Luxus hits top gear with recycled polymers as end-of-life-vehicle legislation looms

Luxus is putting itself in the driving seat when it comes to helping meet emerging regulations around automotive sustainability.

Having been producing advanced polymers for 60 years, we have forged a strong relationship with the motor industry - working with both original equipment manufacturers and supply chain companies.

With a phased roll-out of escalating requirements for recycled content being introduced across Europe - moves that have global manufacturing implications - we are ensuring our products are well in advance of the standards sought, providing solutions for the sector when it is mandated.

A dual focus on content and ease of recycling - both material and its ability to be recovered - is set to be introduced in the next five years.

"We're working alongside original equipment manufacturers, both at feedstock and finished component level, to handle these requirements," sales account manager, Dane McWilliams said.

"We are focused on being the plastics partner, looking at how we can get the materials in, how the dismantling rules are going to work to get the feedstock, then the big part is putting the material into new cards.

"The goal is 25 per cent of polymers in new cars being made from post-consumer recycled materials - and 25 per cent of that needs to be from end-of-life vehicles. That will most likely be staggered, latest regulation discussions suggest, but we've already been doing this with some materials and we're not looking to get 50 per cent post-consumer recycled, of which 15 per cent will be from end-of-life vehicles."

It is thought cars on the production lines in 2031 will be the first subjected to the new rules, giving the brands and their supply chains time to get ready. And while being introduced in Europe, regulations will cover sales of all vehicles - no matter where they are imported from.

We recently exhibited at North East Automotive Expo 2025 in Sunderland, with the subject increasingly part of the conversation, and decisions anticipated soon.

We have a strong catalogue of grades for differing uses in the cockpit, body work and under the bonnet, with solutions for lightweighting and impact mitigation, as well as heat and ultraviolet protection.

Dan said the regulations will be a major step forward from those currently adhered to, where recycling was a preference rather than a requirement.

As advances in the automotive sector have been made, the company has enjoyed strong success in helping reduce the weight of vehicles - vital for the switch to electric. A decade ago we were part of a European-funded collaboration with Jaguar Land Rover, tier one moulder International Automotive Components and compounding system manufacturer Coperion, to commercialise a solution for interior trim.

We now aim to play a bigger part in the transition of plastics, drawing on our in-house technical expertise across performance, colouring standards and specifications.

For more information on our support for the automotive industry, email dane.mcwilliams@luxus.co.uk or click here.