SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Gala to be held in November

The Automotive Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) announced on February 28 that this year's 42nd annual Automotive Innovation Awards Gala will be held on November 7 at Burton Manor in Michigan, the US.

Jeffrey Helms, Global Automotive Director of Ticona Engineering Polymers, who returns as the 2012 SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Chair, said, "With automakers facing tougher emissions and fuel-economy standards in nearly every geography, and vehicle lightweighting a key strategy for hitting those numbers, this year's theme is Plastics Drive 54.5. Plastics and composites are the real lightweight materials and they can help transportation OEMs improve vehicle range, whether you're driving a conventional internal combustion engine, a hybrid, or a plug-in electric vehicle. With polymers, you can also reduce costs, eliminate secondary operations, improve aesthetics, and better manage energy in a crash for better passenger safety.

"By drawing attention to how plastics can help automakers meet new US Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations of 54.5 miles/gallon (4.32L/100km) required by the year 2025 as well as maintain other important benefits, we at the SPE Automotive Division hope to help drive higher plastics use in tomorrow's passenger vehicles."

SPE's Automotive Innovation Awards Program is one of the oldest and largest competitions of its kind to promote the applications of plastics in automotive industry.