Borealis, which is majority owned by Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Com-pany, has played a pioneering role in the development of the first-ever injection moulded truck bumper and front panel.

The structural components for Iveco’s latest Stralis truck were developed using Nepol GB303HP, a long glass fibre-reinforced polypropylene (PP) solution from Borealis. Nepol replaces unsaturated polyester glass fibre used in other techniques reducing production complexity while meeting the high mechanical and environmental-friendly requirements specified by Iveco.
Through the selection of Nepol GB303HP and the injection moulding process for the bumper and front panel structural components, Iveco’s Tier One Supplier Plastal was able to achieve the stringent requirements with a dedicated thermoplastic mechanical and aesthetical design and to integrate more functions into one mould than is possible with other techniques. By requiring fewer production steps and reducing complexity, Plastal achieved faster production times with less material waste. Furthermore, Nepol’s good mould-flow helped to ensure consistent quality at fast line speeds during production.
New Nepol GB303HP boosts the environmental performance of Iveco’s Stralis by providing for a 30 per cent weight reduction in front panel and bumper structures, leading to lower CO2 emissions. Also, the material is fully recyclable, in compliance with European legislation.
Furthermore, the excellent sound reduction performance provided by Nepol GB303HP, when compared to metal and glass fibre reinforced materials, increases driver comfort by reducing the level of vibration and motor noise.
The end-user can also benefit from the aesthetical and mechanical advantages Nepol GB303HP brings. The grade’s excellent impact/ stiffness ratio and good dimensional stability at high temperatures deliver the high crash performance required of this application. It also provides the exceptional surface quality typically associated with glass fibre.
In addition, Borealis proposed the use of a Daplen thermoplastic olefin (TPO) grade for the visible bumper fascia to achieve the consistent, high quality Class A surface aesthetics required by Iveco. This Daplen EE260AE offers very low thermal expansion and outstanding paint adhesion to create a smooth, high-performance surface finish.
Paul Turner, vice president of automotive and appliances at Borealis, comments: “This is the first time polypropylene has been used in such an application and the move towards injection moulded bumper and front panel structures is a significant advance for the industry,”