Roofing Tiles Made of GE’s Co-Extruded Geloy*/PVC Resin Introduce New Color & Style Choices to China’s Construction Market

Roofing Tiles Made from GE’s Geloy* ASA Resin

Fueled by booming construction, the Chinese roofing industry is expected to grow more than 10 percent annually to nearly 40 billion yuan in 2008. As this occurs, Chinese apartment buildings and other structures are beginning to sport colorful roofing tiles made from GE’s Geloy* resin. Geloy resin not only offers many color and style options, but also helps provide outstanding weatherability, lighter weight, and lower system cost vs. traditional roofing materials. These advantages led the Shanghai and other municipal governments to choose roofing tiles made from Geloy resin for its “Plain to Pitch” project, which is replacing older flat roofs with pitched roofs that resist leaking. BERGEN OP ZOOM, THE NETHERLANDS — June 29, 2005 — Chinese apartment buildings and other structures are beginning to sport colorful roofs tiled with tiles made from GE Advanced Materials’ Geloy* resin co-extruded with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) instead of clay and cement tiles, steel roofing sheet, or asphalt shingles. The tiles, which are fabricated from thermoformed decorative roofing sheet produced by molder FangXing Building Materials, not only offer many color and style options, but also help provide superior performance, lighter weight, and lower system cost vs. traditional roofing materials. These advantages led the Shanghai and other municipal governments to choose the roofing tiles for its “Plain to Pitch” project, which is replacing older flat roofs with pitched roofs that resist leaking.

GE’s Recommitment to Cycolac* and Geloy* Resins Business Already Shows Positive Customer Benefits

BERGEN OP ZOOM, THE NETHERLANDS – June 29, 2005 – Since announcing in February a refocus of resources on its Cycolac* and Geloy* resins business, GE Plastics, a unit of GE (NYSE:GE), has put in place a new organization dedicated to drive new growth opportunities for these materials globally. This reinvigorated approach to the market has excited interest as well as reaffirmed the company’s continuing commitment to play a leadership role in the development of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and acrylic-styrene-acrylonitrile (ASA) products and applications. Importantly, under the guidance of vice president and general manager, Charlie Crew, the organization is already delivering benefits to customers through more concentrated and coordinated services.

GE Helps Delphi Lose Weight in Automotive Wire Coating and Meet Halogen-Free Part Requirements with Flexible Noryl* Resin

GE PlasticsGARCHING, GERMANY — June 29, 2005 — New, high-performance Flexible Noryl* resin from GE Advanced Materials was selected by Delphi Corporation as a wire and cable coating for the company’s vehicle electrical systems. Delphi chose GE’s Flexible Noryl resin to meet a global automotive manufacturer’s need for high-performance cable that also addressed the requirements for halogen-free parts, with the cable to debut on a North American vehicle application. Flame-retardant Flexible Noryl resin may now offer the auto industry a new wire coating solution that provides superior properties compared to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and is an excellent candidate for thin- and ultra-thin-wall coatings that significantly reduce weight and size and meet halogen-, chlorine-, and lead-free part requirements.

GE’s New Biocompatible Lexan* Resins For Healthcare Offer Advanced Levels of Autoclave & Impact Resistance, Flow & Release Performance

ResMed’s AutoSet CS2 Bilevel Device

The user interface panels of the AutoSet CS2 & VPAPIII ST-A Bilevel Devices from ResMed Ltd take advantage of two high-tech GE materials to deliver outstanding performance and aesthetics to the healthcare industry. Cutler Brands Pty Ltd print graphics on to the rear side of a high-gloss Lexan* 8010 polycarbonate (PC) film which they thermoform and trim into the shape of the mould. They then over-mould this printed pre-form with the new Lexan HPIHF resin to produce the final IMD (in-mould decorated) part. Lexan HP1HF resin is one of GE’s newest products for the healthcare industry. It joins the established line of tough, virtually unbreakable Lexan resin healthcare products that includes selections that are resistant to Gamma, EtO, and steam sterilization; lipids and other chemicals; and high heat. In addition to offering biocompatibility and FDA food contact compliance, Lexan HP1HF resin provides superb processing capabilities, excellent flow (37MFI g/10 min.), and outstanding hydro-stability. Its unique performance qualities make it an excellent candidate for a range of healthcare applications such as drug delivery devices, monitoring equipment, and fluid delivery components. BERGEN OP ZOOM, THE NETHERLANDS — May 18, 2005 — GE Advanced Materials has introduced three new, biocompatible polycarbonate (PC) resins, further expanding its portfolio of high-tech materials solutions for applications in the healthcare industry. Lexan* HPX8R, Lexan HPX4, and Lexan HP1HF resins all offer the excellent strength, mechanical qualities, and clarity similar to other products in the Lexan PC resin family. But these latest materials also mark new improvements to flow and ductility, as well as enhanced resistance to impact and autoclave sterilization.

