Press release
3 February 2005
Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.
Product Launch of High-performance Interlayer Film, “S-LEC SSF”,
having Sound and Solar Heat Shielding Capability
-  Just one layer of film shuts off sound and heat to bring amenity and contribute to environmental conservation. -
-  To aim at 50% automobile market share in 2007 by the launch of new functional film  -
 High Performance Plastics Company of Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. (President: Naotake Okubo, Head Office in Kitaku, Osaka ) introduces an innovative safety glass interlayer film “S-LEC SSF” to the market, which has sound and heat shielding ability.
1. Background
 The High-performance Plastics Company develops business in the automotive market by offering various products such as polyolefin foam, among which the interlayer film for safety glass is one of the Key products.
 The safety glass market can be divided into the automotive market and the building market, both of which are expanding by the increasingly demanded amenity and safety. Coincidentally the quality and the performance of interlayer film have been improved and we, as well, launched the sound shielding film in 1998 and the heat shielding film in 2001, in addition to the conventional film having the functions of safety, security and UV shielding. Today we have about 90% share in the sound shielding film and about 16% in the heat shielding film in the automotive market and, as a whole, about 40% share in the total global interlayer film market, i.e. the top manufacturer.
2. The new product “S-LEC SSF”
 In the automotive world today, amenity is emphasized along with safety. We now introduce a product that has simultaneous sound and solar heat shielding ability, in addition to the intrinsic ability of safety, security and UV shielding. The product is made in 5 layer structure by our unique multi-layer film extrusion technique and expected to bring comfortable automobile indoor life.
(1) Product: “S-LEC Sound and Solar Film” abbreviated to “S-LEC SSF”.
(2) 4 functions of “S-LEC SSF”
[1] Basic function = Safety, security & UV shielding,
Safety: Reducing damage of accident by avoiding glass piece scattering,
Security: Preventing invaders by high resistance against penetration,
UV shielding: Cutting more than 99% of UV
[2] New function = Sound shielding and heat shielding,
Sound shielding: Reducing wind roar and engine noise,
Heat shielding: Suppressing intermediate IR transmission, e.g. the steering wheel temperature is lowered by about 10 o C,
[3] Radio wave transmission = No disturbance of wireless (e.g. ETC) communication etc.,
[4] Environmental contribution = Reducing air conditioning load by heat shielding,
thus reducing CO 2 emission and improving fuel efficiency.
3. Business plan
2007 fiscal year: S-LEC SSF to be mounted in 5 million new cars,
2007 fiscal year: One out of 4 new cars mounted with one of new functional grades
(Sound shielding, Heat shielding or Sound & heat shielding grade),
i.e. 8% in 2004 f. y. would become 26% in 2007 f. y.
2007 fiscal year: One out of 2 new cars mounted with any of our interlayer film.
 
[Addendum]
1. Background of “S-LEC SSF” development
 The interlayer film is used to laminate glass plates to make safety glass for automotive and buildings and is made of transparent polyvinyl butyral resin having good adhesion to the glass. The global market size is estimated to be about 160,000 tons in 2004, including about 110,000 tons for automotive. The interlayer film market has grown by the increasing safety demand in the automotive market. And now with the increasing demand for environmental consideration and car amenity, the market for multi-functional interlayer film such as “safety + heat shielding” or “safety + sound shielding”, is developing. Our sound shielding film is doubling its sale volume in Europe every year and the heat shielding film is employed by major domestic car manufacturers.
  The newly launched “S-LEC SSF” has both the sound shielding and the heat shielding abilities, which, we expect, would rapidly growth to become our nuclear product.
2. Characteristics of “S-LEC SSF”
 “SSF” is a new grade of polyvinyl butyral interlayer film having 5 layer structure developed by our multi-layer extrusion technique. It has newly added sound and heat shielding function in addition to the intrinsic functions of safety, security and UV absorption.
<Newly added function>
(1) Sound shielding
* A layer of sound shielding is included within the 5 layer structure to greatly increase the shielding ability. It reduces wind roar that is heard during high-speed driving and noise from the engine room.
* Wind noice is in 1000 to 5000 Hz frequency zone, to which human ear is most sensitive. S-LEC SSF shields the sound effectively in this zone.
(2) Heat shielding
* S-LEC SSF has ability to shield the intermediate IR waves as well as UV waves.
* Fine particles that absorb the heat wave are evenly dispersed in the film, to reduce transmission of intermediate IR waves of 1500 to 2100 nm, which band is most easily absorbed by human skin. The laminated glass of this film reduces the burning irritation of solar ray and lowers the surface temperature of steering wheel by about 10 o C more than the comparable standard laminated glass.
<Transmission of electromagnetic wave>
*S-LEC SSF permits radio waves of almost all frequency zones to pass through.
It does not disturb radio wave communication of ETC etc.
<Environmental function>
*S-LEC SSF reduces the load of air-conditioner by suppressing indoor temperature raise and consequently contribute to fuel saving and reduction of CO 2 emission.
A report says “SSF is found to improve the fuel efficiency of sub-compact car by about 3%, when using air-conditioner in traffic jam.” [An academic symposium literature of Automobile Engineering Assoc., presented jointly by Asahi Glass Co. and Mitsubishi Automobile Engineering Co.]
<Basic function>
(1) Safety & security *The interlayer film is resistant against penetration and prevents shattering of glass caused by impact force, usually resulting in web-shaped crazing and thereby saving the sight of driver.
*In case the glass is broken, glass pieces do not scatter but held by the interlayer film to minimize injury of passengers.
* Since it is not easily broken, it is highly effective for crime-prevention.
(2) UV shielding *SSF film cuts more than 99% of UV wave off the sunbeam, which causes sunburn and color fade of the interior parts.
<Automobile interlayer film business of Sekisui>
 We have more than 200 customers in the world who use our film for automobile safety glass.
(1) Market share: About 40% globally and about 80% domestically
(2) Overseas turnover: about 80%
(3) Location of manufacturing plants:
 

Plant

Year of start

Shiga Minakuchi Plant

1960

Mexico Plant

1971

Netherlands Plant

1997

Thailand Plant

2002

China Plant

2004

(4) Variety of grade
 
Standard grade: S-LEC Film
Highly functional grades: S-LEC Acoustic Film (SAC)
S-LEC Solar Control Film (SCF)
S-LEC Sound and Solar Film (SSF)
 
[Contact personnel]
Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.:
 T. Takahara, Interlayer Film Div., High Performance Plastics Co., Tel.: 03-5521-0938
?. Iwamoto, Corporate Communication Dept., Public Relations, Tel.: 03-5521-0522
 
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