1020 Seven Mile Road Comstock Park, MI 49321 616.785.9400 Fax 616.785.9520

Erwin Behr Automotive GmbH, the parent of Behr Industries Corp., is a German car-component supplier for fitting out vehicle interiors with wood elements. In 1912, the parent company was established in Wendlingen, Germany. It has its roots in the design and manufacture of exclusive office and home furniture. In order to meet the requirements arising in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, audio-visual racks and television and radio cabinets--as well as technical parts--had been developed for the aviation industry. In 1949, the first parts made of real wood were produced for motor vehicle fittings. In 1990, the Behr Industries Corporation subsidiary was established in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Behr Industries manufactures decorative wood elements for the North American automotive market and the boat industry. The continual developments in the automotive industry, and the increasing demands on design and environmental acceptability of decorative parts, were the beginning of a process in our company three years ago. We made it our objective to develop an alternative to the well-known high-gloss lacquer. For designers, this opens new possibilities for the creation of valuable surfaces. In the course of development, a surface with an authentic real-wood character was achieved, suitable for large-scale production. We searched for the possibility of maintaining the porosity, structure and optical refraction of wood. In addition, the contact characteristics of wood had to remain unchanged--i.e., if the pores and the structure are visible, they must be felt as well as seen in order for the wood to be experienced with all senses. During development, special emphasis was given to the desire of honoring the material of wood. Along with all those design-related demands, the protection of the surface and the performance in all the tests required by the automotive industry today could not be ignored. We are very proud of our result, as we have developed a material on the basis of an oil-modified resin, which penetrates into the structure of the wood, hardening and protecting it from inside. The focus of development has always been the inner hardening of the structure of the wood. By applying the oil-modified resin to the surface, the wood obtains a velvety, natural surface, on which both the structure and the pores are visible and noticeable. The veneer seems to be authentic, giving the same impression as touching a piece of natural wood that has been sanded very carefully. Example of object with pure-wood finish The gloss of the surface can be varied to a certain degree--from silk to slightly glossy--by applying different kinds of finishing. The quality of the wooden decorative parts prepared with this surface treatment complies with the test requirements of motor vehicle manufacturers. Ashtray lid component on veneer. The climate tests required by Ford and DaimlerChrysler have been passed, as well as the chemical resistance tests, the head impact test and the light exposure tests. For the light exposure tests, great importance must be attached to a light-resistant mordant, as the ultra-violet filtering effect of the lacquer is not given. In order to meet these requirements, a three-ply surface structure was developed. The first layer ensures a deep penetration of the oil material into the structure of the wood, creating good anchorage and excellent protection from inside. The second layer provides for a sufficient quantity of surface material. Specially developed particles in the last layer of the three-ply surface structure contribute decisively to the fact that the surface does well in scratch and abrasion resistance tests. For achieving this surface protection, much less material is required compared with conventional polyester lacquering systems--less than 10% of the lacquer quantity is processed. With this very thin layer structure, it is obvious that neither the wood surface, processing defects nor blisters can be covered up. The challenge of this product lies in the selection and acquisition of high-quality veneers. Currently, there are wood types that cannot be used for automobiles because of production processes, but some of these are ideal for this surface treatment. Therefore, our development enables new design possibilities for which the shapes of decorative parts must be adjusted to be used with a "pure-wood" surface. This means that smooth, large-surface shapes with soft edges, without extreme deformations, are preferred to sharp corners and edges. Also, due to the new surface character, wood types can be used that would not show to advantage with the high-polished parts. This particularly includes linear woods used in superior furniture production. A further advantage of the process is the low air stress, both during production and in built-in state. No noxious substances are released. This aspect will become increasingly important because of higher demands in the future. On account of their surface finish, lacquered component parts actually require much more effort to reduce emissions. The development was successfully completed and a patent was applied for. The extensive use of this unique surface in the automotive industry is now possible in Europe and the U.S. Contact us for more information if you are interested in using this extraordinary surface in your vehicles right from the start.