Gentex® licenses BASF to market resin additives for laser welding process

6/8/2004

Gentex Corporation has granted the performance chemicals unit of BASF AG a worldwide, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use and sell BASF's Lumogen® near-IR-absorbing additives to produce plastic resins for molding laser-weldable components. Resins containing the BASF additives provide users access to Gentex's patented Clearweld® process for laser welding plastics.

The Clearweld process employs specialty coatings and resins to provide unique color and design flexibility in laser welding clear and opaque plastics. These light-absorbing materials focus laser energy and convert it to heat. Localized heating at the interface of two pieces of plastic to be joined produces strong, hermetically sealed welds with minimal thermal and mechanical stress, no particulates and very little flash, making it ideal for applications ranging from micro-fluidics to electronic packaging components.

Clearweld was developed jointly by TWI, a U.K.-based industrial research and development organization that specializes in material joining, and Gentex, which retains the sole right to commercialize the technology worldwide.

About Gentex
Established in 1892, Gentex is a privately owned corporation with four operating units: helmet systems, performance materials, respiratory products and electro-acoustic products. One of the company's major markets is defense, encompassing both U.S. armed forces and the military units of other nations. The company is a world leader in both military and commercial markets with extensive research and development capabilities.

About BASF
Headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany, BASF AG is the world's largest chemical company. Its five business segments include chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and nutrition and oil and gas. Worldwide sale in 2003 totaled 33 billion euros.