Kraiburg TPE’s interior PIR TPEs approved for automotive use

Kraiburg TPE is expanding its portfolio for OEMs and their suppliers whilst supporting reductions in the carbon footprint of products for automotive interiors with 38 per cent post-industrial recycled TPE grades for interior applications.

The Bavaria-based business is thus aims to provide the automotive market with a sustainable alternative to virgin material solutions. Kraiburg TPE is expanding its portfolio to include solutions that are made of up to 38 per cent of recycled raw materials, depending on hardness, derived from other companies’ manufacturing process for plastic products.

Possible applications include anti-slip mats, floor mats, soft components in cup holders and fixation elements such as clips and brackets. The series is also suitable for other applications requiring a hardness range between 60 and 90 Shore A. Strict OEM requirements for emission and odour are fulfilled and the material can be either combined with polypropylene in co-injection moulding applications or used as single soft component solution.

Interior PIR TPE provides good abrasion resistance and excellent flowability, according to Matthias Michl, Head of Automotive Application Development, combined with low density to keep the part weight at a minimum: “We’re expanding our product range to include Interior PIR TPE in response to the sustainability issues raised by OEMs. We’re sure our customers will benefit substantially from the option of using TPEs based on recycled raw materials for automotive interiors.”

Kraiburg TPE is now able to provide the product carbon footprint of compounds for many products, which it is hoped will lead to a competitive advantage. The product is available for customers in the EMEA sales region, with the company currently working on local solutions for the APAC markets and North America.