KRAIBURG TPE has unveiled a new, more sustainable material solution based on its established THERMOLAST K product series, combining proven performance with a significantly higher share of recycled content for automotive sealing applications.

 

The new TPE formulation incorporates more than 50% post-industrial and post-consumer recyclates, while still meeting strict automotive requirements for quality, processability, and functional performance.

 

Developed in close collaboration with long-time partner SaarGummi, the project aimed to create a greener alternative that can be seamlessly integrated into existing production processes without compromising performance.

 

Automotive materials must withstand mechanical stress, environmental exposure, and high-volume manufacturing conditions. Against this backdrop, both companies launched development work in 2023 to increase recycled content while maintaining established material standards.

 

Early testing of both the original and new formulations confirmed that the recycling-based variant performs reliably under comparable conditions and can be integrated into production without disruption.

 

Alexander Mayer, Senior Business Development Manager at KRAIBURG TPE, explains: “The first results have shown that we are on the right track with this development. Our aim was to design a materials solution that saves more resources, while meeting the high quality standards of the automotive industry.”

 

The final solution delivers a TPE material with approximately 56% recycling content, combining post-industrial and post-consumer sources. The result is a reduced-resource alternative designed for demanding automotive sealing systems.

 

Sebastien Roux, TPE Material & Process Specialist at SaarGummi, comments: “The new material meets the requirements of our application and can be reliably combined with existing components. At the same time, the increased recycling content makes an important contribution to greater sustainability."