Spanish automotive supplier Grupo Antolin (Burgos; www.grupoantolin.com) said it has developed a car headliner substrate by thermoforming a polyurethane foam with materials made from urban and post-consumer plastics waste and end-of-life tyres.

The component is said to look like a standard headliner and perform just as well. This was achieved through a materials manufacturing process that included chemical recycling developed by partner BASF, the company said, noting that the component has been validated and installed in a fully electric European premium car just introduced to the market.

Approximately 50% of the headliner weight is recycled, with 100% of the textile, 70% of the core foam, and 70% of the plastic sunroof reinforcement frame coming from residues that could not be reclaimed in any other manner, and would have ultimately wound up in landfills or possibly as litter.

Enrique Fernandez, the company’s advanced engineering director for overhead systems, said the project is a step towards a more sustainable car interior trim and a huge leap for the “Wet PU” process, a technology he called “the most competitive in terms of cost and quality” and one that meets the most demanding specifications from customers.