March 27, 2012 (Arlington, Va.) – 2012 Fisker Karma SMC Body Panels and Headlamp Carriers, submitted by Continental Structural Plastics of Troy, Mich., earned the first-ever People’s Choice Award at the recent COMPOSITES 2012, hosted in Las Vegas by the American Composites Manufacturers Association. The submission was selected from an impressive field of more than 45 entries for the prestigious ACE (Awards for Composites Excellence) and Pinnacle Awards.
Those entries, reflecting the spirit of innovation that fuels the composites industry, were showcased online as well as in the COMPOSITES 2012 Exhibit Hall. Nearly 3,100 votes were cast in the People’s Choice Award competition.
“Continental Structural Plastics is very appreciative of this recognition by our peers in the composites industry,” says Director of Sales, Hugh Foran. “At the same time, we are proud to team with Fisker Automotive, the first new American car company in many years, in producing their new electric Karma vehicle.”
The 2012 Fisker Karma is billed as “the first true electric luxury vehicle with extended range.” Continental Structural Plastics combined patented light-weight sheet molding compound (SMC) formulations and proprietary molding and manufacturing processes to help Fisker develop low cost, low mass, uniquely styled panels for their vehicle.
“The composite body panels that Continental Structural Plastics provides are components with challenging geometry that would have been very difficult or impossible to produce with normal stamped production methods,” notes Foran. “Our composite panels allow reduced tooling costs versus steel and aluminum stamping as well as weight reduction benefits.”
In addition to providing composite panels that are equivalent to aluminum in weight, Foran says their product offers superior dent and corrosion resistance.
Continental Structural Plastics also earned an ACE at COMPOSITES 2012. Its submission, the Trane Hyperion Air Handler SMC Panels, was named the winner in the Infinite Possibility for Market Growth category.
Rounding out the top five vote-getters in the People’s Choice Award competition were Mar-Bal, Inc. for Composites for Improved Acoustic Performance Material Development, Component Design and Appliance Optimization; Reichhold of Brasil for Impermeable Composites Pipes for Solvent Transmission; Tecton Products LLC for Apex Residential Siding System; and Sunrise Fiberglass Corporation for Acoustic Ceiling Panel.
COMPOSITES 2012 attracted a highly diverse group of nearly 3,400 U.S. and international attendees and featured a keynote address by NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace. The COMPOSITES Exhibition and Convention is the industry’s premier event in North America. COMPOSITES 2013 will be held January 29-31, 2013, in Orlando, Florida. More information can be found at www.acmashow.org.
