At the MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award 2025, Mercedes-Benz won in the category “Product” with an innovative sustainable underbody shielding solution that is consistently focused on circular economy principles and CO₂ reduction.
At the core of the project is a newly developed underbody shielding made from PP-GF20, whose thermoplastic content is entirely based on recycled plastics sourced from end-of-life vehicles. Particularly remarkable is the use of the so-called shredder light fraction from vehicle recycling as a raw material source — a material stream that has so far been difficult to reuse in high-quality automotive applications.
With this project, Mercedes-Benz is taking a decisive step toward a true circular economy in the automotive industry. By switching to the material “wipaflex TV10BK”, the project partners achieved a reduction in the material-related CO₂ footprint of approximately 33 percent.
The technical implementation also highlights the industrial relevance of the project: the sustainable plastics are used in large-volume components manufactured using the LFT-D press process — precisely where conventional virgin materials have traditionally been used.
The development was made possible through close collaboration across the entire supply chain. Partners included HKS (TSR Group) as the raw material supplier, MOCOM as the material supplier, Autoneum as the component supplier, and Mercedes-Benz as the OEM.
The project impressively demonstrates how strategic partnerships and technological innovation can jointly create concrete solutions for the decarbonization of the automotive industry. At the same time, the award underlines the growing importance of sustainable materials and circular economy concepts for future vehicle development.
Particularly exciting: Mercedes-Benz AG is once again participating in the MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award 2026 and has already submitted three new applications this year.
Companies, start-ups, suppliers, designers, and developers can still apply for the MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award 2026 and submit their innovations in the categories Material, Product, Process, and CO₂-Efficiency. Since 2003, the award has been regarded as the world’s leading competition at the interface of materials, design, and technology.
Further information and registration:
MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award
