Quiet Steel(TM) From Material Sciences Corporation Debuts On 2003 Cadillac

    FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Feb. 20 -- The 2003 Cadillac CTS
sports sedan is the first unibody production vehicle to feature an
acoustically integrated application of Quiet Steel(TM), an engineered metal-
laminate designed to significantly reduce vehicle NVH levels without the use
of add-on sound deadening materials.
    Quiet Steel(TM), a patented multi-layer laminate from Material Sciences
Corporation (MSC), replaces the standard steel in vehicle body structures
while simultaneously providing a significant reduction in vehicle sound and
vibration levels.  Developed by MSC's Engineered Materials and Solutions
Group, Quiet Steel(TM) consists of an engineered viscoelastic layer sandwiched
between two cold-rolled layers of steel.  The viscoelastic layer is a
"tunable" formulation, allowing vehicle designers to attenuate specific
frequencies depending on where in the vehicle they use Quiet Steel(TM).  The
laminate may be further engineered with corrosion resistance or other value-
added processing.  When this initial processing is complete, OEMs may form,
stamp, and weld Quiet Steel(TM) as they would any standard steel.  Unlike
steel treated with other damping material, 100% of Quiet Steel(TM) can be
easily recycled.
    MSC's Quiet Steel(TM) application for Cadillac has been selected by
Automotive News as a finalist for 2003's prestigious PACE Award.
    Quiet Steel(TM) was created to provide a dramatic savings to OEMs in terms
of build-time, costs, and vehicle weight.  In most cases, it can eliminate
typical add-on sound treatments such as mastics, foams, carpet padding, rubber
mats, and other costly and labor-intensive measures.  Furthermore, Quiet
Steel(TM) serves as an integral component of the vehicle body structure,
saving weight and additional tooling.
    In the Cadillac application, the CTS utilizes a full-length dashboard
panel made from Quiet Steel(TM), which resulted in a significant improvement
in vehicle NVH levels.  Quiet Steel(TM) was a logical choice because of
Cadillac's reputation for quiet operation.  "The automotive market perceives a
quiet vehicle as being of intrinsically higher quality, and expects to pay a
premium for that luxury," says Mark Gresser, MSC's Director of Automotive
Marketing.  "But the weight, cost, and manufacturing advantages we're seeing
mean that Quiet Steel(TM) can help vehicles across a manufacturer's entire
line achieve luxury levels of noise and vibration reduction."
    Material Sciences Corporation is a leading provider of material-based
solutions that solve customer-specific problems, overcome technical barriers,
and enhance performance.  Headquartered outside of Chicago, Illinois, the
company's Automotive Noise and Vibration Technical Center is located in
Farmington Hills, Michigan.
    For more information visit the company's Quiet Steel(TM) website at
http://www.quietsteel.com .  MSC - Material Sciences Corporation, 39303 Country Club
Drive, Suite A-11, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48331, USA.