Plastics Innovations

When people think of modern technology, they usually picture batteries, software or sensors – but rarely the material that encases, supports and protects all of these. This is precisely where the materials and technologies come in that Plastics Europe Germany – the association of plastics manufacturers – presented on 11 September 2026 together with eleven companies and initiatives, as well as the Fraunhofer CCPE.

The fields of application are closely linked to the German government’s high-tech agenda . For Dr Thorsten Dreier, Chief Technology Officer at Covestro, this is no coincidence: “The German government’s High-Tech Agenda relies heavily on high-performance polymers,” he writes in a guest article for CHEManager.

Mobility and medicine: lightweight, robust, invisible

Cameras, radar and lidar for autonomous driving require covers that allow signals to pass through unhindered and are robust. Covestro relies on transparent high-performance plastics and special films for this purpose, which make the sensor technology virtually invisible. The same properties are also in demand in aviation: for cargo drones and air taxis, every gramme determines range and payload. The exhibitors at K 2025 have already demonstrated how plastics are shaping the mobility transition as a whole .

Lightweight, robust and flexible solutions are also in demand in the medical sector. Covestro is showcasing wearables whose sensors are mounted on stretchable, skin-friendly polyurethane films. Evonik is introducing VESTAKEEP-PEEK, biocompatible polymers for implants and dental applications. K-Mag has compiled further examples of how smart plastics are driving medical technology forward.

The potential of these materials is particularly evident in robotics. According to industry estimates , the global market for industrial robots is set to grow from around 50 billion US dollars in 2025 to over 110 billion US dollars in 2030. With 449 robots per 10,000 employees in the manufacturing sector, Germany is already the European leader. Depending on the component, Covestro states that polycarbonate solutions can reduce weight by up to 50 per cent compared with metal constructions. This can enable faster movements and lower energy consumption. Where robots literally come into contact with people, another development comes into play: flexible polyurethane films form the basis for an ‘electronic skin’ that allows grippers to sense pressure and work safely alongside humans.

The energy transition also relies on plastics. Dow has developed a 525-kilovolt insulation system made from cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) for high-voltage direct current transmission. It allows operating temperatures of up to 90 degrees Celsius, compared with 70 degrees previously, thereby delivering greater power per line. We have already highlighted in K-Mag which high-tech materials the electrical industry uses today.

Circular Economy: Thinking about recycling right from the start

Evonik demonstrates how recycling can be incorporated right from the product design stage with adhesives that dissolve selectively at an adjustable temperature (“Debonding on Demand”). Another key focus is on chemical recycling, in which plastic waste is converted into chemical raw materials using various processes. A study by BKV, reported on by K-Mag, shows where Germany stands in this regard. The projects presented in Berlin are at very different stages:

• LyondellBasell is investing over 250 million euros in a chemical recycling plant in Wesseling (50,000 tonnes per year, phased start-up from late 2027), supported by 40 million euros from the EU Innovation Fund.
• ARCUS Greencycling has been operating a pyrolysis demonstration plant in Frankfurt-Höchst since 2023; the first commercial plant is due to start operations in early 2029.
• matterr breaks down waste containing polyester into its constituent materials and is preparing for industrial-scale production in North Rhine-Westphalia with €30 million in funding.
• Röhm chemically recycles PMMA into raw materials of virgin-grade quality – with a view to future recycled content targets for vehicles (15 per cent from 2032, 25 per cent from 2036).
• BASF already offers Ultramid Ccycled, a polyamide produced using chemically recycled raw materials via the mass balance method.

Innovations in a challenging environment

However diverse these innovations may be, for them to make their way into production in Germany, a strong industrial base is required – and this base is under pressure. The German plastics industry, with around 376,000 employees, generates annual turnover of around 100 billion euros. However, its foundation – plastics production – has been shrinking for years:

This is precisely where the tension lies: the ideas are there – the question is where they will be implemented on an industrial scale. “What we too often lack is the leap from the idea to the market,” says Dr Christine Bunte, Chief Executive of Plastics Europe Germany. As an example, she cites the recycling requirements for packaging due to come into force from 2030, for which the verification process has not yet been defined: “Such uncertainties slow down investment rather than accelerating it.” The association had already set out similar demands regarding the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal. Covestro board member Dreier draws a clear conclusion: “Anyone who wants technological leadership must safeguard the value chains that underpin it – and that explicitly includes the materials industry.”

Support is also coming from outside the industry: EY partner Dr Carsten Gerhardt advises thinking “more along the lines of complete value chains and concrete scaling projects”. Prof. Manfred Renner, Director of Fraunhofer CCPE, sees the greatest risk in other regions industrialising new technologies more quickly. He considers regulation to be justified – “After all, we need rules!” – but would like to see politicians place more trust in businesses.

From development to production

Whilst some of the materials presented are already in industrial use, other technologies – particularly in chemical recycling – have yet to take the step towards large-scale implementation. Whether this step will be successful in Germany remains to be seen in the coming years – when plants such as those in Wesseling, Frankfurt-Höchst or North Rhine-Westphalia are due to commence operations. The question of how quickly new materials and recycling processes make the transition from the laboratory to mass production is not one that arises only in Germany: it affects sites and value chains across the plastics and rubber industry worldwide.