Kraiburg TPE develops sustainable elastomer materials for automotive mud flaps

Waldkraiburg, Germany – Kraiburg TPE has advanced its range of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) materials to support the automotive industry’s shift toward more sustainable and quieter components.

The German compounder is now providing ‘high-quality sustainable TPE with advanced properties”, to be used in components such as mud flaps, seals and gaskets, said a 14 May company release.

In particular, Kraiburg TPE said it has developed sustainable TPE compounds to be used for mud flaps, which are typically made rubber, plastic, or metal.

Reliable under “all driving conditions”, the materials offer “robust resistance” to road contaminants such as debris, mud, UV radiation, and extreme weather, said Kraiburg TPE.

According to the compounder, the low-density lightweight materials are designed for high durability and thermal stability, withstanding temperatures up to 90°C.

These properties, it added, make the compounds well-suited for automotive exterior components, ensuring “durability against heat, rain, and temperature fluctuations.”

The company also highlighted that the compounds offer visual and tactile qualities such as soft-touch finishes, high surface quality, and colour customisation options.

In terms of processing, the materials support multi-component injection moulding and show strong adhesion to common substrates such as PP, ASA, PC, and PC/ABS, as well as EPDM and TPV.

The compounds comply with key regulatory standards including FDA raw material guidelines, RoHS, and REACH SVHC, according to the German compounder.

For the automotive sector, the company added that its TPE products meet specifications from major OEMs including Volkswagen, General Motors, Ford, Daimler, BMW, and Stellantis.