26 August 2024
Automotive and mobility equipment manufacturers are continuing to evaluate flax and hemp-based composites. They are looking to reduce the environmental impact of their products by taking advantage of the technical properties of these two plant fibres.
As highlighted in the European Commission's report entitled ‘Flax fibre, a mass production option for the automotive and mobility industries’, carmakers and equipment manufacturers are increasingly turning to sustainable solutions such as flax and hemp fibres.
Natural fibres have been used for many years to reduce carbon footprints in components such as acoustic insulation, headliners and interior mouldings that exploit the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) damping benefits of fibres. However, these applications generally involved rooms in which the fibres remained hidden. Flax is now used in more visible rooms and in much larger volumes.
In one of the first visible interior trim packages to be available for a large volume series produced automobile, the new, all-electric, Volvo EX30 marks a major step for Volvo and Alliance member Bcomp, as customers can now select two interior trim packages featuring the natural aesthetics of woven ampliTexTM flax fibres. The compact SUV focuses on sustainability and is designed to have the lowest carbon footprint of any model in Volvo Cars’ history, with Bcomp’s flax fibre composites now offered as an optional trim for the dashboard and doors of the EX30.
In one of the first visible interior trim packages to be available for a large volume series produced automobile, the new, all-electric, Volvo EX30 marks a major step for Volvo and Alliance member Bcomp, as customers can now select two interior trim packages featuring the natural aesthetics of woven ampliTexTM flax fibres. The compact SUV focuses on sustainability and is designed to have the lowest carbon footprint of any model in Volvo Cars’ history, with Bcomp’s flax fibre composites now offered as an optional trim for the dashboard and doors of the EX30.
Representing the more bespoke end of the transport market, Greenlander, in partnership with investor and flax material specialist Depestele, showcased the Sherpa – the ultimate 4x4 expedition vehicle built to leave less impact as it travels - at JEC World Paris 2024 this year. The Sherpa, which will be formally launched at the Caravan Salon in Dusseldorf this summer, combines plant-based fibres like flax with bio-based resins and sustainable core materials like cork, wood and recycled PET foam to create durable and lightweight components. As well as the low impact materials, Greenlander also provides a unique business model, offering the composites items as a service and taking them back at the end of their life where they can then be repurposed or recycled.
Several other Alliance members have also developed coloured flax solutions which are likely to become increasingly important as visual fibre flax solutions become more established in transport applications. Bcomp has successfully established a production route for back-injected automotive interior parts that uses its ampliTexTM PP thermoplastic materials, combining speed and cost benefits of back-injection with the sustainability and performance improvements of coloured natural fibres.
Terre de Lin, specialists in the production of dedicated flax fibres and rovings for composites, also launched 100% dyed flax fibre coloured rovings at JEC World Paris 2024 this year. These untwisted 200 to 2400tex rovings are chemical free and suitable for weaving, knitting, braiding, pultrusion, filament winding and automatic fibres placement processes.
“The latest automotive market developments for flax fibres see these unique natural fibres establishing a position as leading technical alternatives to traditional composite fibres,” comments Julie Pariset, Innovation & CSR Director of the Alliance.
Scalable production, high-speed thermoplastic processing and multiple aesthetic colour options now enable our members to meet mainstream automotive industry customer requirements.
Julie Pariset,
Directrice pôle innovation & RSE - Alliance
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