31st Annual SPE Awards Night Planned for November, 2001

    DETROIT, May 17 "Automotive Survivor" is the theme for
this year's Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Automotive Division's 31st
Annual Innovation Awards Program, celebrated as the largest engineering
recognition event of its kind.  The event, which will emphasize the strength,
versatility, creativity and endurance of plastics in automotive applications,
is scheduled for Nov. 13, 2001 at the Cobo Center Riverview Ballroom, in
Detroit.  The evening will recognize engineers of OEMs, Tier 1s and other
suppliers for the "Most Innovative Use of Plastics" for 2002 automotive model
year applications.  More than 1,000 automotive engineers, executives and their
guests are expected to attend.
    "This year's theme, 'Automotive Survivor,' is both topical and relevant in
today's business environment," said Kevin Pageau of Mayne-McKenney, Awards
Night chairman.  "Competition among suppliers is fierce, and to survive you
must out-design, out-engineer, and out-manufacture your competitor.  Plastics
are the first choice for reducing cost, weight, and timing, and this awards
program recognizes the outstanding innovators and innovations of this model
year."
    Awards Night is the automotive industry's premier engineering recognition
program.  Nicknamed "The Academy Awards of the Plastics Industry," the awards
were established in 1970 to recognize innovation in the field of automotive
plastics.  They symbolize the most innovative contributions of automotive
engineers in one of the largest and most demanding industries.
    Awards will be presented for "Most Innovative Use of Plastics" in the
following categories:  Body Interior, Body Exterior,
Chassis/Hardware/Assembly, Powertrain, Materials, Process and Enabling
Technologies, and Environmental.  The "Grand Award" is then selected from the
category winners by a panel of blue ribbon judges.  Last year, Ford Motor
Company took top honors for its adoption of a unique "controlled energy
management bumper isolator" developed by LDM Technologies, Auburn Hills, Mich.
The system is used on the Ford Windstar mini-van.
    There also is a "Hall of Fame" award to honor the pioneering use of
plastics to replace metals or create never-before-possible parts and systems.
This award is given to an OEM and application that has "withstood the test of
time" of 10 years of continuously expanding usage.  Last year's award went to
Volkswagen for its extended use of HDPE blow molded fuel tanks that reduce
weight, conserve space and conform to contours as they offer significant
safety advantages.
    Nominations for this prestigious award are now being accepted.  The
nomination form can be downloaded from the SPE Automotive website at
http://www.speautomotive.com , or call Diana at 248-619-7138 to have the form emailed
or faxed.
    Sponsors for last year's event included automotive Tier 1s, OEMs, resin
suppliers, molders, other service and supply companies, and trade media.  They
included:  American Plastics Council, Ashland Specialty Chemical, Automotive
Industries, Automotive Manufacturing and Production, Basell, BASF Corporation,
Delphi Automotive, DuPont Automotive, GE Plastics, Johnson Controls, Lear
Corporation, Modern Plastics, Textron Automotive, Ticona, Visteon Corporation,
Ward's Communications, A. Schulman, Advanced Elastomer Systems, Automotive
Composite Alliance, Bayer Corporation, Decoma International, Dow Automotive,
DSM, Dynisco, ExxonMobil Chemical, Honeywell, Husky, LDM Technologies, Inc.,
Lightspeed Technologies, Inc., Owens Corning, P.E.T.S., PolyOne Automotive,
ABC Group, Huntsman Corporation and Sika Corporation.  Companies interested in
becoming a sponsor; which includes complimentary admission tickets, media
recognition, and other perks, may contact Kevin Pageau, Awards Night chairman,
at 248-258-0306.
    As customary, funds raised from this event will be used to fund SPE
educational efforts and technical seminars, which will help to secure the role
of plastics in the advancement of the automobile.

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