Business Intelligence Group's Automotive NewsWire

Who would have ever guessed that auto industry executives would look at a month when sales declined 27.7% and said, "Wow, things are looking up?" 

That is exactly what happened in June when sales fell roughly 28% from year-ago figures, but that 28% looks better than April and May sales that declined 33.4% and 33.7% respectively.  Are dealer showrooms becoming more crowded?  It's really hard to say.  Certainly, there is a lot of industry jaw boning going one with comments like the one General Motors' sales and marketing honcho Mark LaNeve offered The Wall Street Journal: The company "feels pretty strongly  that the bottom was hit earli…

Lear Corp. announced late yesterday that it has reached a tentative agreement with its lenders to restructure its debt and received a commitment from several banks for $500 million in new debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing that Lear will use when it enters bankruptcy and files for Chapter 11 protection.  The company is expected to file for protection as early as today. 

Lear, a major supplier of automotive interiors and electronic components has been struggling in the last y…

One of the hottest technologies being developed for the automotive industry is glazing.  Usually, its related to polycarbonate resins, but there are few polycarbonate producers worldwide and SABIC Innovative Plastics and Bayer Materials Science have held the lead.  They were, in fact, partners for some time in developing automotive glazing materials and coatings, although that partnership no longer exists and they have each decided to go it on their own. 

But polycarbonate (PC) is not the only “clear” plastic and now there is new technology that some believe could change the dominance of polycarbonate in automotive glazing applications. 

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We have to first apologize for getting the NewsWire out so late today.  Our server checked into the pits for an unexpected lube and oil - or whatever those geeks did - and that is why you are getting this so late today. 

We are taking a couple of days off to celebrate the Independence Day holiday and so you shouldn't expect the next is…

ExxonMobil Chemical, Houston, announced today that it will increase capacity at its polypropylene resin compounding plant at Lillebonne, France.  The company said it will add 45,000 m. tons of capacity at the plant, which is in response to increased demand for its Exxtral high performance PP resins for the automotive industry.  

The Lillebonne Polypropylene Plant (LPP) currently produces neat, filled and new types of compounded PP such as that which was recently specified for an instrument panel on the new Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Partner.  

“This expansion also increases the range of polymers manufactured at LPP,” said Samuel Deboo…