New products from the Group’s R&D are presented in Fakuma, working to increasingly stringent requirements, aesthetic standards and environmental goals. Introducing “RadiciGroup AutoInsight”, a new digital tool for the automotive industry to explore the Group’s materials and shape the future of mobility.
RadiciGroup’s strategy of developing new polymer solutions encompasses increasingly challenging markets and end applications. RadiciGroup Specialty Chemicals and RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers, strongly vertically integrated in the polyamide supply chain, will showcase their latest high-tech solutions developed for various sectors at Fakuma (Hall A1, Stand 1106). The products include materials for e-mobility, for the electrical/electronic sector, for the solar industry, and for the “white goods” sector (i.e. household appliances).
Fakuma takes place from 17 to 21 October, in the town of Friedrichschafen, Germany, attracting leading European players and all German operators. An important appointment therefore for RadiciGroup which, in Germany, can count on production sites in both the chemical intermediates and compounding sectors.
Considering the significance of the Automotive industry in Germany, the Group selected Fakuma as the platform to introduce RadiciGroup AutoInsight. This new, intuitive and efficient tool offers a comprehensive 3D map, clearly illustrating the main applications of RadiciGroup’s engineering polymers, yarns, fibres, and nonwovens targeted at the automotive sector, placing particular focus on their use in e-mobility applications.
“We are increasingly focused on high-tech applications,” says Erico Spini, Global Marketing Director of RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers. “In the electrical sector, the Radiflam A FRX product range has grown to include excellent versions for laser marking, without compromising on the other properties that make these product families particularly suitable for applications such as terminal blocks. For electric vehicles, we are introducing a hydrolysis-resistant material, based on PA6 and reinforced with 35% glass fibre. This material is suitable for prolonged contact with coolants up to 90°C. We have also developed additional flame-retardant products, which are perfect for use in the domestic appliance sector. These are grades with a high GWIT (robust glow wire family) on both base PA6 and PA66. Significant enhancements have been implemented here compared to previous products, without compromising on ‘processability’.”
A number of applications for three rapidly developing sectors will also be showcased at the exhibition. First and foremost is the e-mobility market, a sector where RadiciGroup is already a trusted partner for all car manufacturers dealing with increasing volumes. Then there are hand tools, where enhanced impact resistance, customised colouring, and UV stabilisation are some of the factors to consider when developing polymeric materials. Finally, there will be applications within the solar industry for which RadiciGroup produces Radiflam® family materials. These are optimised for connectors and are designed to endure extremely harsh weather conditions (such as UV rays and rain), maintaining high impact resistance even at low temperatures.
Furthermore, the Group is consistently working to increase the availability of pre- and post-consumer recycled engineering polymers, as well as those derived from renewable sources. In collaboration with our customers, we are exploring solutions to enhance both technical and environmental performance. This is made possible with the assistance of our Engineering Service, which blends the expertise and experience of RadiciGroup specialists with the most sophisticated computer simulation systems. The goal is to drive the success of innovative projects, such as those involving metal replacement.
“We have always adopted a proactive, solutions-provider approach towards our customers,” reiterates Cesare Clausi, Global Sales Director of RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers. “Our products are utilised across a range of markets, each with its own unique characteristics and demands. However, if we wish to pinpoint a shared characteristic, it would undoubtedly be sustainability. In this context, particularly in Europe where there was an economic slowdown in 2023, it is vital to intensify efforts to address the requirements of the energy transition. And it is equally important to set ourselves binding targets to reduce environmental impact. Measuring emissions and especially setting decarbonisation targets are prerequisites for becoming significant partners of large companies.
“In terms of our global strategy,” Clausi continues, “beyond Europe, which remains our most significant region, our long-term approach of bolstering our production presence in Asia and America has proven beneficial. The recent inauguration of our new plant in Halol, India, which is already operating at full capacity, is a testament to this. This strategy has provided us with the opportunity to capitalise on the resurgence of demand in the most responsive markets in the short term.”
Clausi concludes: “This allows us to be cautiously optimistic about the anticipated growth prospects for next year. Above all, it instils in us a sense of confidence as we look forward to the long-term effects that the consolidation of our global footprint will bring, particularly in terms of partnerships with our customers.”
These and other matters will be addressed at the press conference titled “Sustainability and rapidly evolving markets: new high-tech proposals from RadiciGroup,” which is scheduled for 18 October at 11:30 a.m. at the RadiciGroup stand (Hall A1, Stand 1106).
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