Borealis Launches Polypropylene Compound Portfolio With Post-Consumer Recycled Content

Borealis, a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers, announces the launch of a new portfolio of polypropylene compound grades composed of post-consumer recycled (PCR) and virgin content conceived for interior, exterior and under-the-bonnet (UTB) automotive applications. Developed and produced in Europe for Borealis' European partners and customers, the three new Daplen grades are value-added solutions that will enable the automotive industry to fulfil the need for materials with enhanced sustainability whilst ensuring performance on par with virgin materials.

New PCR Daplen grades conceived to enhance sustainability in the automotive industry
Over the past decade, sustainability has been - and will continue to be - an increasingly important driver of innovation in the automotive industry. As players along the entire supply chain rethink and reshape their approach to value creation, Borealis is using its innovation expertise to deliver high-quality, high-end grades which help OEMs and Tier One suppliers achieve two major goals at once. Firstly, the new Daplen grades are designed to offer improved sustainability whilst continuing to ensure process performance and cost efficiency at a level on par with virgin materials. In addition, they help meet rising end-user demand for materials and applications with enhanced environmental sustainability, a trend that is especially pronounced in European markets. This trend is also reflected through other important stakeholders, like European policymakers, aiming to increase recycling targets on the European continent. By complementing its sustainable product portfolio of lightweight and natural fibre solutions with these PCR Daplen grades, Borealis is demonstrating the company’s commitment to playing an active role in reaching societal and environmental goals.

As a pioneering raw materials supplier, Borealis is among the first leading polypropylene (PP) suppliers to launch a portfolio of PP compound solutions with PCR content for the automotive industry. Satisfying the increasing demand for recycled PP materials exhibiting the same superior material characteristics as virgin materials, the early origins of these new grades are found in a collaborative development project with an OEM partner. "Thanks to cooperation and the close connection we have established with our partners over the years, we have been able to develop these new Daplen grades,” explains Harald Hammer, Borealis Vice President of Engingeering Applications. “They will support OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers in their efforts to increase the use of recycled materials, whilst at the same time not compromising on material characteristics."

Ready-made, high-end compound grades with PCR content
There are three new innovative compound grades with PCR content:

• Daplen ME225SY: with 25% PCR content, 20% talc and 55% virgin material, this grade is primarily intended for interior automotive applications such as door and trunk claddings and trims. It offers high-level quality with the appeal of enhanced sustainability.
• Daplen MD250SY: with 50% PCR content, 20% talc and 30% virgin material, this grade is intended mainly for UTB and exterior applications such as bumper components and exterior trims. It offers good quality with the appeal of enhanced sustainability.
• Daplen MD325SY: with 25% PCR content, 30% talc and 45% virgin, this grade is intended for use in UTB and exterior applications. It offers good quality with the appeal of enhanced sustainability.

Made in Europe, for Europe
For the time being, the three new Daplen grades are being produced, launched and marketed solely in Europe. So far the procurement of recycling content grades from leading virgin raw material suppliers for OEMs and Tiers has not been trivial; sustainable sourcing – product at right price, with consistent quality and quantity, with reduced environmental impact and safe to use – has been challenging. With the launch of the PCR Daplen portfolio, Borealis’ customers and partners can rely on the availability of ready-made, high-end grades of consistent high quality.

Exploring new opportunities for end-of-life plastics
Borealis’ mission "Value Creation through Innovation" means utilising expertise to provide innovative solutions that contribute to the sustainability challenges in the automotive market. Waste avoidance and recycling are two of these core global challenges, and Borealis engages and innovates with important value chain stakeholders to address materiality issues. Because plastics are simply too valuable a resource to discard after use, they should be recycled into new products. The new Daplen grades are a prime example of how to better use natural resources and reduce waste by combining PCR and virgin material to produce high-end grades with long-term quality consistency.

"We see a clear trend towards the use of recyclates together with virgin materials," explains Jost Eric Laumeyer, Borealis Global Marketing Manager Engineering Applications. "Today, answering the call for materials with increased sustainability and increasing resource efficiency is no longer an aspiration, but a business imperative for the automotive industry."