GE Challenges Royal College of Art Students to Imagine the Future of Automotive Design Using Latest Plastic Technologies
SOUTHFIELD, MICH. - Dec. 19, 2005 - Graduate students from the Vehicle Design department of London's prestigious Royal College of Art (RCA) will imagine - and prototype - the future of automotive design in plastics during a three-month program and competition called PLASTicon that launched today. To explore the potential of such GE innovations as thermoplastic glazing, plastic body panels, and lighting technologies in futuristic vehicles, approximately 20 students will participate in PLASTicon. They will research, design, and build models of "blue sky" vehicles aimed at the needs of different markets - from SUV owners to Gen-Y consumers - and compete for prizes and prestige.
"We're eagerly anticipating this collaboration with some of the world's most talented automotive designers-in-training on solutions for the vehicles of tomorrow," said Geert Jan Schellekens, principal automotive designer for GE - Plastics. "GE innovation will give PLASTicon participants a wide range of materials and capabilities to use in creating concepts that meet future needs - such as environmental compliance and new aesthetic directions."
The PLASTicon program will divide students into teams of three for research into specific scenarios, including emerging generations, emerging markets, auto segment redefinition, formal freedom, and function integration. Once the groups have completed an analysis and reached conclusions, each team member will design and model a personal interpretation of the scenario. In addition to automotive exteriors, students may be expected to design interiors or subsystems. GE advisors will work closely with RCA staff and the students to provide guidance and resources. PLASTicon is expected to run approximately three months and will culminate with judging by GE experts. The winner will receive a weekend in New York and a chance to present their design at GE's design council.
The Royal College of Art is the world's only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, specializing in teaching and research and offering the degrees of MA, MPhil, and PhD across the disciplines of fine art, applied art, design, communications, and humanities. The RCA's Vehicle Design curriculum trains students to pioneer new approaches for private and public transportation, including addressing such concerns as traffic congestion, safety, and environmental issues.
GE's Plastics business is an industry leader in automotive technologies representing body panels and glazing, exterior components, trims and accessories, lighting, structures and interiors, and underhood applications. Innovative GE materials expand design freedom and creativity vs. traditional metal and glass while helping to give manufacturers many performance and aesthetic benefits, including weight reduction for improved fuel economy, noise reduction, parts integration for lighter weight and cost savings, and unique colors and special effects.
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.
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*LNP and Lexan are trademarks of General Electric Company.
Contacts
Global
Anne Rohinsky
GE - Plastics, Automotive,
Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands
Tel: +31 164 29 31 48
E-Mail: anne.rohinsky@ge.com
Agency Contacts
The Americas
Jim Allison
AH&M Marketing Communications,
Pittsfield, Mass.
Tel: +1-413-448-2260, Ext. 25
E-Mail: jallison@ahminc.com
Europe
Folke Markus
Marketing Solutions, Bergen op Zoom,
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 164 317 038
E-Mail: fmarkus@marketingsolutions.be
China
William Li
Ketchum Newscan, Shanghai, China
Tel: +86 21 5289 5838 Ext. 105
E-Mail: william.li@knprsh.com
Japan
Mitsu Sugino
Tokyo PR Inc., Tokyo, Japan
Tel: +81 3 3256 5691
E-Mail: sugino@tokyopr.co.jp
