Down to Earth and Up to the Sky – Bayer MaterialScience's Autumn Color Offerings Span the Distance

Pittsburgh, PA, December 06, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Transitioning from the bright shades of spring and the vibrant hues of summer, Bayer MaterialScience LLC’s autumn crop of colors maintains the optimism of the brighter shades, but with softer tones.

Capitalizing on today’s ongoing trend of increased consumer desire for color in products, Bayer’s autumn 2012 color offerings follow suit. Color influences and direction came from Bayer’s Newark, Ohio, Color Competence and Design Center (CCDC) and color trend reports from the Color Marketing Group, which includes colors from current trends in fashion and consumer preferences.

The addition of these five shades­­­­­ – Etch, Bitte Sweet, Galaxy, Aviator and Stormy – to Bayer’s color repertoire stretch the color boundaries of what manufacturers can do with Bayer plastics. All five autumn colors are part of Bayer’s LEDA compounded color technology “Just Cool Colors” family. Any general purpose, ultraviolet-stabilized or flame-retardant grade of Bayer’s resins can be colored with these hues.

Referencing the earth, wind, sky and weather, Bayer’s autumn 2012 color palette shows a new twist on earth tones. The autumn colors are:
· Aviator – This green shade serves as a strong, steady color. The hue conjures up images of a manly cologne bottle or tinted lenses of old-fashioned aviator goggles, for which the color was named. This transparent green hue serves as the ‘earth’ shade in the palette.

· Galaxy – Drawing influence from the royal wedding, the striking blue color is reminiscent of royalty. This rich, stable color is translucent, thus stretching the depth of the hue. When looking at Galaxy, the color appears dark and then transforms to a much lighter blue when held to the light. This color story mimics the changing shades of blue found in the sky – nighttime to daytime blues depending on the light of the sun. Galaxy pairs well with “Bitte Sweet.” Since the blue and orange tones are on opposite sides of the color wheel, this combination provides good contrast.

· Bitte Sweet – Much of the inspiration for this hue comes from the fashion world, where this orange is predicted to be a popular trend. Bitte Sweet adds color to the autumn palette in the form of a soft shade of orange. While the color livens up the palette, the name itself – a play on the German word “bitte” and the English phrase “bitter sweet” – brings with it a touch of humor and whimsy. One can picture this light-hearted, muted orange tone in a morning sunrise.

· Etch – Etch’s grey color reminds you of smoke rising from an autumn fire or etchings carved in glass. The translucent smoke shade diffuses its surroundings. However, like actual smoke, you can still see the light through it. Etch allows your mind to paint the sky. Think of this gray as the shadow tone in the sunset or the rolling clouds announcing an incoming storm.

· Stormy – Following the pre-storm clouds awash in Etch’s grey, Stormy lines the clouds during inclement weather. This aubergine hue is opaque, adding to the richness and saturation of the color. Stormy is the grounding color in the palette without being just a basic neutral. It shifts away from the typical brown earth tones, to a more full-bodied, deep purple maroon shade.

This new palette brings further variety to the coloring options in Bayer’s collection. The shades in this palette alone provide nearly endless combinations, as the colors can all be paired well with one another.

All five of the autumn 2012 colors are commercially available and ready to be utilized by manufacturers for a wide range of applications. The brighter shades lend themselves to consumer applications, while the mysterious Stormy could be the color of a car. Both Galaxy and Stormy could make their way onto housings for appliances.

“Keeping with Bayer’s commitment to innovation and its customers, the autumn 2012 color palette brings new colors to Bayer’s LEDA compounded color technology and more coloring options to Bayer’s customers,” says Terry Bush, principle scientist, Bayer MaterialScience LLC. “With the diversity of color choices at our Color Competence and Design Center, the only limitation is a person’s imagination.”

For more information about Bayer MaterialScience LLC’s polycarbonates, email pcinfo@bayer.com or visit www.bmsnafta.com.

For more information about Bayer MaterialScience LLC’s color technologies, please visit www.bayerfantasia.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.