Fagor’s Innova Refrigerators Look Metallic Cool in Cycolac* Visualfx* Resins

Fagor chose Cycolac* resin with Visualfx* resin aesthetic effects to create the metallic look for refrigerators at a cost effective value.

Modern appliance manufacturers increasingly find themselves navigating between appealing design that will attract customers and low production cost that will maximize profit margin. Using Visualfx* resin aesthetics effects to differentiate in appearance, Spanish appliance leader Fagor Electrodomésticos, chose Cycolac* resin for its Innova luxury refrigerator line. As an added benefit, the use of Visualfx resin created a potential materials cost out opportunity by eliminating the need for an additional paint application.

GE Advanced Materials & Fagor

“GE Advanced Materials had the quality materials we were looking for,” said Iosu Zabala, Managing Director of the Refrigerators Business at Fagor. “Their materials allowed us to achieve the metallic look we desired, while keeping our own internal material costs down. They also offered superior technical service compared to their competitors, saving us time and energy during the development process.”

During the development process, Fagor quickly identified an element key to the success of the Innova line. All parts, from the internal and external displays to door trimmings, ventilation grills and roofs had to appeal to customers in look and feel, while maintaining a consistent color. Color match was vitally important, as the many parts had to match not just within each refrigerator unit, but across the complete Innova line as well.

Working with GE Advanced Materials’ technical support team in the development phase, Fagor chose Cycolac resin, an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) thermoplastic resin, for the Innova refrigerator parts. It offered outstanding flow, toughness, and dimensional stability even at elevated temperatures.

Used in combination with Visualfx resins, Fagor was able to create a metallic look with a reflective sheen.

Besides the aesthetic appeal, Visualfx resin gave Fagor the ability to maintain a consistent and high quality color across each piece of the entire Innova line.

“Fagor used a molded-in color option to achieve a flow-line free appearance,” said GE Advanced Materials Product Manager for Visualfx Resins Europe, Paola Babka.

“All Visualfx resins are formulated with the color and effect inherent in the pellet to create colorful and exceptionally rich looking parts out of the mold.”

“The Innova line is one example of the type of innovative product GE

Advanced Materials can help customers create,” said Pieter Keijer, GE Advanced Materials Product Manager for Europe. “Our technical, product management, and marketing resources were used by Fagor during its concept and design phase, which helped them create the Innova refrigerator. It’s crucial to help the customer maximize its end result and help achieve the always-present cost-out goal.”

GE Advanced Materials globally available products and services helped deliver a materials solution that played a key role in contributing to Fagor’s unique and expanding product line.

GE Advanced Materials looks to the future by providing materials that help customers achieve cutting-edge designs for products that also maintain the practical functionality for consumers.

Details at

www.fagor.com

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helen.vandebovenkamp@​ge.com

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