A. Schulman Inc., a leading international supplier of high-performance plastic compounds, composites and powders, has received the 2017 Automotive Innovation Award from the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) for Most Innovative Use of Plastics.
SPE recognized A. Schulman for its innovative material in the aftermarket segment together with system and tooling supplier Penda Corp., material processor Penda/Durakon, and automotive manufacturer General Motors. A. Schulman’s Polytrope TPP 1026EU Thermoplastic Polyolefin Elastomer, an advanced polyolefin composition, is featured in the award-winning Integrated Floor Bedliner Divider in the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado.
“We are honored to have won this prestigious award. This acknowledgement confirms that we are focused on our customers and committed to innovation,” said Frank Roederer, senior vice president and general manager of United States and Canada region and engineered composites at A. Schulman. “This recognition reinforces the importance of collaboration across suppliers, processors and the OEMs in order to overcome industry challenges.”
This is the first twin sheet thermoformed bedliner divider that has been integrated into the bedliner as one piece. With this new application, the need for a cargo net has been eliminated. This allows consumers to place small items in the truck bed and reduces the risk of the items moving or sliding while the vehicle is in motion.
On Nov. 8, SPE held its 47th annual SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Competition with this year’s theme being “Intelligent Automotive Design with Plastics.” This competition is the largest and oldest of its kind in the automotive and plastic industries.
