Plastics News Europe - June 2018 - 5

reflection

the road ahead

ars and plastics: it's a combination that
even today, in the minds of many, sets
off associations with 'cheap'. It is a
persistent bias, despite the fact that
today, the automotive industry has grown into
one of the top three markets for plastics - and
for those who are wondering, the other two
are packaging and construction. Since the
1950s, when plastics first appeared in cars
(remember those nylon seat belts?), they
have continued to be used on an ever-increasing scale - and it's a trend that is not
going to go away anytime soon. There
are a number of good reasons for that.
Plastics are indeed less expensive than
metal. But they are also mouldable and
offer both a design freedom that is not
obtainable with metal as well as easier
assembly; they are rustproof and, important in this age of CO2 emission regulations and fuel efficiency, lightweight.
Today, plastic materials are used throughout the interior, the exterior, but also in fuel
systems, powertrains, in the engine compartment - high-heat performance materials are
making increasing inroads under the hood -
and even the chassis. Polypropylene, polyure-

INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING

EDITORIAL
Editor
+31 (0)643 004972
Reporter
+44 (0)7714 137182
Markets Editor
+44 20 8253 9616
Art Director
+44 (0)7778 964300

Karen Laird
klaird@crain.com
Shahrzad Pourriahi
spourriahi@crain.com
David Platt
davidkplatt@aol.com
John Woodhatch
jwoodhatch@crain.com

ADVERTISING
Sales Director
+44 (0)7739 302081
Sales Manager
+44 (0)1273 251277
Media Services Manager
+1 313 446 1665
Marketing Manager
+1 313 446 1652
Conference Director
+44 7966 881989
Vice President/Group Publisher
+1 313 446 6768

Matthew Barber
mabarber@crain.com
Darren Tindal
Dtindal@crain.com
Miranda Micallef
mmicallef@crain.com
Elizabeth Raetz
araetz@crain.com
Donna Bushell
dbushell@crain.com
Brennan Lafferty
blafferty@crain.com

Chairman
Vice Chairman
President
Senior Executive Vice President

Keith E Crain
Mary Kay Crain
K C Crain
Chris Crain

June 2018

thanes and polyamides, filled and unfilled,
are still the most important plastics used in
the industry, although the newest developments, such as the sandwich panels with
honeycomb cores and lightweight composite
materials reviewed in this issue, are fast securing footholds in this highly competitive
and specialised sector.
Another trend that is on the rise: the
use of recycled plastics, now also for
visual interior components, something
we've also looked at in this issue.
An interesting question is how the
development of electric mobility will
impact the market for automotive
plastics as the need for fuel lines and
intake manifolds decreases and the
number of electrical and electronic
Karen Laird, Editor
components increases, requiring new
solutions and materials. In some cases,
the solution may be a plastic/metal hybrid.
Plastics have already changed the way cars
look and the way they are made, and they
are set to play an important part in changing
the way they are driven and powered. Tomorrow's clean, lightweight, smart and safe
car? Plastic will make it possible.

Benelux, France
Arthur Schavemaker
Kenter & Co. B.V., Spoorstraat 21,
NL-7470 AC Goor, The Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)547-275005 Fax: +31 (0)547-271831
Email: Arthur@kenter.nl
Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Eastern Europe
Randolf Krings
Emcmedia UG, Kaiser-Friedrich-Ring 46,
D-65185, Wiesbaden, Germany
Tel: +49 (0)611 5324 416
Mobile: +49 (0)176 384 23044
Fax: +49 (0)611 5324 519
Email: epn@emcmedia.de
Italy
Fabio Potestà
Mediapoint & Communications SRL,
Corte Lambruschini, Corso Buenos Aires,
8, V piano - interno 7, 16129 Genova - Italy
Tel: +39 010 570 49481 Fax: +39 010 553 0088
Email: info@mediapointsrl.it
United States
Patrick Cannon
Sales Director, Plastics News
1155 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit,
Michigan, 48207, USA
Tel: +1 313 446 1625
Email: pcannon@crain.com

Plastics News Europe (incorporating European Plastics News)
is published by Crain Communications Ltd.
Registered Office: 100 New Bridge Street, London EC4V 6JA
United Kingdom
Registered No. 1576350 England. V.A.T. No. GB 577 6905 84
Printed by Warners Midlands, Bourne, Lincolnshire.
ISSN 2058-7902
Advertising terms and conditions are available at
www.plasticsnewseurope.com
© 2018 Crain Communications Ltd. All rights reserved.
Contents may not be reprinted without the permission of the
publishers.
EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email to: epnnews@crain.com

SubSCRIpTIONS

Subscriptions, circulation, and credit card payments:
Circulation Department,
Plastics News Europe,
100 New Bridge Street,
London, EC4V 6JA United Kingdom.
Tel: +1 313 446 0450
Email: customerservice@plasticsnewseurope.com
Europe £220 (per year surface mail)
Rest of World £240 (per year airmail)
Single copy £22
A member of

http://www.plasticsnewseurope.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Plastics News Europe - June 2018