GE Plastics Installs Twin-Sheet Thermoformer in Global Application Technology (GApT) center in Bergen op Zoom,

BERGEN OP ZOOM, THE NETHERLANDS – April 19, 2006 – GE Plastics continues to invest in Global Application Technology (GApT) in Europe with the installation of a Twin-Sheet Thermoformer with high-pressure, hydraulic forming capability which will become operational in April 2006. A second investment concerns a 1600 ton, 2K injection molding machine which will be installed in the fourth quarter of 2006 in its Centre of Excellence in Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands.

The company is expanding its GApT capabilities to maintain its global leadership position and accelerate new market penetration and growth. “These recent investments combined with the KM 2700 ton injection compression molding machine that was installed in December 2005, make GE's Centre of Excellence in Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands a facility with state-of-the-art equipment to create and test high performance materials solutions that address customer needs”, says Wim Bruijs, Director Application Technology Europe.

The twin-sheet thermoformer will enable GE to create twin-wall, hollow parts for markets such as automotive, truck, RVs, and building and construction. Potential applications include bus panels and access doors that require high stiffness, and enclosures or panels that require thermal or acoustic insulation.

The twin-sheet machine will enable us to do twin-sheet forming simultaneously versus current machines that do it sequentially in two operations. Two horizontal sheets of the same or dissimilar materials are heated together with a gap between them and there are two mold halves, one above and one below the sheets. The two female molds press together with low pressure as vacuum pulls each sheet to the corresponding mold. At the same time, blow pins activate between the sheets and provide air pressure to ensure part detail. The two halves are fused together at the pinch line.

Additional capabilities of the twin-sheet former include zero gravity forming, and an infinitely adjustable clamping system,. The high pressure combined with the capability to do matched metal forming, will be of particular interest for application development for GE materials such as Azdel Rail-Lite* composite (based on Ultem* PEI) for large semi-structural panels in train interiors, Lexan* sheet for glazing, and no-paint systems using Xenoy* PC/PBT, Lexan SLX weatherable PC copolymer, and Geloy* XTW “extreme weathering” ASA grades for automotive.

At its six state-of-the-art Centers of Excellence, strategically located in the United States, Europe, China, Japan, and India, GE Plastics is investing millions in new equipment, machinery, and technical customer support to further drive the use of its innovative materials in high-end applications. These range from environmentally responsible products; functional and aesthetic components for cars, aircraft, and trains; and energy efficient architectural glazing to consumer electronics, packaging, and alternative energy sources; and from optical media, fibers, and coatings to next-generation optical films and healthcare devices.

“The mission of GApT is to support the growth of GE’s product portfolio though advanced application development and customer support the world over,” said Rick Pontillo, general manager, Global Application Technology, GE Plastics. “Through our Centers of Excellence, GApT is GE Plastics’ face to the customers and is the driving force behind the company’s role as a global innovation engine that produces practical customer solutions. There is no question that GApT is and will continue to be a key competitive differentiator for us over the next decade and beyond.”

GE Plastics’ GApT organization is a key part of GE’s carefully crafted business strategy to strengthen its position as the leading global provider of hands-on technical, design, and testing services to support customer growth and innovation. The organization’s emphasis on innovation, advanced engineering, and flexibility is embodied in a six-phase customer innovation process geared to developing custom-application solutions. These six interrelated phases have been developed to provide full-service support at each stage of the application development process and include: market segment and customer needs analysis, concept development, application design development, engineering analysis and design optimization, processing, prototyping, real-world testing, and the development of actual parts.

To further support each critical phase of the customer innovation process, GApT offers a broad range of additional services. For example, the organization is actively purchasing the latest equipment to accelerate capability expansion in the areas of application technology innovation, engineering, process development, and value-added technical support. Another example includes GApT’s process development work, which encompasses the full range of molding, extrusion, and thermoforming methods, while performance testing methodologies and technologies to help ensure that key properties of a given application are accurately measured throughout the development process. GApT Centers of Excellence also offer secondary operations support such as painting, welding, and vacuum metallization, as well as the structural analysis of finished components. These efforts are being facilitated through an engineering staff of over 140.

The six GApT Centers of Excellence specialize in different applications, processes, and materials, based on global and regional customer needs. In the Americas, centers in Pittsfield, Mass., and Southfield, Mich., focus mainly on healthcare, automotive interiors and other transportation sectors, and data storage. The European center in Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands, targets fluid engineering, energy, and automotive glazing applications. In Shanghai, China, electronics, display films, and industrial wiring are key areas of specialization. Moka-City, Japan focuses on automotive pedestrian safety, auto wiring, and under-hood vehicle applications.

The center in Bangalore, India performs predictive engineering. In 2006, a new Center of Excellence will be opened in Korea further expanding GApT’s global reach with still more capabilities.

“Expanding GApT’s global capabilities is one of the most ambitious efforts coming out of GE Plastics in recent years,” Pontillo said. “Through these efforts, we are leveraging our people, cutting-edge process and materials technology capabilities, and global expertise to help our customers meet marketplace challenges and grow their businesses – after all, that’s the bottom line.”

Reader enquiries

GE Plastics

Plasticslaan 1
4600 AC Bergen op Zoom
Netherlands

+31 164 29 20 97

Helen.vandebovenkamp@​ge.com

www.geplastics.com