PP Compound for automotive industry for energy and environment saving

Awareness of environmental conservation has swept the globe and is increasingly infiltrating all sectors – especially in developed countries. The EU, for example, issued The Restriction of the Use of certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment or RoHS. The automotive industry has seen continuous growth with 79,989,155 automobiles being produced worldwide in 2012. At the same time, the industry has also demonstrated an awareness of and attributed importance to environmental issues. This includes producing parts which meet international standards, developing eco-friendly technologies as well as supporting CSR and other activities to raise environmental awareness. Worsening pollution problems, the plundering of rapidly depleting natural resources, as well as unpredictable crude oil prices have prompted automobile industries worldwide to develop cars which are more energy efficient, while also searching for new alternative energy sources. A changing trend has also been witnessed among consumers in selecting automobiles. Consumers are becoming increasingly mindful about their choices, preferring smaller, more compact and fuel-efficient cars. It is no wonder that in the past 4-5 years, alternative energy and eco cars have been the focus of and garnered much attention from consumers, especially in the Thai automobile market.

The Eco Car – an environmentally friendly alternative The Thai government started promoting eco cars in 2009 with the idea of ecologically friendly cars for modern societyThe Board of Investment (BOI) has estimated that this year Thailand s eco car manufacturing capacity will increase by around 658,800 cars per year. This is consistent with the Federation of Thai Industries data indicating that 2012 is the golden year for Thailand s automotive industry, manufacturing over 2 million cars with pick-up trucks and eco cars as the product champions. Energy efficiency, state-of-the-art technology as well as environmentally friendly features, make the eco car the perfect choice for the modern consumer lifestyle.

PP Compound…helping to drive eco car forward

Eco car features differ widely from those of traditional automobiles. Environmental-wise they must meet the Euro 4 stage of emission standards with less than 120 grams of CO2 emissions per kilometer. Energy-wise they must consume no more than 5 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres and safety-wise they must be able to protect passengers from front and side collisions. Therefore, in the manufacturing of eco cars, it is imperative that parts be effective and meet the relevant standards. Apart from steel and aluminum, a special plastic called PP compound is also a major component in the manufacturing of eco cars. PP compound possesses unique qualities including high heat resistance, UV-resistance, durability and high impact resistance, making it very safe, allowing it to be used for a long time without any physical changes, and it is also re-usable. The car is lightweight, it is more energy-efficient and releases less carbon monoxide (CO2). Therefore, PP compound is a new alternative for the automotive industry which focuses on eco cars, a result of environmental awareness progressing hand-in-hand with economic growth.

Grand Siam Composites or GSC, a joint venture between SCG Chemicals, Mitusui Chemicals Inc. and Prime Polymer, was established in 1996 with the objective of producing high-quality plastics for the automotive industry. GSC s PP compound is used in the manufacturing of a number of automobile parts including bumpers, instrument panels, consoles, door panels and various accessories. Not only does PP compound have green features, its manufacturing process is also eco-friendly. Because GSC is acutely aware of possible consequences to the environment, such a control Volatile Organic Chemicals or VOCs, which can be harmful to users in the long run, are used in the production of PP Compound. Furthermore, GSC emphasizes the research and development of each and every step of the production process under the close supervision of a team of experts from Japan. GSC continuous growth goes hand-in-hand with environmental sustainability. Because the company is well aware of and attributes high significance to environmental issues, it strictly monitors every step of the manufacturing processes to ensure maximum efficiency while developing new technologies and innovations to produce high-qualityand environmentally friendly products. This is certainly one accomplishment that GSC takes great pride in.