Why plastics make an ideal material choice for transport systems.

In light of the current petrol, oil, gas and delivery crisis that’s causing significant bottlenecks in the supply of energy resources to the producers, public and economy, the evolution of plastics reduces it’s impact further.

How?

Plastics have a number of inherent properties which make them an ideal material for modern transport systems. They are lightweight, corrosion free and easily moulded into complex shapes without the need for assembly or fastening systems.

Here’s how plastics contribute to sustainable transportation…

Automotive – today, cars contain around 11% plastic. This helps to reduce the weight of the vehicle and consequently the emissions produced. Using 100 kg of plastics in a car can replace between 200 – 300 kg of traditional materials – every 100kg of plastics will reduce fuel consumption of the vehicle by 750 litres!

Aerospace – Some 22% of the Airbus A380 (the world’s largest commercial aircraft) is built from carbon reinforced plastics. This helps to reduce the fuel burn to a rate comparable to that of economical family car. The fuselage of the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner is made from three plastic composite sections. This serves to reduce fuel burn by as much as 20%!

Rail – The use of plastic composite panels in Swiss trains has led to a 25% reduction in weight and consequently significant energy savings.

Let’s not forget the important role plastic plays in improving our transport systems.