The automotive business is always advancing as manufacturers work to enhance the comfort, safety, and performance of their products. One often-overlooked automotive component is the cowl. Although small, it plays a crucial role to the overall functionality of a vehicle.

The use of Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE) materials for cowls in the automotive sector has seen a substantial shift recently. TPEs are a class of versatile polymers recognized for their exceptional elasticity, durability, and resistance to environmental factors, making them ideal for automotive sealing applications.

KRAIBURG TPE, a global provider of innovative, high-quality TPE materials and solutions, is proud to announce its groundbreaking contributions to the automotive industry with the introduction of innovative TPE-based cowl solutions.

Elevating Automotive Excellence

KRAIBURG TPE's THERMOLAST® R RC/UV/AP series has a post-consumer recycled content of 15-40% (hardness-dependent) for applications requiring UV resistance and adhesion to PP for Asia Pacific Market. The compounds are suitable for automotive exterior applications and are available in black.

The TPE-based cowl's superior sealing performance effectively blocks water and impurities from potentially damaging vital engine components while ensuring passenger safety. This reliability is especially crucial in adverse weather conditions, such as heavy rain or snow, where a secure seal can make all the difference.

Material Advantages

With exceptional adhesion to PP, these materials ensure reliable and durable connections in various automotive components. Their low-density property offers lightweight solutions without compromising on performance. Moreover, the temperature stability of up to 90°C makes them resilient in diverse weather conditions, providing essential protection for automotive exteriors.

These weather-resistant materials further enhance their suitability for automotive exterior applications. Additionally, their recycling-specific raw material influences can contribute to sustainable manufacturing practices. Via the injection molding process, these materials have ideal applications in water deflectors, roof rack seals, window encapsulations, cowls, and various components across automotive exteriors, including new mobility and underbody applications.

Sustainability successes of our TPEs

Besides cowl applications, KRAIBURG TPE’s recent sustainability innovations include a series of material solutions specially developed for automotive, consumer, consumer electronics, wearables and industry applications. Comprising up to 48% post-consumer recycled (PCR) and 50% post-industrial recycled (PIR) content, the material complies with multiple global standards such as FDA raw material compliance, RoHS and REACH SVHC requirements. KRAIBURG TPE also provides customers with product carbon footprint values.

Are you looking for a sustainable TPE solution? Talk to us!

Our experts are happy to answer any questions you have, as well as to offer the right solution for your application.