Bayer AG develops new PS/ABS materials

Bayer Polymers, Germany, has developed a conductive, online-coating PA/ABS grade Triax TP3161. The use of this conductive material, Triax TP3161, does not require a primer coating process for general materials, thereby saving a significant amount of production costs and logistics costs. Bayer believes that this new grade will be mainly used for automotive exterior trims in the future, and is especially suitable for mudguards. At present, the European automotive fender market is only about 8,000 tons per year. It is expected that the volume will double in 2010 and the scale will reach 16,000 t/a. Thomas Malek, manager of automotive body applications at the company’s Europe, Middle East and Africa region, claims that this material will be dedicated to automotive-related components. Currently Triax TP3161 has been supplied to European automotive system suppliers and OEM manufacturers, and will be extended to the United States and the Asia Pacific region.