From left: Art Cawley, Jan Roettger, Andy Kneisel, Tom Feige, Gary Jialanella, Steve Swartzmiller, John Hacskaylo and Dave Recktenwald.
	The application of BETAMATE LESA in the Volkswagen Polo front-end carrier.

Dow Automotive was pleased to accept a 2006 Automotive News PACE Award on April 3 for the innovative BETAMATE™ low energy adhesive substrate (LESA) adhesive system in the Manufacturing Process and Capital Equipment category. The application showcasing the new technology was the Volkswagen Polo front-end carrier.

"The PACE Award is one of the highest honors in the automotive industry," said George Hamilton, president of Dow Automotive. "This program recognizes the most advanced supplier innovations and it has become an influential industry benchmark. We now look forward to sharing our award-winning technology with customers for a wide variety of applications."

BETAMATE LESA materials from Dow Automotive are used globally in the design and manufacture of automotive front-end carriers, addressing industry-wide requirements including cost and weight restrictions, stiffness and pedestrian safety. BETAMATE LESA enables polyolefins and dissimilar substrates to be bonded without the use of pretreatment (saving time and cost). Computer-aided engineering optimization of the metal reinforcements and the molded plastic part allows for reduction of part thickness, resulting in significant weight savings and improved structural performance.

For the Volkswagen Polo, the front-end carrier bonded with BETAMATE LESA reduced weight by 25 percent compared with the previous version, lowered costs by 10 percent and still meets all structural requirements.

The PACE (Premier Automotive Suppliers' Contribution to Excellence) Award competition was open to suppliers who contribute products, processes, materials or services directly to the manufacture of cars or trucks. The 12th annual black tie award ceremony was held at The Max Fisher Music Center in Detroit and drew more than 500 attendees.

About Dow Automotive
Dow Automotive is a leading supplier of plastics, adhesives, sealants, energy absorption foams, diesel particulate filters 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, visit www.dowautomotive.com.