Luxus is one of just a few companies in the world to have recycled content polypropylene engineering plastics material approved by Honda for use on colour matched interior components. The car maker has chosen custom developed recycled content engineering plastic compounds for a variety of interior parts and trim on its popular three- and five-door Civic models
The recycled plastics market in Europe is driven by a combination of legislation and an unremitting shift towards sustainability. EU rules suggest that 95% of cars must be recyclable by 2010 and many local authorities now insist that wheeled bins have to be manufactured from materials containing a minimum of 65% recyclate. Increasingly, companies and organisations want to use recycled materials so they can enhance their green credentials and reduce their carbon footprints.
Virtually all engineering thermoplastics can be recycled, most of which are enhanced by compounding with mineral fillers or combinations of these materials including talc, calcium carbonate, mica, barium, glass fibres or beads. Typical formulations contain 40 - 50% prime, 20 - 40% filler and 30 - 40% recyclate polymer.
With the environmental and cost efficiency benefits of recycling in mind, Honda is using high recycled content polypropylene (PP) copolymers, custom developed by specialist technical compounder, Luxus, for interior parts on its Civic three- and five-door models. Luxus is one of just a few companies in the world to have recycled content PP engineering plastics material approved by Honda for use on colour matched interior components.
Two grades of UV stabilised PP have been formulated to meet Honda’s rigorous specifications for performance, colour matching and quality standards, both being based on post industrial and consumer scrap feedstock. The first, Luxus Type 16283, is a talc filled compound with 45% recycled content and the second, Type 16275, is a colour matched compound with 60% recycled content.
Working with Honda R&D and Manufacturing Divisions in the UK and Japan over a period of two years, Luxus carried out comprehensive tests and production moulding trials to determine material suitability. At each stage, the material formulations were adjusted to meet Honda’s process and functional requirements. These included colour matching interior mouldings and agreeing surface finish, colour consistency, as well as process and reject rate targets. This material validation process also involved Honda undertaking an audit of Luxus’ manufacturing facilities.
During the development stage, Luxus had to test and select incoming feedstock, produce mini-blends and verify that they met the agreed technical specifications. Additionally, the company had to colour match, develop and manufacture batch specific additive packages and operate a material test procedure during compounding.
Luxus has past experience of supplying automotive interior trim grades. This, coupled with its technical centre polymer development facility and its ability to colour match recycled polymer compounds, proved key factors in its being awarded the Honda contract. Equally important was its knowledge of key trim characteristic requirements, such as scratch resistance and UV stability, not to mention manufacturing traceability and an ability to maintain batch-to-batch consistency.
The compounds are now delivered to Tier 1 moulders for supply of parts into Honda of the UK Manufacturing at Swindon, and consumption is forecast to amount to 1000 tonnes/annum.