First GMT Composite Bumper

This was the 1st use of GMT composites to form bumper beams for passenger cars. The application has been in use on vehicles for more than three decades and has proliferated beyond vehicles built by automakers in North America, to those in Europe and Asia. Versus steel, the incumbent bumper beam material at the time, compression-molded GMT beams lowered mass 30%, greatly increased design flexibility, reduced tooling costs (especially beneficial for low-volume specialty models), eliminated rust and corrosion, and provided better impact performance (less vehicle damage) during low-speed impacts.

OEM/Vehicle General Motors Corp. 1984 Chevrolet Corvette System Supplier LOF Plastics Material Processor Emabond Solutions, LLC

Material Supplier PPG Industries Resin Azdel PM 400