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Dow Automotive Wins Structural Plastics '99 Award

3 May 1999

Dow Automotive Wins Structural Plastics '99 Award for Innovative RRIM Fender    

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., April 30 -- The Society of the Plastics
Industry, Inc. (SPI) has recognized Dow Automotive^, General Motors and Decoma
International with the transportation category award at its 27th Annual
Conference and New Product Design Competition.  The award was given for the
team's innovative use of structural plastics for the rear fenders of the 1999
Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Sportside trucks.
    Judging for the award was based on the innovative use of processing,
design, tooling, materials and finishing.  The Sportside fender met and
surpassed all of the criteria.
    The RRIM (Reinforced Reaction Injection Molded) polyurea polymer being
used for this application is Dow's SPECTRIM* HH 390, and it is the first RRIM
system designed to withstand the high temperatures experienced in the
electrocoat, primer and top coat painting processes.  The innovative one-piece
design of the Sportside fender is a major innovation in body panel technology
that reduces mass, piece cost, investment and assembly time compared to
previous fenders made with SMC (sheet molded compound).
    "This body panel is an excellent example of an innovative solution that
meets our OEM and Tier One customer's needs and would not have been possible
without the teamwork and collaboration that went into the development of the
fender's material and tooling design," said Randy Scott, Dow Automotive's
market manager for exteriors.
    Scott added, "The technology that went into this fender and the use of our
new polymer extends the capabilities for companies that make exterior body
parts and opens up a whole new market area for RRIM body panel applications."
    The Dow Chemical Company is one of the world's largest
chemical companies with annual sales of more than $18 billion.  Dow supplies
products to customers in 168 countries worldwide.  By listening to its
customers and understanding their needs, Dow Automotive, a business group of
The Dow Chemical Company and its subsidiaries, combines its broad array of
products with material science expertise and technical capabilities in order
to deliver solutions that meet automotive customer requirements.  Additional
information regarding Dow Automotive products and services can be found at
http://www.dowautomotive.com.

    ^  Dow Automotive, a business group of The Dow Chemical Company and its
subsidiaries.
    *  Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company