Bayer Materialscience LLC Shares Ideas With Industrial Designers at Icsid/IDSA World Design Congress
Pittsburgh, October 31, 2007 - "Connecting '07," the umbrella theme for this year's Icsid (International Council of Societies of Industrial Design)/IDSA (International Designers Society of America) World Design Congress, lived up to its name. Thousands of designers from around the world convened in San Francisco, Calif., for an event that last took place in the United States more than 20 years ago. For Bayer MaterialScience LLC (BMS), it signified the connection between advanced materials and technologies, progressive design and artistic inspiration.
From Oct. 17-20, 2007, BMS made a grand debut to an international industrial design audience at the World Design Congress, showcasing unique, abstract applications of its materials at a booth in the Fairmont Hotel Design Gallery. In addition to a portfolio of products on display, the booth itself utilized Bayer's innovative materials and technologies in its construction. BMS also hosted a presentation on "Sustainability by Design," reiterating the positive impact design and material selection can have on a product's sustainability.
The World Design Congress was one of the largest gatherings of industrial designers this year, which provided BMS the perfect opportunity to effectively continue its outreach to the design community.
"There is an untapped potential for innovation that can come from the collaboration of material technology experts and industrial designers," said Dr. Valerie Patrick, Head of BMS' Creative Center in the Future Business group. "Our presence at the show not only demonstrates our commitment to explore this potential, but it also allows us to interact with the industrial design audience on a creative and thought-provoking level."
In fact, the overriding motif of Bayer's exhibit, "Creative Science for Creative Design," called attention to the important role materials play in the design world. "Innovation and trendsetting are just as much at the forefront of our industry as they are in the designer's world," continued Patrick.
Reflecting its commitment to innovation, BMS' booth flaunted a vast array of "cool" technologies and applications, each classified under one of three themes: lighting, layering and eco.
"We selected these topics based on their relevance to current trends in design across several industries," said Brian Long, Lead Innovator, Future Business, BMS. "While lighting and layering add another degree of function, eco speaks to the strong movement today in design, and in the world at large, to protect and nurture our environment through more responsible actions."
Created to simulate the modern look and feel of a gallery, Bayer's booth incorporated aesthetics into practical material applications. The result was a clean, yet colorful haven filled with exclusive "objects of desire": beautiful glass vases frosted with a one-component waterborne coating, intricate metal pieces splashed with color through AURA® infusion technology, Texin® thermoplastic polyurethane adorned with conductive ink, color-infused rods cast from Baytec® polyurethane, and electroluminescent film with in-mold decoration.
With such versatile products in its portfolio, BMS found uses for its materials in the construction of the booth. Makrolon® polycarbonate was used for the shelving, signage and windows. In addition, booth seating featured Bayer's polyurethane foam.
"A lot of thought went into this exhibit," said Long. "The intent was to create a fresh and inviting atmosphere in which designers could engage with BMS technologies in a way that is inspirational." Emphasizing this "connection," an interactive area carved into the booth allowed visitors to explore, hands-on, the vast potential of Bayer's materials.
BMS presenter John Skabardonis, Fantasia® Color Technologies Manager for North America in the Polycarbonates Group, addressed the challenge of designing products that are beautiful, functional and, above all, eco-friendly in a presentation, titled "Sustainability by Design."
According to Skabardonis, the carefully planned use of plastics in the design process can promote sustainability, thus having maximum positive impact on future generations. "Now, more than ever, it's possible to design and engineer products with sustainability in mind," he said. "The choice of coloration and decoration technologies will affect not only the appearance and durability of a product, but also its potential future re-use and, ultimately, its recyclability."
Contact:
Scott Hunsberger, Phone: 412-777-5200
E-mail: scott.hunsberger@bayerbms.com
For more information about Bayer MaterialScience's outreach to the industrial design community, call 1-800-662-2927; e-mail naftainfo@bayerbms.com or visit www.BayerMaterialScienceNAFTA.com and www.BayerDesignWorks.com.
Bayer MaterialScience LLC is one of the leading producers of polymers and high-performance plastics in North America and is part of the global Bayer MaterialScience business with nearly 14,900 employees at 30 sites around the world and 2006 sales of 10.2 billion euros from continuing operations. Our innovative developments in coatings, adhesive and sealant raw materials, polycarbonates, polyurethanes and thermoplastic urethane elastomers enhance the design and functionality of products in a wide variety of markets, including the automotive, construction, electrical and electronics, household and medical industries, and the sports and leisure fields. Our inorganic basic chemicals unit produces chlorine and related essential products for the chemicals industry. Let us give life to your vision. Bayer MaterialScience - Where VisionWorks.
Bayer Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, is a subsidiary of Bayer AG, an international health care, nutrition and innovative materials group based in Leverkusen, Germany. In North America, Bayer had 2006 net sales of 7.8 billion euros and employed 17,200 at year end. Bayer's three subgroups, Bayer HealthCare, Bayer CropScience and Bayer MaterialScience, improve people's lives through a broad range of essential products that help prevent and treat diseases; protect crops and enhance yields; and advance automobile safety and durability.
