New Peugeot-Citroën using plastic window glazing

Automaker PSA Peugeot-Citroën is using polycarbonate from Japan’s Teijin Chemicals Ltd. for plastic window glazing in its new Citroën DS5, as part of what Teijin said is a growing partnership with German plastic glazing supplier freeglass GmbH Co. KG.

In a July 26 news release, Tokyo-based Teijin said it developed the PC rear quarter windows for the car in partnership with Schwaikheim, Germany-based freeglass, and said the firms are expanding their work to other technology and applications, such as a hard coating technology that will improve Teijin’s Panlite PC material.

For the DS5, a five-door hatchback unveiled at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show, the two suppliers developed a specific grade of black PC alloy to be used in the composition of the window.

The window is manufactured by molding a transparent glazing and black gloss pillar cover into an integrated piece with multi-component injection-compression molding, and then applying a hard coating. The process reduced the glazing weight by 20 percent compared with conventional glazing, Teijin said.

Freeglass, a Tier One supplier, is a subsidiary of Saint-Gobain Sekurit. The company claims about 20 percent of the worldwide market for auto glazing. /Source: Plastics News/