth is specially designed to respond to the interests of customers from various industries. Major highlights include an exhibit area featuring the new X GEN(TM) resin technology portfolio from GE Plastics.
The new product line highlights new plastics products offering extreme product capabilities, such as temperature durability, chemical resistance, flame retardance, dimensional stability, surface hardness, weatherability and aesthetics appeal.
This portfolio of innovative materials includes:
-- GELOY(R) XTW resin for extreme weatherability in exterior housing and automotive applications.
-- ULTEM(R) XHT resin for extrem high heat resistance to 477degreesF/247degreesC.
-- XYLEX(R) XCC resin for extreme chemical clarity for medical, electronics, sporting goods and food service applications.
-- NORYL(R) PPX resin for extreme versatility for applications from edge trimmers and utility vehicles to fire engine fascias and large part transporters at auto assembly plants.
-- NORYL(R) ETX engineering thermoset resin with superior dielectric strength, high strength and ductility and low moisture absorption.
-- LEXAN(R) SLX resin for extreme high gloss and color retention.
-- LEXAN(R) EXL resin for extreme low temperature impact to -60degreesF, and chemical resistance.
The booth will also feature an area dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of GE Plastics branded LEXAN(R) resin. Applications featured in this area include an authentic Apollo EMU space suit, astronaut Buzz Aldrin's helmet, three human-like robots featured in GE's Imagination at Work television commercial, a show car from NASCAR's Winston Cup circuit, a transparent kayak, and a GE prototype car with co-extruded LEXAN(R) SLX film on the body panels.
Fifty years after its invention, GE Plastics continues to introduce more cutting-edge LEXAN resin technologies such as LEXAN SLX film, LEXAN EXL resin and the limited play DVD technology, all of which will be on display at NPE.
Another key highlight of the booth will be a special future technology developed in conjunction with GE Global Research Center at Schenectady, N.Y. This area features upcoming developments in nanotechnology, photonics, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology, electrochromic windows and flexible electronics.
Also showcased in the future area are application developments,
GE Plastics' new Virtual Lab for customers, and in-mold decoration technologies from GE Plastics Polymer Processing Development Center (PPDC). This year, the PPDC is celebrating its 15th anniversary.
In addition, for the first time at NPE, LNP Engineering Plastics will exhibit new products and applications in conjunction with GE Plastics, showcasing applications such as a Ping golf club and putter, Canon laser printer chassis frame, Hewlett Packard printer components, and many more.
Other exhibit areas include automotive, Exatec glazing, building and construction, computers and business equipment, emerging markets, and consumer industrial applications.
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 and DVDs, 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 sheet, film, rod and tube products through GE Polymershapes and GE Structured Products.
In 2003, GE Plastics iscelebrating the 50th Anniversary of LEXAN polycarbonate, discovered in 1953 by GE chemist Dr. Daniel W. Fox. The company's web site is located at www.geplastics.com, and to learn more about LEXAN visit www.gelexan.com.
GELOY, ULTEM, XYLEX, NORYL, LEXAN and LNP are registered trademarks of General Electric Company.
X GEN is a trademark of General Electric Company.
Note: A slide is available at URL:
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.062303/bb13
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CONTACT: GE Plastics
Cecilia Siu, 413/448-6959
[email protected]
or
Banu Kukner, 413-448-7040
[email protected]