Asahi Kasei Plastics North America Wins SPE Automotive Innovation Award in the Chassis/Hardware Category

November 9, 2018

Asahi Kasei Corporation

 

Fowlerville, MICH. – Asahi Kasei Plastics North America, Inc. (APNA), a global plastics compounder, has received the “Most Innovative Use of Plastics” award in the Chassis/Hardware category from the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE). This recognition was for the engineered material used in the High Strength Self-Tapping Composite Nut that was developed jointly with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and ITW Deltar Fasteners.

The award was presented during the SPE Automotive 48th-Annual Innovation Awards Competition and Gala on November 7, 2018, in Livonia, Michigan. This competition is recognized as one of the largest of its kind in the automotive and plastics industry and is made up of dozens of OEMs, tier suppliers and polymer producers from around the world.

The award-winning composite nut, created with Asahi Kasei’s LEONA™ 90G55, was identified as top in the Chassis/Hardware category because it has underlined significant benefits compared to the alternative metal or polymer nuts that currently exist in the market. Asahi Kasei’s innovation offers a 2.3-pound weight reduction, reduced CO₂ footprint and cost savings per vehicle produced.

“Our focus at Asahi Kasei is to utilize our expertise to enable our customers to maximize the value of their application” said Rob Linker, Sales Account Manager. “Whether the application is as large as the Thermylene® PP cargo box for the Ram truck or something as small as the Leona™ 66 composite nut, the level of engineering we provide is not based on the size of the application; it’s based on the desire to win”.

This is APNA’s fourth category award from SPE in the past seven years. Previous awards won by APNA include the Ram Box for the Dodge Ram Truck in the Body Exterior category in 2011 and two additional products in the Materials category in 2012 and 2013.

“It is great to be in the winning circle at SPE again” said Ramesh Iyer, President of APNA. “This award is a testimony to Asahi Kasei’s values of Creativity and Challenge, as well as a supporting milestone of our company’s mission statement to provide innovative plastics and services that drive growth for our employees, customers and communities”.

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