• 1995-1997
• ATP funding amount: $2.6 M
• Automotive Composites Consortium cost-share amount: $2.8 M

• In the 2001 model year, GM released a composite midgate (a door that folds down to extend cargo space) for the Chevrolet Avalanche. The company sold 53,000 units in 2001, 90,000 in 2002, and 93,000 in 2003. GM also released inner tailgate sections for the Cadillac Escalade EXT hybrid sport utility vehicle, beginning in the 2001 model year. The company sold 546 units in 2001, 13,000 in 2002, and 11,000 in 2003. 
• In the 2001 model year, General Motors (GM) released an award-winning pickup truck box and tailgate assembly made of structural composites for the Chevrolet Silverado. The Silverado truck box, a consumer option, weighed 50 pounds less than the conventional welded steel box (a 33-percent savings). The tailgate weighed 15 pounds less than steel and had a 1,000-pound load-carrying capacity (compared to 600 pounds for steel). The pickup truck box option was discontinued in 2003.
• Daimler Chrysler released composite floor sections for the " Stow 'n Go" system to fold down second- and third-row seats in the Chrysler Town & Country LX and the Dodge Grand Caravan SXT, beginning in the 2005 model year. The company anticipates sales in excess of 250,000 units. GM won a "Best of What's New" award from Popular Science magazine for the Chevrolet Silverado composite truck box in 1999; the magazine recognized it as "a breakthrough in the use of structural composites."
• The NCC, with GM, Ford, and Daimler Chrysler, began work in 2001 on using carbon fiber in the support piece between the front and rear doors on a four-door sedan. Carbon-fiber-based SRIM is the next generation of lightweight, strong, and durable structural composite parts; they are stiffer and stronger than steel, with a 50- to 60-percent weight savings.

The knowledge gained and validation of the technical concepts achieved through the ATP project enabled the consortium to leverage even more resources to continue the technical development of the SRIM. For example:

• The ATP-funded research helped to establish the National Composite Center (NCC) in Ohio in 1996, which promotes, develops, and applies advanced composite technology to aerospace, defense, automotive, and commercial markets. NCC also received funding from the State of Ohio . The ACC received an additional $3 million in research funding from the Department of Energy from 1997 to 2000 to complete the program.
• The ACC received ongoing internal funding from each of the three auto manufacturers to continue the development. For example, in a proprietary program, GM conducted pickup truck box testing and development in 1998 and 1999, investing more than $60 million.

Furthermore, the ATP-funded project resulted in commercialized products relying on SRIM technology in other industries:

• Boeing is applying SRIM composites to its new 787 "Dreamliner" series 289-passenger planes, which are currently under development. For this application, composites save 3 percent in fuel efficiency and contribute to an overall 20-percent fuel savings. The first commercial flight is expected in 2008. NCC conducted related research with the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for aerospace composite pre-form parts, beginning in 1997. The project team demonstrated significant cost reductions in 1999 for the Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft. For example, a SRIM tail cone cost 80 percent less, a fighter access door cost 46 percent less and was 9 percent lighter, compared with previous composite parts. Lion Apparel utilized the SRIM technology to make fire helmets. In addition to eliminating two steps in the manufacturing process, production efficiency was increased by 35 percent, the raw material inventory reduced, and labor costs reduced. The scrap rate was reduced from 20 percent to less than 3 percent. The resulting helmets were 15-percent lighter than previous composite helmets and had 15-percent greater impact resistance.
• SRIM boat motor covers are manufactured by SeaRay Marine Division of Brunswick Corp. The process reduces volatile organic compound emissions compared with the previous open-atmosphere spray method.