Asahi Kasei Plastics North America Wins SPE Automotive Innovation Award in the Automotive Plastics Industry Solutions for COVID-19 Category

FOWLERVILLE, Michigan – Asahi Kasei Plastics North America, Inc. (“APNA”), a leading international compounder of advanced engineered polymers and glass reinforced polypropylene, has received the Innovation Award in the ‘Automotive Plastics Industry Solutions for COVID-19’ category from the Society of Plastics Engineers (“SPE”). This recognition was for material co-developed by APNA and DENSO that was used in the powered air purifying respirator.

The award was presented during the SPE Automotive 50^th Annual Innovation Awards Competition and Gala on November 10, 2021, in Livonia, Michigan. This annual celebration is one of the oldest and largest recognition events in the automotive plastics industry.

The brand-new category for ‘Automotive Plastics Industry Solutions for COVID-19’ was created to highlight how OEMs and suppliers adapted their business needs to help the international battle against the coronavirus pandemic.

“Asahi Kasei is resolute in our fight against COVID-19. We are honored to participate with Ford Motor Company and DENSO in the development of the powered air purifying respirator” states Todd Glogovsky, president and chief operating officer of Asahi Kasei Plastics North America. “We are proud to be recognized by our customers as a supplier that will step up in a time of need.”

The powered air purifying respirator that was developed with Asahi Kasei’s Thermylene® P-40TC-1102 grade was identified as top in this new category because it helped deliver the critical fit, form and functional needs to enable an application that supports community health. The talc-filled Thermylene® helped enable partners to exceed the design requirements for this application due to its high stiffness and good dimensional stability capabilities.

“We give our heartfelt thanks to all Asahi Kasei employees who supported this important project to protect frontline workers,” said Sergio Pujols, vice president of Energy Management Engineering at DENSO. “Their team mobilized quickly in an uncertain environment to help get the job done. We appreciate their strong collaboration.”

This is APNA’s fifth category award from SPE in the last ten years. The last award won by APNA was for the high strength self-tapping composite nut in the ‘Chassis/Hardware’ category in 2018.

“This award is a testament to Asahi Kasei’s commitment in improving the quality of life in our society and the importance we place in the partnership we have with our customers” states Glogovsky.

About Asahi Kasei Plastics North America, Inc.

Asahi Kasei Plastics North America, Inc. (“APNA”) is a leading manufacturer of innovative, high performance, engineered polymers and chemically coupled polypropylene resins in North America.  The product line includes Xyron (modified polyphenylene ether), Thermylene (specialty chemically coupled polypropylene), Leona (nylon 6/6, 6/6+6i), Tenac (homopolymer & copolymer acetal) and Thermylon (nylon 6, 6/6). APNA currently has three locations in North America and over 400 employees.

About the Asahi Kasei Corporation

The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its foundation in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber businesses, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 40,000 employees around the world, the company contributes to a sustainable society by providing solutions to the world’s challenges through its three business sectors of Material, Homes, and Health Care.

Media Contact:

Asahi Kasei Plastics North America / Asahi Kasei America

Samantha Cronin

900 East Van Riper Road, Fowlerville MI 48836

Mail: [email protected]