Automotive | environment
Jaguar Land Rover is part of a €1.4m European Eco-Innovation consortium that aims to develop a commercially-viable recycled PP grade suitable for Class A interior parts. Chris Smith fi nds out more
JLR aims to trim emissions with recycled plastics
UK-based plastics recycler Luxus and premium car maker Jaguar Land Rover are part of a multi-disci-
plined consortium that has embarked on a two-year €1.4m Eco-Innovation project that aims to commercial- ise a range of lightweight and scratch resistant recycled PP compounds for Class A interior trim applications. The Recyclite project, which is 50% funded through
the EU’s Competitiveness and Innovation (CIP) pro- gramme, also includes Tier One supplier International Automotive Components (IAC) and German compound- ing machinery supplier Coperion. It aims to help the European automotive industry increase its use of recycled materials to meet the stringent demands of upcoming end of life (ELV) and emissions regulations. The project marks the next phase in the development of the Luxus Hycolene range of high recycled content PP compounds. Aimed at replacing talc-fi lled PP virgin grades in demanding interior applications, Hycolene grades use the HPR-803i synthetic mineral reinforcing fi bre developed by Milliken Chemical to simultaneously improve scratch performance and reduce density. Early trials carried out by Luxus with car maker Renault-Nissan showed the Hycolene polymers could
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meet performance requirements and that typical weight savings of around 10-12% could be achieved (see Injection World April 2013, page 15). But that early work focused on formulation of suitable grades; the Recyclite project is aimed at commercialisation. “It is great to get some assistance to move this
technology forward into a commercially viable product,” says Luxus managing director Peter Atterby. “Plus, there’s the support of stakeholders in the project who have access to resources that we don’t.” Jaguar Land Rover’s contribution to the project is
critical and covers both the immediate requirements of the materials in terms of performance and weight reduction as well as a wider contribution to reduced manufacturing emissions as part of the company’s 2020 environmental strategy. “We are trying to reduce our key environmental impact
by 30% compared to where we were in 2007 and we are also looking to embed sustainable solutions across our supply chain,” says Robert Crow, Group Leader of Materials Innovation within Jaguar Land Rover’s Engineering Technical Services unit at Gaydon in the UK. “We’ve done a lot of work looking at lifecycle – we’ve
March 2015 | INJECTION WORLD 13
Premium car maker Jaguar Land Rover sees light-
weight recycled plastics helping it reduce
lifetime and
manufacturing emissions
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