June 23, 2003

Hanwha Azdel SuperLite^® Composite brings performance and weight reduction to Ford GT interior applications

Lear Corporation chooses Hanwha Azdel SuperLite Composite for the 2005 Ford GT Interior

GE Plastics' Hanwha Azdel^® SuperLite composite is chosen by Lear Corporation to furnish a new automotive interior integration program, which will be featured on the 2005 Ford GT performance vehicle. With high demand for improved weight reduction in the automotive business, Hanwha Azdel SuperLite composite helped save an estimated 30 percent more weight per vehicle than conventional injection molded substrates. The new Ford GT will be displayed in the GE Plastics' booth at the National Plastics Exposition in Chicago (McCormick Place, South Hall, Booth #2215) from June 23-27.

Ford Motor Company announced last year that it would build the Ford GT to help celebrate the automakers' 100th anniversary. Regular production of the Ford GT performance vehicle will begin in Spring 2004.

Lear was named by Ford as the complete interior integrator on the Ford GT program. Since weight is always a consideration in the automotive industry and especially in the high performance sector, Lear identified Hanwha Azdel SuperLite composite as a good fit for this application and sought GE Plastics help on the program.

"To meet the Ford GT challenge, Lear was required to apply more technology, more innovation, and take more risks to support the shortest product development cycle in recent automotive product development history," said Jim Masters, president of Lear's Electrical Systems Division. "It was a huge undertaking and GE Plastics was instrumental in allowing Lear to achieve these goals."

Developed originally for headliners, Hanwha Azdel SuperLite composite offers many advantages such as the direct molding potential that eliminates several production steps necessary compared to traditional materials. The product's versatility and properties make it an excellent proposition for pre-assembled, modular headliners, with the entire system mounted to the vehicle as a single assembly. Due to the success of the headliner application, Lear decided to expand the material usage throughout the rest of the vehicle interior.

With its lightweight advantage, ultra-thin profile, high stiffness-to-weight ratio, the aesthetically appealing Hanwha Azdel SuperLite composite offers these important benefits for automotive interiors. Extremely versatile as a sheet, it can be made into numerous parts varying in thickness and stiffness. Since the composite allows manufacturers to often use existing tooling, it helps prevent creasing during the installation process. Hanwha Azdel SuperLite composite offers better moisture resistance and lower emissions than traditional materials and is recyclable, a key benefit in the global automotive industry.

"Hanwha Azdel SuperLite allows up to 20 percent system cost reduction due to its lightweight, low pressure forming, and compression of the part development cycle. We continue to discover innovative opportunities to take advantage of this product line both in and out of the automotive industry." said Ken Forden, President of Hanwha Azdel for GE Plastics.

Lear Corporation, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Southfield, Mich., USA, focuses on integrating complete automotive interiors, including seat systems, interior trim and electrical systems. With annual net sales of $14.4 billion in 2002, Lear is the world's largest automotive interior systems supplier. The company's world-class products are designed, engineered and manufactured by more than 115,000 employees at 280 facilities located in 33 countries.

The GE Plastics Automotive Application Development Center in Southfield, Mich., and the European Design Center in Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands, supply the world's leading automotive manufacturers and tier suppliers with an extensive line of high performance engineering thermoplastics. Technical experts assist customers with concept generation, complete pre-production constancy, application and performance prediction, processing simulation, feasibility and cost studies, advanced processing capabilities, system solutions, and innovative automotive expertise. GE Plastics' affiliates, Polymer Solutions Inc. in the United States and GE Polymer Design Associates in Europe, can assist customers with a complete set of design and engineering services, or with finding a solution to a specific task. This expertise covers the full range of automotive disciplines - styling, engineering design, CAD, finite element analysis, model and prototyping, tooling, testing and project management.

GE Plastics is a leading producer of engineering thermoplastics with major production facilities worldwide. GE Plastics materials, including LEXAN^® polycarbonate, are used in a wide variety of applications such as CDs and DVDs, automobile parts, computer housings, cookware, outdoor signage, cell phones, bullet- resistant shielding and building materials. Through its LNP Engineering Plastics business, the company is a worldwide leader in the custom compounding of engineering thermoplastics. GE Plastics is also a global distributor of sheet, film, rod and tube products through GE Polymershapes and GE Structured Products. In 2003, GE Plastics is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of LEXAN polycarbonate, discovered in 1953 by GE chemist Dr. Daniel W. Fox. The company's web site is located at www.geplastics.com, and to learn more about LEXAN visit www.gelexan.com.