Cascade Engineering Recognized with Society of Plastics Engineers Automotive Award

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan, December 8, 2004 – Cascade Engineering recently secured a second-place (finalist) award at the Most Innovative Use of Plastics Program, hosted by the Society of Plastics Engineers Automotive Division, in the Powertrain category for “supersized” intake ducts that debut on the 2005 Ford F-Series Super Duty.

“Cascade Engineering is proud to have worked with a respected team to bring a solution that adds value across the supply chain,” said Bob Rosenbach, Cascade Engineering vice president of automotive solutions. “As an organization, we’re continuously driving improvements in the solutions we develop, the way we solve customer problems and in our own manufacturing process. This product will benefit not only Ford, but the entire supply chain with lower weights, reduced cost and increased performance.”

A team of companies, including Cascade Engineering, Grand Rapids, Mich., Roush, Livonia, Mich., and DuPont Automotive, Troy, Mich., have developed a new one-piece, seamless duct that replaces four aluminum and silicone parts to eliminate leak paths.

The new intake duct reduces tooling, labor and overall costs up to 33 percent, and improves airflow between the turbo-charger and the engine inlet for improved engine performance. The new one-piece duct also reduces weight by more than 60 percent – 3.3 pounds per truck. The design also improves ergonomics for assembly operators.

The Society of Plastics Engineers has been celebrating innovation with this awards program for 34 years. For more information on Cascade Engineering, please visit www.cascadeng.com.

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