PARIS, March 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Owens Corning (NYSE: OC), a leading global producer of glass fiber products for composite systems, today announced the launch of its new Performax^® SE4849 Type 30^® roving at the JEC Europe 2014 show and conferences. The Performax^® SE4849 roving is specially designed and engineered for long fiber reinforced thermoplastic polypropylene (LFT-PP), providing performance and productivity benefits to customers.

Initially considered a commodity, polypropylene (PP) is now considered one of the most versatile resins in the marketplace, providing a compelling alternative to engineered plastics and traditional materials such as steel and aluminum in a variety of automotive applications. Among the key attributes of polypropylene are weight reduction and cost savings.

"The new Performax^® SE4849 roving has been designed for hot-melt compounding, pultrusion, and direct compounding (DLFT)," said Corey Melvin, Owens Corning Product Manager, Long Fiber Thermoplastics. "Performax^® SE4849 is also developed for pultrusion processes to manufacture unidirectional continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRT) tapes. As a result, it provides additional opportunities to replace traditional metals in complex and often challenging structural and semi-structural automotive components."

Key product features include resistance to fuzz generation and outstanding wet-out and dispersion. "These benefits enable compounders to run their lines up to 40-percent faster, reducing manufacturing costs and thereby providing increased capacity without adding capital," Melvin added.  "These same features also allow for higher glass loadings, opening the door to new applications for Tier 1 and OEMs."

The new roving also features an optimized formulation for adhesion to polypropylene, which enables it to meet stringent mechanical performance requirements. Consequently, in addition to its applicability to the automotive market, Performax^® SE4849 is also well-suited for a broad range of consumer goods applications, such as appliances and power tools.

Performax^® SE4849 roving is manufactured with Owens Corning's patented boron-free Advantex^® glass fiber, which combines the electrical and mechanical properties of traditional E-glass with the corrosion resistance and durability of E-CR glass.

Owens Corning is exhibiting at JEC Europe 2014 in Hall 7-2, Booth F22.

About Owens Corning

Owens Corning (NYSE:OC) is a leading global producer of residential and commercial building materials, glass-fiber reinforcements and engineered materials for composite systems.  A Fortune 500^® company for 59 consecutive years, Owens Corning is committed to driving sustainability by delivering solutions, transforming markets and enhancing lives.  In business for more than 75 years, Owens Corning is a market-leading innovator of glass-fiber technology with sales of $5.3 billion in 2013 and about 15,000 employees in 27 countries.  Additional information is available at: www.owenscorning.com.

Advantex^®, Performax^®, and Type 30^® are registered trademarks of Owens Corning.

SOURCE Owens Corning