Dow Automotive is the leading global supplier of materials, technology and support for direct glazing and other automotive adhesive applications. We developed the original direct glazing adhesive system more than 30 years ago, and continue to provide state of the art technology and innovative solutions to help make cars safer, meet or exceed worldwide safety criteria and OEM replacement standards

First, some history: until the 1950s, windscreens were installed using a combination of rubber gaskets, metal trim, mechanical fasteners, stops, and spacers. In 1960, polysulfide windshield sealants were introduced. In 1970, the US Department of Transportation created the FMVSS 212 standard, with which all vehicles had to comply. FMVSS 212 measures windshield retention in a 50km/h head-on barrier crash.

The creation of FMVSS 212 meant that conventional methods of windscreen installation needed to change to meet this new challenge. In 1971, Gurit Essex, now Dow Automotive, introduced the first polyurethane adhesives, and direct glazing in Europe. The process whereby the windshield, rear glass and sometimes quarter lights, are directly bonded to the vehicle body, was born. It was discovered early on that the adhesive is so powerful and the glass so completely bonded that it becomes a true structural member of the car. The urethane adhesive applied to the periphery of the glass forms a continuous bond between the windshield and the vehicle body. This makes the glass a structural component of the vehicle and helps the vehicle body protect occupants in the event of an accident. The adhesive bond also retains the windshield during impact, absorbing stress.

Glass bonding replacement solutions entered the aftermarket at the same time in order to provide the same OE quality bonding materials to the OES and glass replacement shops. In fact, Dow Automotive's partnerships with all the major OEMs enables us to develop and test new technologies to new vehicle specifications.

Today, Dow Automotive BETASEAL* glass bonding systems are used to install auto glass in 70% of all new vehicles worldwide - over 27 million factory installations per year. But we continue to innovate, and to develop and improve bonding technologies. Dow Automotive offers the broadest range of adhesives, sealers, cleaning products and application tools available in the market. Some of our key technological advances include:

• QUICK FIX adhesives are developed with a higher rate of green strength for better assembly efficiencies through reduced need for glass fixture hardware at the OE.
• High-modulus formulations are stiffer than standard polyurethane adhesives and help make the vehicle body more rigid. By fitting the glass using a higher modulus adhesive, the stiffness of the vehicle can be enhanced by as much as 15% because the glass becomes a fully-fledged structural member.
• Non-conductive adhesives are available for those vehicles that have antennas integrated into front or rear windshields or for aluminium car bodies. The formulation reduces contact corrosion and radio signal attenuation to ensure that audio system performance is not compromised

Dow Automotive's leadership and experience in the aftermarket is based not only on our expertise in glass bonding, but our partnerships with the OEMs. And because we are a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, we can also offer advanced R&D capabilities and a broad range of materials for the transportation industry.

Dow Automotive is a leading supplier of plastics, adhesives, sealants and other plastics-enhanced products for interior, exterior, under-the-hood, vehicle body structure and acoustical management applications. The organization serves global tier, OEM and aftermarket customers. With offices and application development centers around the world, Dow Automotive provides materials science expertise and comprehensive technical capabilities to its customers worldwide. For additional information about Dow Automotive products and services, visit www.dowautomotive.com. Dow Automotive is a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company.