Dow and Gruppo Fiori have introduced a new PU recycling process for end-of-life vehicles. This innovation allows for the recovery of PU materials from cars without disassembly. PU foam is a key component of automotive interiors, with an average car containing 28kg of the material. The process supports a circular automotive supply chain and aligns with OEMs’ sustainability goals.

The new process ensures the purity needed for chemical recycling, contributing to a sustainable impact given the volume of PU used in vehicles. It enables industrial-scale recycling, PU reuse in mobility applications, and the production of polyol with recycled content. The collaboration between Dow and Gruppo Fiori aims to help OEMs meet sustainability goals and regulatory requirements for recycled content in line with ELVR.

Dow’s global MobilityScience marketing director emphasized the importance of collaboration in creating a closed-loop supply chain for the automotive industry. The partnership between Dow and Gruppo Fiori focuses on recycling end-of-life vehicle parts and materials. Business models are being piloted through an expedited “test-and-learn” approach to ensure the success of the new recycling process.

In addition to the recent announcement, Dow had previously started commercial operations for its new Voratron adhesive and gap filler production line in Germany. The collaboration between Dow and Gruppo Fiori aims to establish a new ecosystem for recycling automotive PU materials. The process is designed to help OEMs and component manufacturers meet sustainability goals and regulatory requirements without compromising polyurethane performance.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: Dow and Gruppo Fiori unveil new process for automotive PU recycling