GE Expands Illuminex* Diffuser Film Portfolio into Complete Solutions for LCD TVs, Notebook PCs, Auto GPSs and Monitors

GE Advanced Materials has announced it is expanding its Illuminex* diffuser film family of optical films for liquid crystal display (LCD) back-lighting applications into complete display solutions for applications such as televisions, notebook PCs, computer monitors, and automotive global positioning system (GPS) displays. These materials provide both top and bottom diffuser film solutions in LCD back-light modules to help enhance performance under demanding environmental reliability conditions and greatly expand GE’s wing-to-wing materials solutions capabilities for the global electronics industry. The high-tech GE diffuser films also offer key advantages over traditional coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films by eliminating the coating, which can experience failures from flaking, voids, and scratching of light guides, resulting in poor yields. BERGEN OP ZOOM, THE NETHERLANDS — June 10, 2005 —GE Advanced Materials has announced that it is expanding its Illuminex* diffuser film family of optical films for liquid crystal display (LCD) back-lighting applications into complete display solutions for applications such as televisions, notebook PCs, computer monitors, and automotive global positioning system (GPS) displays. These materials provide both top and bottom diffuser film solutions in LCD back-light modules to help enhance performance under demanding environmental reliability conditions and greatly expand GE’s wing-to-wing materials solutions capabilities for the global electronics industry. GE’s Illuminex diffuser films offer key advantages over traditional coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films by eliminating the coating, which can experience failures from flaking, voids, and scratching of light guides, resulting in poor yields.

GE’s Customer Innovation Centre Celebrates Five Years of Dazzling Colour Featuring Visualfx* Resins and ColorXpress* Services

GE Advanced Materials’ Customer Innovation Centre in Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands

After five years of creating more than 33,000 colourful materials solutions to match a broad range of customer designs, experts at GE’s Customer Innovation Centre here have expanded and honed their technical, commercial, and design knowledge to help customers enhance their competitive edge. The Customer Innovation Centre, one of three such global centres operated by GE Advanced Materials, provides colour and special effects expertise and services to customers across the company’s entire product spectrum. Among the offerings are user-friendly online tools, express colour-matching capabilities, unique special effects, and the opportunity for customers to visit and utilize the facility’s expanding services. BERGEN OP ZOOM, THE NETHERLANDS — May 18, 2005 — After five years of creating more than 33,000 colourful materials solutions to match a broad range of customer designs, experts at GE’s Customer Innovation Centre here have expanded and honed their technical, commercial, and design knowledge to help customers enhance their competitive edge.

New GE Technology Using Cycoloy* EF Resin Offers Excellent Alternative to Paint with New Metallic Effects & Improved Flow Line Performance

GE Advanced Materials has introduced Cycoloy* Engineered Filler (EF) resin to help meet customer demand to eliminate secondary painting operations and their associated costs, and help alleviate environmental concerns while achieving highly differentiated special effects. Key is the fact that the new, patented GE Cycoloy EF resin can significantly reduce or even eliminate flow lines for improved part aesthetics compared to existing fillers. Cycoloy EF resin is based on a proprietary flame-retardant Cycoloy resin matrix that imparts high-performance capabilities with a UL94 VO and 5VA rating, a heat deflection temperature of 85°C, and excellent processability. Furthermore, it is WEEE and RoHS compliant. It also compliments GE’s Visualfx* resin special effects product line, offering yet another functional effect option for the global plastics industry, while simultaneously providing greatly improved overall aesthetics and high performance.

Lap-Top Cover with Flow Lines - Not Using GE’s Cycoloy* EF Resin BERGEN OP ZOOM, THE NETHERLANDS — May 18, 2005 — To help meet customer demand to eliminate secondary painting operations and their associated costs and help alleviate environmental concerns while achieving highly differentiated special effects, GE Advanced Materials has introduced Cycoloy* Engineered Filler (EF) resin technology, a new engineered metallic filler. This new resin technology compliments GE’s Visualfx* special effects resin product line, offering yet another functional effect option for the global plastics industry, while simultaneously providing greatly improved overall aesthetics and high performance.

Innovation in New Components Technologies is Focus of GE’s Participation in European Automotive Components Expo 2005

Sejin Running Board Blow Molded from GE’s Xenoy* X4000 BM Resin

Sejin has selected GE’s high-performance Xenoy X4000BM resin for blow-molded running boards on select vehicles. The resin offers superior hang strength and processing windows vs. competitive products, along with excellent regrind stability/usage.  Xenoy X4000BM resin was developed to help global OEMs such as Sejin meet such critical design specifications as weight reduction, excellent impact and toughness, and cost savings via parts consolidation vs. conventional steel-beam systems utilized in many vehicles today. The new GE grade can also be used to mold recreational vehicle components. 

* Xenoy is a trademark of General Electric Company.
 STUTTGART, GERMANY — May 31, 2005 — “Innovation in New Components Technologies” is the theme of the GE Advanced Materials exhibit (Hall 7, Stand 7057) at the European Automotive Components Expo (EACE) at the Messe Stuttgart here, from May 31 - June 2, 2005. GE will take part in the expo with a broad spectrum of raw materials, innovations, and solutions.

