LG Chem partners with Volkswagen to advance next-gen mobility materials
The two companies will collaborate on developing next-generation plastics and composite materials, as well as on reducing vehicle weight and improving performance, using LG Chem’s ABS (high-value-added synthetic resin) and EP (engineering plastics).
South Korea’s LG Chem has announced that it has recently signed an MOU with the Volkswagen Group to “develop and expand the application of next-generation, eco-friendly mobility materials.”
Under this agreement, the two companies will collaborate on developing next-generation plastics and composite materials, as well as on reducing vehicle weight and improving performance, using LG Chem’s ABS (high-value-added synthetic resin) and EP (engineering plastics). ABS and EP are widely used primarily in the exterior components of home appliances and in automotive interior and exterior parts.
In addition, LG Chem plans to strengthen its competitiveness in sustainable materials for future vehicles by exploring ways to expand the use of its PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) materials and cost-efficient material solutions in the interior and exterior components of the Volkswagen Group’s major automotive brands, LG Chem said.
LG Chem has a total annual ABS production capacity of 2.35 million metric tons both domestically and internationally, and maintains a portfolio of ABS products, including high-gloss, high-heat-resistant, and paintless varieties, that can be immediately applied to customer-specific applications such as side mirrors and radiator grilles.
The two companies agreed to actively collaborate on various research and development initiatives, including feasibility studies for the application of specific materials, while also sharing information on technology trends and global market developments related to next-generation mobility materials.
“We expect this to be a meaningful starting point for global automakers and materials companies to jointly drive innovation in future mobility materials,” Kim Sangmin, Senior Vice President and Head of LG Chem’s Petrochemicals Company, said. “Based on our technological capabilities and competitiveness in the field of high-value-added, eco-friendly materials, we will work with our customers to set new milestones for sustainable growth.”
