LORD Corporation & Dow Automotive to Develop Metal Bonding Repair Solution

Cary, N.C.-- LORD Corporation - maker of Fusor Aftermarket Repair Adhesives, the leading metal and plastic bonding solution for the automotive collision repair market - has entered into a distribution agreement with Dow Automotive Systems, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company to bring a new metal bonding solution to the North American automotive aftermarket. Developed for OEM professionals, Fusor 2098 Crash Durable Structural Adhesive is powered by Dow Automotive BETAMATETM 2098 structural adhesive. This new structural adhesive replaces welds and mechanical fasteners, helping reduce fatigue and failure.

According to Doug Lorenz, President, Automotive, Industrial and Electronic Assembly at LORD Corporation, the commercial relationship with Dow Automotive was formed to address the industry need for aluminum and steel vehicle repairs.

 "The need for a crash durable, OEM-approved aluminum and metal repair adhesive is no secret in the automotive industry," said Lorenz. "Dow Automotive understands the metal bonding needs of OEMs related to lightweighting and the need to meet demanding government CAFE standards. Their products provide toughened crash-resistant solutions that decrease noise, vibration and harshness while improving overall performance." "We chose to work with LORD Corporation because they are the leader in crash body repair infrastructure,"

said Steve Henderson, President of Dow Automotive. "They know how to deliver solutions to repair facilities quickly and they provide the right support. Our work on this product has come together smoothly and will soon benefit North American repair shops and vehicle owners."

The product requires little pre-repair preparation, adheres to a wide range of base substrates including aluminum and steel, and applies easily with Fusor 313 or 314 applicators. Further, Fusor 2098 structural adhesive retains profile stability after extrusion and offers a working time of nearly 90 minutes. It also provides excellent corrosion protection in gaps and flanges, adhesion to most metals and alloys, weld-through ability within 60 minutes, and improved body stiffness and safety performance.

Fusor 2098 structural adhesive has already been approved by Mercedes Benz, General Motors, BMW, Fiat and PSA Peugeot. Additional approvals are expected soon.

About Dow Automotive Systems

Dow Automotive Systems, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, is a leading global provider of collaborative solutions and advanced materials for original equipment manufacturers, tier suppliers, aftermarket customers and commercial transportation ma