GE's Innovative Lexan Polycarbonate Sheet Now Graces Both Main Roof & Boarding Platform Roof of Shanghai South Railway Station
SHANGHAI, CHINA - Apr. 27, 2006 - The largest round roof of its kind in the world - that of the massive new Shanghai South Railway Station - was constructed of clear, tough Lexan* polycarbonate (PC) sheet from GE. This ambitious construction project represents one of the largest single orders of Lexan sheet ever received by GE's Plastics business. The success of the South Railway Station roof led to the selection of another type of Lexan sheet - Lexan Thermoclear* multiwall sheet - to glaze the 8,700-square-meter roof of the station's boarding platform. At the ChinaPlas exhibition here, GE Plastics is announcing that its product provides critical properties for the six-part boarding platform roof structure, including extra stiffness, weatherability, clarity, and impact resistance.
"With the addition of the boarding platform roof project, Lexan sheet provides stunning design elements in the entire railway complex, allowing light to illuminate the station interior and boarding platform for the enjoyment of travelers," said Frans van de Noort, Asia/Pacific general manager for GE Plastics, Specialty Film & Sheet. "This beautiful structure showcases the design innovation made possible by GE materials."
The boarding platform roof protects and illuminates the main interchange for passengers and trains. More than 25 metric tons of Lexan multiwall sheet were used to construct the six 360-meter-long, parallel roof sections.
Bold Design for Light-filled Public Spaces
With its dramatic sweeps of transparent Lexan sheet, the South Railway Station roof is designed to glow with sunlight and lamplight. The facility serves railway, subway, light track, and buses arriving from all points of the compass - hence the building's round shape, which is unique for this type of application. The roof, using 55,000 m2 of GE's tailor-made Lexan multiwall sheet, covers the upper departure area of the station and is capable of holding up to 10,000 people.
"The station's awe-inspiring roof design required a high-performance material that offers excellent light transmission with impact and weathering resistance. GE's Lexan sheet meets these requirements," said Dr Chen DongJie, executive director, Shanghai South Railway Station, Construction Commanding Post of Shanghai Railway Administration.
A huge international effort, the station was commissioned by the Chinese Ministry of Railways, with infrastructure support from the Shanghai municipal government, building design from France, and components sourced globally. GE Plastics used a global team of experts from GE China and its Specialty Film & Sheet business in France, Italy, India, and European headquarters in Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands.
As a leading worldwide sponsor of the Olympic Games - including the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing - GE is supplying super-strong Lexan sheet for use in other important building projects in China. The already completed Chongqing Stadium, for example, uses a completely new grade of Lexan sheet for its roof glazing. The new stadium is currently hosting a number of sporting events and will be an international focal point as China prepares to promote the 2008 Summer Games.
Beyond China, Lexan sheet is frequently the top choice as a tough, clear architectural material in window glazing, ceilings, surrounds, and related building and construction applications worldwide. Its excellent UV stability, impact strength, and high heat resistance contribute to its success as an outstanding building and construction material.
Examples of Lexan multiwall sheet will be displayed at GE's booth #F31, in Hall W3 at the Chinaplas exposition from April 26-29.
About GE Plastics
GE Plastics is a global supplier of plastic resins widely used in automotive, healthcare, consumer electronics, transportation, performance packaging, building & construction, telecommunications, and optical media applications. The company manufactures and compounds polycarbonate, ABS, SAN, ASA, PPE, PC/ABS, PBT and PEI resins, as well as the LNP* line of high-performance specialty compounds. GE Plastics, Specialty Film & Sheet manufactures high-performance Lexan sheet and film products used in thousands of demanding applications worldwide. In addition, GE Plastics' dedicated Automotive organization is an experienced, world-wide competitor, offering leading plastics solutions for five key automotive segments: body panels and glazing; under the hood applications; component; structures and interiors; and lighting. As a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Games, GE is the exclusive provider of a wide range of innovative products and services that are integral to a successful Games.
Contacts
Asia
Cecilia Siu
GE Plastics, Shanghai, China
Tel: +86 21 3222 4500 Ext. 216
E-Mail: cecilia.siu@ge.com
Europe
Banu Kukner
GE Plastics, Specialty Film & Sheet,
Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands
Tel: +31 164 291 605
Email: banu.kukner@ge.com
The Americas
Christopher Tessier
GE Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass.
Tel: +1-413-448-6926
E-Mail: christopher.tessier@ge.com
