Owens Corning : Launches New Product for Hydrolysis Resistant (HR) and Impact Modified Polyamides (PA) Applications

Owens Corning (NYSE: OC), a leading global producer of glass fiber reinforcements for composite systems, launches new HydroStrand® 258 glass-fiber chopped strands for polyamide (PA) resins. The product provides excellent dry-as-molded properties in a wide range of PA formulations, as well as outstanding performance in glycol resistant PA 6,6 formulations. It enables designers to reduce vehicle weight to improve fuel economy without sacrificing performance. Typical applications in automotive include oil and fluid pump housings, oil pans and powertrain parts.

HydroStrand® 258 product is designed to help grow businesses through enhanced performance and productivity benefits, like all Owens Corning's innovations,

Further to excellent dry-as-molded mechanical properties, the product delivers up to 22% increase in impact strength when used in impact modified grades. It increases the potential to integrate automotive functions and be flexible in designing efficient parts.

With excellent hydrolysis resistance in PA applications, HydroStrand® 258 product improves critical impact properties in applications exposed to glycol and allows for up to 13% increase in impact after hydrolysis. This enables metal substitution in applications exposed to glycol and other liquids.

Finally, the product shows strong thermal stability, thus less discoloration at higher temperatures. The product offers a low yellowness making the product easy to use in natural color applications, allowing for up to 26% improvement in color clarity.

In terms of productivity, HydroStrand® 258 product can replace several specialty grade glass fibers, thereby lowering inventory carrying costs and reducing manufacturing change-overs. The product also enables strong processing with no hassle feeding.

Hydrostrand® 258 chopped strands are made with the company's patented boron-free Advantex® glass. It is manufactured and available globally.

The product launch occurs at JEC Europe 2015 composites show and conferences in Paris.

About Owens Corning

Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) develops, manufactures and markets insulation, roofing, and fiberglass composites. Global in scope and human in scale, the company's market-leading businesses use their deep expertise in materials, manufacturing and building science to develop products and systems that save energy and improve comfort in commercial and residential buildings. Through its glass reinforcements business, the company makes thousands of products lighter, stronger and more durable. Ultimately Owens Corning people and products make the world a better place. Based in Toledo, Ohio, Owens Corning posted 2014 sales of $5.3 billion and employs about 14,000 people in 25 countries. It has been a Fortune 500® company for 60 consecutive years. For more information, please visit www.owenscorning.com.