Despite recent economic challenges, the automotive industry continues to show signs of growth, with U.S. car sales rising to 14.5 million units in 2012 — a 13 percent increase over the year before. U.S. registrations are expected to rise to 15.8 million vehicles in 2014.
Much of that demand is for vehicles that are more fuel efficient, and greater efficiencies are enabled in large part through chemistry.
LANXESS is one of the chemistry companies making a material difference in the automotive industry through high-tech plastics used to lighten vehicles and synthetic rubber blends and additives for tires that have less rolling resistance.
In August, LANXESS hosted “Automotive Day Detroit,” an event that focused on innovative solutions for the U.S. automotive industry. Among the more than 200 attendees were industry executives, government officials, engineers and technical designers.
Presenters included notable speakers from Ford, BMW and others who talked about new technologies that would help manufacturers meet the more stringent fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards they will face in 2017 and beyond.
During his keynote address, Axel C. Heitmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of LANXESS AG, said:
Car companies today have a number of effective tools at their disposal. Among these is a growing list of high-tech lightweight materials produced by the chemical industry – plastics, composites and plastic-metal hybrids – that are making cars more efficient, safer and less expensive.
For more information on LANXESS green mobility solutions that improve fuel efficiency while increasing safety and reducing costs, check out the LANXESS interactive case study on the Chemistry to Energy website.
