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Solvay is materials supplier for Aftermarket Category winner at 46th SPE® Automotive Innovation Awards Competition

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Tempe, AZ – November 14, 2016--- Solvay, a global leader in lightweighting solutions for automotive, is honored to be the materials supplier named on an SPE® Automotive Innovation Awards Competition winner in the Aftermarket Category. The winning part is an aftermarket carbon fiber-composite spoiler for the Chevrolet Corvette produced by General Motors Co. This one-piece spoiler integrates seamlessly a spoiler blade and wicker bills combining full compression areas, open cavities and co-cured inserts. It is available painted or with an exposed weaved finish. It was manufactured by General Motors’ Tier 1, deBotech, using Solvay’s materials and is OEM approved.

deBotech, based in North Carolina, USA, is a long standing customer of Solvay Composite Materials. Both companies have worked together on a long list of automotive, motorsport and high performance sporting goods components. For this specific spoiler application, deBotech selected Solvay MTM® 57 cosmetic carbon fiber epoxy composites. This material is the ideal choice for applications where both structural performance and visual quality are required. Indeed MTM® 57 offers high toughness as well as excellent resin clarity for outstanding cosmetic results.

The spoiler won the award thanks to the remarkable benefits that part integration and the advanced materials selected offered: 

- 40% weight saving when compared to a three-piece production spoiler.

- Same aerodynamic performance.

- Cleaner appearance due to the elimination of fasteners.


“We are proud to have been part of a team receiving an Innovation Award from SPE for the second time this year. It is the result of a long standing relationship between Solvay, deBotech and General Motors” said Gerald Perrin, Solvay Composite Materials Global Automotive Director. “This is a great example of our collaborative approach – where the OEM, its Tier 1 and Solvay as technology supplier come together to create a viable material and manufacturing solution.”

This award was presented to General Motors and members of the supply team at the 46th-annual SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Competition Gala, which took place on November 9th, 2016 in Livonia (Detroit), MI, USA.

Solvay Composite Materials- Solvay’s new Global Business Unit Composite Materials is a global provider of technologically advanced lightweighting material solutions that enable our customers in the aerospace, automotive and other demanding industries to design, develop and efficiently manufacture high-quality, high-performance and complex composite structures. Composite Materials has the most extensive product portfolio, including prepregs, resin systems, adhesives and surfacing films, carbon fiber, textiles, tooling and vacuum bagging consumables, thanks to its leadership in advanced materials science, chemistry and application engineering. Solvay Composite Materials combines the former Cytec Aerospace Materials and Industrial Materials businesses.

An international chemical and advanced materials company, Solvay assists its customers in innovating, developing and delivering high-value, sustainable products and solutions which consume less energy and reduce CO2 emissions, optimize the use of resources and improve the quality of life. Solvay serves diversified global end markets, including automotive and aerospace, consumer goods and healthcare, energy and environment, electricity and electronics, building and construction as well as industrial applications. Solvay is headquartered in Brussels with about 30,900 employees spread across 53 countries. It generated pro forma net sales of € 12.4 bn in 2015, with 90% made from activities where it ranks among the world’s top 3 players. Solvay SA (SOLB.BE) is listed on Euronext in Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLB.BR).

An international chemical and advanced materials company, Solvay assists its customers in innovating, developing and delivering high-value, sustainable products and solutions which consume less energy and reduce CO2 emissions, optimize the use of resources and improve the quality of life. Solvay serves diversified global end markets, including automotive and aerospace, consumer goods and healthcare, energy and environment, electricity and electronics, building and construction as well as industrial applications. Solvay is headquartered in Brussels with about 30,900 employees spread across 53 countries. It generated pro forma net sales of € 12.4 bn in 2015, with 90% made from activities where it ranks among the world’s top 3 players. Solvay SA (SOLB.BE) is listed on Euronext in Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB:BB - Reuters: SOLB.BR).