Plastic Industry Honors Ford For Innovation With Grand Award 
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Ford wins three of six overall categories for innovative use of plastics

• Chassis/Hardware/Powertrain for a Controlled Energy Management (CEM) Bumper Isolator™ on the 2001 Windstar. 

• Body Exterior for introducing the industry's first structural cargo box using composite materials on the 2001 Explorer SportTrac. 

• Environmental for developing the industry's first commercially successful process for using recycled nylon in powertrain components featured on the 2001 Econoline, F- series and Excursion. 

DETROIT - Ford Motor Company received the Society of Plastics Engineers' Grand Award at the 30th Annual Automotive Division Innovation Awards. The Grand Award recognizes the "best-of-the-best" among awards given in six categories for the most innovative use of plastic.  

The six categories are Environmental, Chassis/Hardware/Powertrain, Body Interior, Materials, Body Exterior and Process/Enabling Technologies.  

Ford Motor Company received the Grand Award for the most innovative use of plastic in the Chassis/Hardware/Powertrain category for a Controlled Energy Management (CEM) Bumper Isolator™ developed in partnership with LDM Technologies and Concept Analysis Corporation and featured on the 2001 Windstar. The CEM Bumper Isolator™ features several innovations in manufacturing, engineering, design and material application, which significantly reduce its cost and weight.

The isolator features a unique conical geometric design that produces a more efficient square wave crash pulse than expanded polypropylene (EPP) foam -- the current industry standard. The isolator absorbs more energy in less space during both high and low speed impacts allowing it to be packaged in less space than EPP foam. This reduces front and rear overhangs. Shorter overhangs improve customer satisfaction by enabling improved styling and enhancing vehicle maneuverability.  

This year the Chassis/Hardware and Powertrain categories were combined. Ford has won five Chassis/Hardware and three Powertrain awards since 1988. In addition to winning the Grand Award, Ford Motor Company was recognized for innovation in three out of the six award categories. The company received awards for the most innovative use of plastic in the Chassis/Hardware/Powertrain, Body Exterior and Environmental categories.  

Ford Motor Company received the award for the most innovative use of plastics body exterior for introducing the industry's first structural cargo box using composite materials. The composite pickup box on the Ford 2001 Explorer SportTrac was developed in partnership with The Budd Company's Plastics Division. 

Using a composite instead of steel yields an over all reduction in vehicle weight, resulting in an increase in fuel economy. A structural Sheet Molding Composite (SMC) box inner does not trap water under a liner, eliminating the risk of rust damage to the pickup bed. The SMC box is close to 20 percent lighter than a typical steel box. The old process requires 45 pieces of sheet metal to be assembled. With the new composite one-piece box, there are fewer pieces, fewer tools and assembly fixtures and it takes up less floor space in the assembly plant, which results in cost savings.  

The composite box exceeds the 150,000-mile durability requirements specified by Ford Truck for all pickup boxes. It is built "Ford Tough" and is far superior to steel for corrosion and dent resistance. Not only does the composite box reduce weight, improve fuel economy, increase durability, cut down production time and cost it is also recyclable.  

This is Ford's second award in the Body Exterior category since 1988.  

The award for the most innovative use of plastic in the environmental category is for developing the industry's first commercially successful process for using recycled nylon in powertrain components, featured on the 2001 Econoline, F- series and Excursion. This was accomplished in partnership with Visteon and Honeywell.  

The new process uses recycled nylon from carpet to make powertrain throttle bodies. The throttle body made of recycled nylon is virtually indistinguishable from those produced using virgin nylon.  

This is the fifth time Ford has received the award in the environmental category since 1991.

(Nov. 10, 2000)