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End-Use Case Study
Outdoor chefs take the guesswork out of after-dark grilling with Olympia Lighting Products’ award-winning, patented Bar-B-Que Light™. The light clamps onto the grill, deck rail or table and is fully adjustable. Its halogen bulb generously illuminates the grilling surface and casts a clean, white light. Cooks can accurately judge the readiness of the food without taking it into the house.
After designing the innovative appliance, Olympia selected a molder in Italy for tooling and production. Then, they turned to RTP Company to develop a heat-stabilized glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene compound for the light. “RTP had the only material in the world that would pass the UL standards for this product,” said Paul Murch, Olympia’s President and designer of the Bar-B-Que Light™. “This was a whole new thing for UL — a lamp housing that takes heat from the bulb and heat from the grill. In addition, we required UV stabilization for outdoor weatherability. UL had to write new standards as they went along.”
The compound is UL recognized Class 94 V-0, with a heat deflection temperature of 315 degrees F at 264 psi (157 degress C at 1820 kPa). It has improved dielectric properties and is precolored black to eliminate the need for paint.
Passing UL’s standards meant additional business for Olympia’s new product. “We traditionally sell to specialty and patio furniture shops,” explained Murch. “The big catalog houses like Spiegel required the UL label before they would accept our product. When we found RTP, it was the last link in the chain that put us over the top and opened the door to a host of new customers.”
To learn more about Max-Rak, call Eric Krone at K & R Associates, (609) 799-3990.
