Articles

Momentive Opens New Autoglazing Pilot Coating Facility in Germany;
First Facility of its Kind Worldwide

LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY - (June 10, 2014) - Momentive Performance Materials (MPM) announced today the opening of its new automotive glazing coating facility in Leverkusen, Germany. The first of its kind, the new facility will enable original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to test Momentive’s coating materials in an industrial scale setting.

Customers will also be able to coat production-sized automobile parts in realistic climatic conditions, providing a preview of mass production. Additionally, the innovative dual technologies offering of both thermal and UV-cure capacities will provide customers the opportunity to scale up from test specimen-size to production-sized prototype testing.

“For more than 20 years, MPM’s products have been the industry standard in developing coatings for automotive plastic glazing.  The opening of the new facility in Leverkusen provides customers with a state-of-the-art environment to achieve their production and technology goals,” said Sam Conzone, vice president, Coatings. “It also illustrates our growing commitment to the industry as we extend our capabilities and offerings.”

The plant offers customers several unique benefits that are exclusive to Momentive:

• Real-sized Prototype Coating Facility. This facility offers the unprecedented ability to scale up from a laboratory test panel to a production-sized automobile part, such as a car window, sunroof or roof panel. Coatings can be applied and analyzed for various sizes:
  • large size automotive glazing parts up to 1.4m²
  • plastic sheets with a size of up to 1 by 1.8 m
   
• Real-World Climate Simulation. A clean room environment, coupled with climate control units, will simulate a wide variety of application conditions year-round for thermal and UV-curing. This will demonstrate effects from a range of environments, whether hot and humid or cold and damp.
  
  
• Mass Manufacturing Preview. This unique combination of benefits, in addition to varying air speed within the facility, will provide a more accurate view of how a product could be manufactured in mass production.

“This facility provides an environment where customers can work side-by-side with researchers and application developers to develop new products and optimize application process,” said Frank Wiesenberger, regional segment leader, Europe. “Here, we can proudly offer our customers the full package of support and application innovation within the autoglazing industry.”

Please contact Marie Neal, Strategic Marketing Communications Manager at (704) 992-4956, marie.neal@momentive.com for facility photos or a video documenting the facilities unique attributes.

About the Company

Momentive Performance Materials Inc. is a global leader in silicones and advanced materials, with a 70-year heritage of being first to market with performance applications for major industries that support and improve everyday life.  The Company delivers science-based solutions by linking custom technology platforms to opportunities for customers.  Momentive Performance Materials Inc. is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Hexion Holdings LLC.

About Momentive

Hexion Holdings LLC (“Momentive”) is the ultimate parent company of Momentive Performance Materials Inc. and Hexion Inc. Momentive is a global leader in specialty chemicals and materials, with a broad range of advanced specialty products that help industrial and consumer companies support and improve everyday life. Its technology portfolio delivers tailored solutions to meet the diverse needs of its customers around the world.  Momentive was formed in October 2010 through the combination of entities that indirectly owned Momentive Performance Materials Inc. and Hexion Specialty Chemicals Inc. The capital structures and legal entity structures of both Momentive Performance Materials Inc. and Hexion Inc., and their respective subsidiaries and direct parent companies, remain separate. Momentive Performance Materials Inc. and Hexion Inc. file separate financial and other reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Momentive is controlled by investment funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, LLC. Additional information about Momentive and its products is available at www.momentive.com.