BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands — April 10, 2012 —At NPE 2012,
SABIC’s Innovative Plastics business announced the use of their Lexan^* and Cycoloy^* resins in Equipment Technologies’ (ET) tough, optimally designed Apache agricultural sprayer hood. The new product was developed to help overcome performance issues associated with fiberglass and metal, such as cracking or fading from exposure to high temperatures and ultraviolet (UV) light. This collaboration between Equipment Technologies, Allen Extruders, LLC, AMD Plastics, and SABIC, uses Allen Extruders’ Alextra^®-MV sheet – a material made with SABIC’s Lexan SLX resin coextruded over Cycoloy resin and is vacuum formed by AMD – to slash the weight by up to 140 lbs vs. previous fiberglass hoods. The development of the new sprayer hood demonstrates how SABIC supports customer success through a deep understanding of industry, product and value chain requirements.

“As the trend toward mega farms increases and more farmers turn to self-propelled agricultural sprayers to replace pull-behind models, the Apache sprayer is a logical choice, especially given its enhanced design, lighter weight and increased durability,” said Chad Ringer, lead engineer, Equipment Technologies. “Equally important, the Alextra-MV sheet made with SABIC’s high-performance Lexan and Cycoloy resins helped solve the problems of cracks and scratches customers experienced with the previous fiberglass hood, leading to higher customer satisfaction. We are already seeing increased sales, and the new design of the Apache hood has generated positive feedback from our customers. Clearly, our collaboration with SABIC, AMD, and Allen Extruders made this product the resounding success that it is.”

The new custom-colored hood – measuring 236,86 cm x 125,78 cm x 142,57 cm (93.25 inches x 49.52 inches x 56.13 inches) – is used in all three Apache sprayer models and is a perfect example of the significant cost advantages of thermoforming vs. injection molding a large part. The Lexan and Cycoloy resin construction also enabled AMD to create a sleek new part that integrates the bumper and hood and delivers superior resistance to impact, abrasion and chemicals compared to traditional materials, helping ET reduce warranty claims. At the same time, Alextra-MV sheet delivers a superior alternative to traditional materials such as fiber-reinforced plastic and structural molding compound, and avoids the need for secondary painting and finishing required with metal.  

High Performance in the Field

The two SABIC resins used in Alextra-MV sheet play important roles in the overall performance of the Apache hood. As the pre-colored cap layer, Lexan SLX polycarbonate (PC) resin delivers excellent weatherability, including UV and heat resistance, as well as excellent impact and a high-quality surface finish.

The Cycoloy resin substrate, a blend of PC and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), provides high impact performance and high heat deflection capability, which is particularly important as manufacturers seek to comply with Tier 4 interim and final U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) heat emission standards.

According to Mike Ringquist, sales manager, Allen Extruders, a Sekisui Chemical Company, “Our Alextra-MV coextruded sheet leverages these two exceptional SABIC materials to raise the industry standard for aesthetics and durability under extreme weather conditions, such as those found in crop spraying. Like the ‘MV’ in its name signals, the Alextra-MV sheet is our ‘most versatile’ and has many applications in agricultural equipment, heavy trucks and recreational vehicles. We were very pleased to work with SABIC, AMD Plastics and Equipment Technologies to help create a new sprayer hood with major performance and aesthetic improvements vs. fiberglass.”

“This four-way collaboration across the value chain shows the rewards that come from really listening to the customer’s challenges, objectives and preferences, then working together to come up with a creative solution,” said Michael Gilbert, general manager, Innovative Plastics. “Our innovative material technologies, combined with Allen Extruders’ expertise in high-performance sheet solutions and AMD Plastics’ exceptional design and production resources, are helping Equipment Technologies achieve its quality, growth and customer satisfaction goals for the Apache sprayer product line.”

For additional information on SABIC’s high-performance solutions, please go to
www.sabic-ip.com. For technical product inquiries, please contact us at
www.sabic-ip.com/prtechinquiry

About Saudi Basic Industries Corporation

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) ranks among the world’s top petrochemical companies, and is a global market leader in the production of polyethylene, polypropylene, advanced thermoplastics, glycols, methanol and fertilizers. SABIC manufactures with a global footprint in Saudi Arabia, the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. The company operates in more than 40 countries across the world with 33,000 employees worldwide. It has significant research resources with 18 dedicated Technology & Innovation facilities in Saudi Arabia, the USA, the Netherlands, Spain, India and China. SABIC recorded a net income of SR 29.21 billion (US$ 7.79 billion) in 2011, and sales revenues totaled SR 190 billion (US$ 50.67 billion).

About Innovative Plastics

The Innovative Plastics strategic business unit of SABIC is a leading, global supplier of engineering thermoplastics with an 80-year history of breakthrough solutions that solve its customers’ most pressing challenges. Today, Innovative Plastics is a multi-billion-dollar company with operations in more than 35 countries and approximately 9,000 employees worldwide. The company continues to lead the plastics industry with customer collaboration and continued investments in new polymer technologies, global application development, process technologies, and environmentally responsible solutions that serve diverse markets such as automotive, electronics, building & construction, transportation, and healthcare. The company’s extensive product portfolio includes thermoplastic resins, coatings, specialty compounds, film, and sheet. Innovative Plastics (www.sabic-ip.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC).

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^* Trademarks of SABIC Innovative Plastics IP B.V.

SABIC is a trademark of SABIC Holding Europe B.V.

^® Alextra is a registered trademark of Allen Extruders, LLC.

Innovative Plastics Media Contacts

Paul Flake

Pittsfield, Mass., U.S.A.

Tel: + 1 413 448 7207

E-Mail: paul.flake@sabic-ip.com

Susan LeBourdais

Pittsfield, Mass., U.S.A.

Tel: +1 413 448 7795

E-Mail: susan.lebourdais@sabic-ip.com

Aline Stanworth

Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands

Tel: +31 164 29 2217

E-Mail: aline.stanworth@sabic-ip.com

Agency Media Contacts

Europe 

Kevin Noels

Marketing Solutions, Bergen op Zoom,

The Netherlands

Tel: +31 164 317 011

E-Mail: knoels@marketingsolutions.be

Americas 

Jim Allison

AH&M Marketing Communications,

Pittsfield, Mass., U.S.A.

Tel: +1 413 448 2260, x250

E-Mail: jallison@ahminc.com

China 

Vivien Gong

Edelman, Shanghai, China

Tel: +86 21 6193 7524

E-Mail: vivien.gong@edelman.com

Japan

Mitsu Sugino

Tokyo PR Inc., Tokyo, Japan

Tel: +81 3 3273 2731

E-Mail: sugino@tokyopr.co.jp