Society of Plastics Engineers Announces Awards Night Date Change And Special New Award

    DETROIT, Aug. 20 The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE)
Automotive Division's 31st Annual Innovation Awards Program, at the Cobo
Center Riverview Ballroom, in Detroit, is moved to Tuesday, November 27th,
2001.  (The original date was Wednesday, November 14, 2001.)  This year's
event will also be the debut of the "Lifetime Leadership Award" which will
recognize, congratulate and honor a special global industry leader.  The
recipient of this special award will be announced prior to the event.
    The "Lifetime Leadership Award" was developed by the SPE Board of
Directors, over the past year, to recognize outstanding leading global
industry executives whose leadership has resulted in:
    *  A record of outstanding innovation as evidenced by his/her company's
leadership in leading edge technology, numbers and quality of patents, the
impact of technology on the safety, performance and environmental
sustainability of motor vehicles.
    *  Commitment to plastics as a core technology and positive supplier
relationships at all levels of the value chain.
    *  Personal achievement as evidenced by his/her leadership and recognition
from other industry organizations.
    *  Contributions to the betterment of society, as a whole, through a
variety of civic and philanthropic activities.

    The evening will also emphasize the design, cost and weight advantages of
plastics in the most innovative automotive applications for the 2002 model
year.  More than 1,000 automotive engineers, executives and their guests are
expected to attend.  This is the largest automotive engineering recognition
event of its kind.  Awards go to OEMs with recognition to key suppliers.
    "This year's theme, 'Automotive Survivor,' is both topical and relevant in
today's business environment," said Kevin Pageau of Mayne-McKenney, Awards
Program 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," continued Pageau.
    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 composed of industry
experts and analysts.  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, Michigan.  The system is used on the Ford
Windstar mini-van.
    Also, a "Hall of Fame" award honors 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 still being accepted up until
September 21st.  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 1's, OEM's, resin
suppliers, molders, other service and supply companies, and the 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 benefits, 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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