Yazaki and Toray launch recycled PBT for automotive wiring harness connectors

On May 14, 2024, Yazaki Corporation and Toray Industries, Inc announced the results of their cooperation. Developed recyclable polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin grade. This innovative resin uses waste materials from the manufacturing process to create connectors for automotive wiring harnesses.

This resin has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions generated during connector production while maintaining performance equivalent to the original material.

Ecouse TORAYCON™ offered by Toray is a chemically recycled PBT resin made by depolymerizing and repolymerizing waste materials from the production process. Challenges in recycling resin often involve contamination from external factors and compromised material quality. However, through chemical recycling, the company offers recycled PBT resin that meets the standards of the original material. This meticulous process includes strict quality control measures from the depolymerization to compounding stages.

Yazaki faces huge challenges in ensuring the consistent quality of recycled materials, especially on critical components such as automotive wiring harness connectors. To overcome this obstacle, Yazaki focused on improving the material properties and plasticity of Toray Chemical's recycled PBT resin. Through collaboration with Toray, Yazaki has successfully developed a recycled PBT resin grade for connectors that maintains the same quality stability as conventional PBT resin grades.

Through this collaboration, Yazaki and Toray aim to play a role in achieving carbon neutrality and a circular economy in the automotive industry.

This innovative resin has two key features. First, it significantly reduces CO2 emissions during production compared to traditional PBT grades, in line with sustainability goals. Secondly, it offers equivalent material properties, formability and quality stability compared to traditional PBT grades, ensuring seamless integration into existing manufacturing processes while maintaining performance standards. These properties make it a compelling option for industries looking to increase environmental sustainability without compromising material quality or production efficiency.

Yazaki and Toray plan to display automotive wiring harness connectors using Toray Chemical recycled PBT at the "Automotive Engineering Expo 2024" in Yokohama. The event will be held at Pacifico Yokohama from May 22 to May 24.

Yazaki's product range is diverse, ranging from automotive wiring harnesses to electrical wires, gas appliances, air conditioners and solar thermal appliances. In addition, Yazaki is expanding its business portfolio to include new ventures focused on care and environmental initiatives. Yazaki Co., Ltd. was established on October 8, 1941 as a privately held company with capital of 3.1915 billion yen. The company has several group companies, such as Yazaki Meter Co. Ltd. (founded in 1950), Yazaki Parts Co. (Ltd.) (founded in 1959) and Yazaki Energy Systems Company. The company has a huge network, including 45 domestic group companies and 96 overseas group companies, totaling 141 entities. Yazaki also has a large workforce, with 17,873 domestic employees and 223,611 overseas employees, for a total of 241,484 employees.