LG Chem and Volkswagen Partner on Advanced Materials for Future Vehicles
LG Chem and Volkswagen Group will jointly study lighter, higher-performance and more sustainable materials for vehicle interiors and exteriors, expanding cooperation between the Korean chemical producer and the global automaker.
South Korea’s LG Chem has agreed to work with Volkswagen Group on next-generation materials for future vehicles, opening a new channel for cooperation on lighter components, improved performance and more sustainable automotive production.
The companies recently signed a memorandum of understanding at LG Twin Towers in Seoul. Their planned work will focus on advanced plastic and composite materials built around LG Chem’s acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, commonly known as ABS, and its portfolio of engineering plastics.
Those materials are valued for impact resistance, durability and ease of processing. Although they are used in products ranging from household appliances to industrial goods, they also play an important role in vehicle interiors and exteriors, where manufacturers must balance weight, strength, appearance and production costs.
LG Chem and Volkswagen will examine ways to reduce vehicle weight and improve component performance. They will also explore broader use of postconsumer recycled materials and other cost-competitive products across the interior and exterior parts used by Volkswagen Group’s major brands.
The agreement goes beyond supplying existing products. The companies plan to exchange information about technology trends and global market developments, while carrying out joint research and feasibility studies on specific material applications. That structure could allow new materials to be assessed earlier in the vehicle development process and tailored more closely to the automaker’s requirements.
Before the signing, Volkswagen executives visited LG Chem’s customer solution campus in Osan, Gyeonggi Province. There, they attended exhibitions and a seminar covering recycling-based sustainability, electrification, high-performance materials and efficiency. They also toured LG Sciencepark in western Seoul to review the wider LG Group’s research capabilities in mobility and other future technologies.
Kim Sang-min, the senior vice president leading LG Chem’s petrochemicals business, described the agreement as the start of joint innovation between a global automaker and a materials company. He said LG Chem would draw on its technology and its portfolio of high-value, environmentally friendly materials to pursue sustainable growth with customers.
LG Chem has annual ABS production capacity of 2.35 million metric tons across its Korean and overseas operations. In 2020, it became the first company in the industry to produce white postconsumer recycled ABS, according to the company, and it has since expanded recycled-material offerings for automotive interiors and exteriors.
The partnership reflects the growing strategic importance of materials suppliers as automakers seek to improve efficiency and sustainability without compromising durability or design. For LG Chem, closer development work with Volkswagen could also create opportunities to place more specialized materials across multiple vehicle brands and markets.