WILMINGTON, DE - DuPont Co. said it has presented its Lavoisier Medal for Technical Achievement to Michael Fryd, a retired coatings-technology scientist who played an important part in advances in automotive finishes.

Fryd is one of three 2004 recipients of the award, which recognizes outstanding technical contributions.

Fryd, who joined DuPont in 1965, spent his entire 37-year career at the company's Marshall Laboratory in Philadelphia. The company said his research influenced the development of Lucite dispersion lacquers for automotive coatings and cobalt chain-transfer technology for the formulation of waterborne pigment dispersants for basecoat automotive coatings and refinishes.

DuPont said Fryd also developed the technology for a number of other products, including inkjet systems, the company's Cyrel flexographic printing plates, and Pyralux adhesive coatings for flexible circuits.