Rochester Hills-based Auto Supplier, Dow Automotive Develop New Foam Technology

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Rochester Hills-based Costal Automotive has reached an agreement with Auburn Hills-based Dow Automotive Systems to license a new foam technology for vehicles capable of filling and sealing three-dimensional cavities.

“Betafoam AFI is a unique part that can be precisely positioned to help improve vehicle acoustics as well as help seal the interior,” says Steve Henderson, president of Dow Automotive Systems.

Henderson says two product designs are available. One is in the shape of a honeycomb and coats the interior of the automobile before painting. The other design can be customized to meet the client’s needs. He says Betaform AFI expands with heat — up to 3,000 percent of its original size.

Clarence Martin, the president of Costal Automotive, says there was a demand for this type of product. Founded in 2007, Costal Automotive supplies energy absorbing materials. Dow Automotive Systems, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Co., provides solutions for automotive equipment manufacturers.

The product is expected to go to market in the second quarter of 2015.