May 24 2005
Henkel and polymers have one thing in common. They both make people's lives easier, better and more beautiful. In Japan, researchers discussed how this could best be achieved. One of the questions they addressed was whether the automotive and aviation industries can make use of completely new materials.
Composite polymers from Henkel are already in use in the aircraft construction industry, and the company is developing an even more efficient polymer-based technology for the next generation of aircraft. "Composite materials, usually of carbon-fiber-reinforced resins, are a logical option," said Dr. Thomas Huver, director polymer research at Henkel.
Henkel wants to take the innovative resin technology forward to create the basis for industrial-scale application. With the new composite materials, it should be possible to achieve significant savings in production costs and -- over the lifetime of an aircraft -- fuel consumption. For instance, the fuselages of the next generation of aircraft could be made 30 percent lighter with the new composite materials. As a partner and systems supplier to the aircraft industry in the fields of surface treatment and adhesives technology, Henkel is opening up a new market with excellent growth prospects.
In the automotive construction industry, too, polymers help to make lighter and safer solutions a reality. One example is Terocore structural foam from Henkel, which reinforces car body cavity structures to provide enhanced crash safety. As the structural foams are very light, weight savings of up to 50 percent can be achieved relative to a conventional steel solution. And -- the lower the weight, the lower the fuel consumption.
Henkel, global market leader in industrial adhesives, sealants and surface treatment, markets individually tailored system solutions worldwide. Henkel continuously researches and develops innovative products and technologies offering benefits to the customer.
In 2004, Henkel invested approximately $342 million (272 million euros) in research and development. This corresponds to 2.6% of its total sales. Henkel employs some 2800 people in research, product development and applications technology throughout the world, especially in Germany, Ireland, France, Japan and the USA. Henkel has a total of 15 research and development centers and is engaged in 200 cooperation projects with external partners. Highlights of its research and development include the creation of high- performance composite polymer systems for the aerospace, automotive and electronics industries, and high-performance adhesives with long-term stability for the automotive and aerospace industries.
http://www.henkel.com