Adient cuts C02 footprint with industry first PU foam solution

Adient, the automotive seating systems major, says it has achieved a sustainability milestone by integrating recycled carbon from mobility waste into seating systems.

With polyol from development partner Dow, as an intermediate product which is partly based on recycled chemicals, the solution proposes the re-integration of waste products into polyurethane foams. A well-known OEM has already placed an order for a seating system utilising this first-in-the-market solution, further reducing the CO2 footprint for vehicle production. The first seats with this sustainable solution are scheduled for October 2021.

David Nash, Vice-President – Foam & Trim EMEA at Adient, said: “This solution significantly raises the sustainability of seating systems. The urgent need to decarbonise the automotive industry goes far beyond powertrain emissions. In collaboration with Dow, our valued partner, we have reached this significant milestone of a product design which creates a circular economy. As an important building block on the way to further decarbonise vehicle production the solution helps us to reduce fossil feedstocks by the re-integration of waste products without any compromise in quality and comfort.”

Dr. Esther Quintanilla, global polyurethanes and MobilityScience Director at Dow, commented: “We have listened to the industry and are convinced that the mass-balance approach is the most efficient and validated way for automotive OEMs to meet regulatory standards and achieve their own ambitious goals. While replacing carbon from fossil feedstocks, the final PU foam seat cushion allows a product which has exactly the same properties as those manufactured from fossil feedstock. As a result, there is no need for Adient to adapt formulations, or processes, as by design the plants have the flexibility to implement this innovation and we are delighted to have worked collaboratively with Adient bring this innovation to market.”

Based on chemical recycling of mobility and automotive waste, the certified mass-balance approach allows inputs to be traced from the raw materials to the final seating system according to ISCC standards. An independent mass-balance certification agency will validate that the quantity of polyurethane intermediates produced from recycled materials corresponds to the appropriate quantity of end-product, confirming that reporting is accurate and auditable.