Dow Automotive Answers New IIHS Call for Stronger Vehicle Roofs

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AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 30, 2009 – A hybrid solution of Dow Automotive body enhancement technologies and advanced high-strength or ultra high-strength steel offers automotive manufacturers an innovative solution to the new Insurance Institute for Highway Safety roof strength rating system that calls for stronger vehicle roofs.

Dow Automotive, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) and its affiliates, provides many advancements that help enhance occupant safety by improving vehicle stiffness, crash performance, and durability. The body enhancement portfolio includes Dow BETAFOAM™ structural foam for body-in-white (BIW) cavity reinforcement and Dow BETAMATE™ structural adhesives.

The combination of BETAFOAM and BETAMATE provide important structural and economic benefits when used with advanced high-strength or ultra high-strength steel, including weight reduction, flexibility in body structure design and manufacturing, improved energy absorption, and stiffness in frontal crash and side impact situations. Typical application areas include hydroform components, body joints and primary pillars in the vehicle body design.

“Dow Automotive body enhancement technologies, used in combination with advanced high-strength or ultra high-strength steel provide an excellent solution for upgrading existing vehicles to align with the new IIHS standards or for use for existing or new platforms,” said Mansour Mirdamadi, Global Technology Leader for Body Structure Solutions, Dow Automotive.

“Sheet metal thickness and body structure content can be better optimized when Dow Automotive body enhancement solutions are used, Mirdamadi added. “This hybrid solution supports OEM customers in meeting their performance, weight- and cost-savings goals. Overall product development time can also be reduced.”

BETAFOAM helps minimize interior noise by acoustically sealing hollow BIW cavities and reduces system-level noise, vibration and harshness. Available as a bulk (injectible) solution or as structural foam inserts, BETAFOAM improves the static and dynamic stiffness of a vehicle, resulting in a better ride for drivers and passengers and improved handling.

BETAMATE provides improved joining efficiency of body components, thus enhancing the load transfer between sheet metal components, while providing structural rigidity and enhanced fatigue performance.

Dow Automotive is a leading global provider of technology-driven solutions that meet consumer demand for vehicles that are safer, stronger, quieter, lighter, cleaner, comfortable and stylish. The organization provides plastics, adhesives, glass bonding systems, emissions control technology, films, fluids and structural enhancement and acoustical management solutions to OEM, tier, aftermarket and commercial transportation customers around the world.

For additional information about Dow Automotive products, services, and application development centers, visit www.dowautomotive.com.