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Visteon Honored for Innovative Powertrain Application

13 November 2000

Visteon Corporation Honored for Innovative Powertrain Application

    DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 10 Visteon Corporation
today announced that it was honored for its design, development and
manufacturing of the automotive industry's first environmentally friendly
powertrain component molded from a repolymerized nylon 6 resin.
    The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) has given its "Most Innovative Use
of Plastics" award in the environmental category to Visteon, as the system
supplier, for the corporation's pioneering use of the post-consumer-recycled
(PCR) nylon 6, from which the application -- an engine mounted 5.4L throttle
body adapter -- is molded.
    Previously, recycled plastic could not be used for powertrain components
because there are certain properties that typically are lost during the
recycling process causing degradation in strength and durability.  But now,
plastic is taken from discarded carpet from commercial office buildings,
broken down into its original form, then chemically recycled into a polymer
that can be used again.  The repolymerized nylon 6 offers performance and
aesthetic properties comparable to virgin nylon 6 resin, and can be used
anywhere virgin nylon 6 is used.
    "This application demonstrates Visteon's drive to be an environmental
leader in this industry," said Gary Mayo, Visteon's director of Environmental
Affairs.  "Beyond the basics of this recycling process, there are other
environmental benefits to this innovation that support both Visteon's and its
customer's corporate recycling strategy."
    Consumers also will be happy to know that this application can aid in
vehicle weight reduction that can help make cars more fuel-efficient.
    In using the repolymerized nylon 6 resin for its composite 5.4L throttle
body adapter, Visteon replaces a sand-cast machined aluminum part.  This
powertrain component is used on select Ford vehicles.
    The SPE award was given collectively to Visteon, Ford Motor Company and
the material supplier, Honeywell.