GE’s New LNP* Lubricomp* PCAL Specialty Compounds Feature Internal Lubrication for Better Wear Resistance & Less Noise

Sony Ericsson K750i Mobile Phone Using GE’s LNP* Lubricomp* PCAL 4010 resin

Sony Ericsson has selected GE’s LNP* Lubricomp* PCAL 4010 resin (in three different colours) for the sliding lense cover and battery cover on its K750i and W800 mobile phones. The GE material is one product in a new series of internally lubricated polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PC/ABS) compounds that deliver improved wear resistance and reduced noise levels during part operation vs. unmodified PC/ABS blends. In addition, the new LNP Lubricomp PCAL compounds provide good processability, excellent impact performance, and colourability, including GE’s Visualfx* special effects colours. BERGEN OP ZOOM, THE NETHERLANDS — May 18, 2005 — Repetitive movement of a plastic part – say, the battery or lens cover on your mobile phone – can wear down the material and lead to a malfunction. Even worse, it can cause an annoying squeaking noise. To help address the twin issues of premature wear and noise from friction, while providing enhanced performance characteristics, GE Advanced Materials has introduced a new series of internally lubricated polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PC/ABS) compounds. LNP* Lubricomp* PCAL 4010 and PCAL 4020S compounds deliver improved wear resistance and reduced noise levels during part operation vs. unmodified PC/ABS blends. In addition, they provide good processability, excellent impact performance, and colourability, including GE’s Visualfx* special effects colours.

GE Invests in New Fluid Engineering Centre of Excellence to Research, Test & Develop Materials Solutions for Potable Water Industry

Noryl* GFN1520 Resin Undergoes ISO 9080 Water Bath Test

GE Advanced Materials’ European headquarters in Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands, has opened its new Fluid Engineering Centre of Excellence to help improve the provision of water resources around the world. To determine the advantages and applicability of GE’s materials for the water industry, the Fluid Engineering Centre is generating data regarding long-term performance of a variety of materials, including Noryl*resin, Ultem*resin, and LNP* Verton* and LNP Lubricomp* compounds in fluid-handling components. The evaluation process includes testing of tensile strength retention, creep, and fatigue in water over time to determine how well these materials can withstand exposure to water absorption, water pressure, and heat in applications like filtration systems. Other testing includes resistance to chlorinated water and contaminated water (containing sand or soil). BERGEN OP ZOOM, THE NETHERLANDS — May 18, 2005 — Developed nations take clean drinking water at the twist of a tap for granted, but in many areas of the world, potable water is scarce or non-existent. The critical demand for clean water – exacerbated by population expansion, environmental pollution, and deforestation, among other factors – is driving a new industry that is expected to spend more than $95 billion in capital outlays through 2015. To support this industry and help people around the world obtain a basic necessity, GE Advanced Materials has invested in a new Fluid Engineering Centre of Excellence here. The centre’s scientists and technologists are conducting research, development, and testing new materials solutions that can improve the provision of water resources around the world.

GE’s Conductive, Powder-Coatable Noryl GTX* Resins Help Eliminate Paint, Open Vast, New Design Options for Furniture Makers

BERGEN OP ZOOM, NETHERLANDS — May 18, 2005 — GE’s Noryl GTX* resins, a family of widely used conductive grades originally developed for European automotive manufacturers, are becoming equally successful in a new industry – office furniture. Specifically, Noryl GTX conductive resin is being used in powder-coated moulded plastic furniture, providing a host of design, aesthetic, environmental, and cost benefits compared to moulded-in colour, wet-painted parts, and even powder-coated metal. Among these are greater design freedom that helps enable part consolidation, lower weight than metal, and the elimination of paint solvents that can negatively impact the environment.

GE Opens First Automotive Center of Excellence for Unique Full-Service Solutions to the Automotive Industry

GE Opens First Automotive Center of Excellence for Unique Full-Service Solutions to the Automotive Industry

GE (NYSE:GE) announced the opening of its GE Automotive Center of Excellence, dedicated to providing value-added services, technologies, and solutions to the automotive industry of the future. Located at Two Towne Square in Southfield, Michigan, the state-of-the-art facility will spotlight GE’s ability to serve a demanding and evolving industry with GE values in this modern setting. The new Center of Excellence was designed around GE's portfolio of automotive-related businesses, including GE Advanced Materials, GE Infrastructure, GE Energy, GE Commercial Finance, and GE Fleet. By housing all its businesses with an automotive focus in the same area, GE has created a cultural revolution in an environment that allows information to flow seamlessly across the different organizations. BERGEN OP ZOOM, THE NETHERLANDS — May 16, 2005 — GE (NYSE:GE) today announced the opening of its GE Automotive Center of Excellence, dedicated to providing value-added services, technologies, and solutions to the automotive industry of the future. Located at Two Towne Square in Southfield, Michigan, the state-of-the-art facility will spotlight GE’s ability to serve a demanding and evolving industry with GE values in this modern setting. The new Center of Excellence was designed around GE's portfolio of automotive-related businesses, including GE Advanced Materials, GE Infrastructure, GE Energy, GE Commercial Finance, and GE Fleet. By housing all its businesses with an automotive focus in the same area, GE has created a cultural revolution in an environment that allows information to flow seamlessly across the different organizations.