Yazaki & Toray Introduce Recycled PBT for Auto Wiring Harness Connectors

On May 14, 2024, Yazaki Corporation and Toray Industries, Inc. revealed their collaborative achievement: the development of a recycled polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin grade. This innovative resin utilizes scrap materials from manufacturing processes to manufacture connectors for automotive wire harnesses.

This resin has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions originating from connector production while maintaining equivalent performance properties to virgin materials.

Toray provides Ecouse TORAYCON™, a chemically recycled PBT resin crafted by depolymerizing and repolymerizing scrap sourced from manufacturing processes. Challenges in recycling resins often involve contamination from external elements and compromised material quality. However, through chemical recycling, the company delivers recycled PBT resin that matches the standards of virgin material. This meticulous process involves stringent quality control measures from depolymerization through compounding stages.

Yazaki faced a significant challenge in ensuring the consistent quality of recycled materials, particularly in critical components like automotive wire harness connectors. To overcome this obstacle, it focused on refining the material characteristics and moldability of Toray's chemically recycled PBT resin. Through collaboration with Toray, Yazaki successfully developed a recycled PBT resin grade for connectors that maintains the same level of quality stability as conventional PBT resin grades.

Through this collaborative endeavor, Yazaki and Toray aim to play a role in achieving a carbon-neutral, circular economy within the automotive industry.

This innovative resin presents two key features. Firstly, it significantly reduces carbon dioxide emissions in the production process compared to conventional PBT grades, aligning with sustainability goals. Secondly, it offers equivalent material properties, moldability, and quality stability when compared to conventional PBT grades, ensuring seamless integration into existing manufacturing processes while maintaining performance standards. These features make it a compelling choice for industries seeking to enhance environmental sustainability without compromising on material quality or production efficiency.

Yazaki and Toray intend to showcase automotive wire harness connectors featuring Toray’s chemically recycled PBT at their booths during the Automotive Engineering Exposition 2024 in YOKOHAMA. The event will take place at Pacifico Yokohama from May 22 to May 24.

Yazaki Corporation has diversified its product range, spanning from automotive wire harnesses to electric wires, gas appliances, air conditioners, and solar thermal appliances. Furthermore, Yazaki is expanding its business portfolio to include new ventures focused on nursing care and eco-friendly initiatives. Established on October 8, 1941, Yazaki Corporation operates as a privately held company with a capital of 3,191.5 million JPY. It encompasses various group companies such as Yazaki Meter Co., Ltd. (established in 1950), Yazaki Parts Co., Ltd. (established in 1959), and Yazaki Energy System Corporation. The corporation boasts a substantial network, comprising 45 domestic and 96 overseas group corporations, totaling 141 entities. Yazaki Corporation also maintains a significant workforce, with 17,873 domestic employees and 223,611 overseas employees, culminating in a total of 241,484 dedicated individuals.