"Santoprene TPVs have been used in the transition from EPDM to TPV weatherseals systems for many years, and we now see an innovation potential for overcoming some of the final barriers to broad adoption in dynamic applications," said Zev Gurion, Global Automotive Marketing manager, AES. "Trexel and AES bring together exceptional capabilities to support customer adoption decisions. We anticipate a standard repeatable system that can be broadly implemented and supported."

Trexel will specify a full turnkey process optimized for Santoprene TPV, and will make available standard equipment packages under its worldwide manufacturing and product support systems. Its patented MuCell Process provides significant cost savings and quality improvements to TPV extrusions. Due to the continuous introduction of small, precise amounts of supercritical nitrogen gas into the molten resin during the extrusion process, the MuCell Process enables stable high-speed production of foamed profiles with consistent properties and smooth appearance.

With its closed cell structure, MuCell already demonstrates many of the desired properties, but according to Jere Anderson, technical director, Trexel, "The ability to customize material formulations with Santoprene TPVs to take advantage of the unique processing characteristics of MuCell will move performance into a whole new range."


About Trexel, Inc.
Trexel is the exclusive developer of the MuCell microcellular process technology and has an extensive portfolio of patents in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan, Korea, and Asia. Trexel’s primary business is licensing the MuCell technology for the production of injection molded and extruded articles. It also provides to licensees world-class engineering support, training and other services, and the equipment and components integral to the MuCell process. In support of these activities, Trexel operates a plastics development laboratory in its Woburn, Mass. facility. Other MuCell support facilities are located throughout the U.S., Europe, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
** MuCell is a trademark of Trexel, Inc., Woburn, Mass.

About Advanced Elastomer Systems, L.P. (AES)
With head offices in Akron, Ohio, U.S.A., AES is an affiliate of ExxonMobil Chemical, a division of Exxon Mobil Corporation. AES is the worldwide leader in engineered thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs), materials with the performance and aesthetics of rubber, and the processing ease of plastic. The company's flagship product SantopreneTM TPV is a recyclable elastomer commonly used in the appliance, automotive, construction, consumer goods, electrical, fluid delivery, grips, medical and packaging industries. ExxonMobil Chemical is a global leader in plastics technology, product quality and customer service with marketing operations in more than 150 countries around the world. For more information visit www.santoprene.com and www.exxonmobilchemical.com.
* Santoprene is a trademark of Advanced Elastomer Systems, L.P., Akron, Ohio.

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