Bond-Laminates GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of specialty chemicals company LANXESS, is strengthening its business with innovative Tepex lightweight plastics. The company is expanding production capacities at the Brilon site, Germany, by around 75 percent in the period up to summer 2014.

A total of 1,300 square meters is being added to the building complex in Brilon, comprising a new production hall and supplementary storage areas and office space. The additional production capacities are scheduled to go on stream in summer 2014. The high-tech materials of the Tepex brand are used in the automotive, sporting goods and electronics industries among others.

“The cars of the future will have to meet the strictest of standards – not just in terms of safety and design but also in matters of fuel consumption and environmental compatibility,” says Werner Breuers, member of the LANXESS AG Board of Management.

“That is why one year ago we acquired Bond-Laminates, and in particular its innovative Tepex lightweight plastics, to expand our product portfolio to meet the megatrend of 'Green Mobility'. We are expecting strong demand in the long term and are further investing in this area of business.”

 Environmentally compatible cars thanks to high-tech plastics from Brilon

Tepex is the name of the innovative fiber composites that Bond-Laminates produces. These primarily comprise thermoplastics that are reinforced with fibers of various other materials such as glass or carbon, depending on the field of application. Tepex products are characterized by their high strength and stiffness, while also being extremely lightweight and economic to process.

In the automotive industry, these innovative materials from Brilon are making new types of design possible, enabling heavier metal components to be replaced by many parts. Tepex can thus help reduce the weight of vehicles, thereby also cutting fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, while also offering outstanding safety properties.

The following example calculation truly shows how the rigorous deployment of lightweight components can positively impact a car's fuel consumption and pollutant discharge: by cutting 100 kilograms off the weight of a vehicle originally weighing 1,400 kilograms that consumes eight liters of fuel over 100 kilometers, it is possible to reduce consumption over this distance by 0.5 liters, and CO2 emissions by 11.65 grams per kilometer.

Tepex: first choice for numerous everyday items

One prominent example of the use of Tepex in the automotive industry is in the Audi A8, where the high-tech plastic is featured in the lower beam. In addition, the fiber composites from Brilon are also employed in the production of seat pans, front passenger airbags and car brake pedals.

In the sports sector, the materials are used in the soles of modern soccer shoes, in bike components and in kayak, snowboarding, cycling and ski helmets. And in the electronics industry, extra-thin and robust Tepex sheets with an optically attractive surface are used in battery housings for state-of-the-art smartphones, while in loudspeaker cones top layers made of Tepex help generate impressive sound experiences. 

Bond-Laminates: now under the LANXESS umbrella for one year

Bond-Laminates GmbH was founded in Brilon in 1997 and currently employs around 100 people. The company has been collaborating with LANXESS since 2006. The specialty chemicals company acquired the Brilon-based enterprise in September 2012, a beneficial venture for both sides.

“LANXESS' outstanding ties to different industries and markets have given us access to new segments, especially the automotive industry,” says Jochen Bauder, co-Managing Director of Bond-Laminates together with Christian Obermann, summarizing the firm's first year as a subsidiary of the specialty chemicals company. “With this expansion we can meet the demand of our customers for innovative lightweight materials even better and cater even more effectively to their needs.”