The automotive industry is undergoing a significant transition. Long reliant on materials like steel, the sector is gradually replacing these metals with composite materials, such as carbon fibre, which are both lightweight and exceptionally strong.
According to Freek de Bruijn, Programme Manager for Design & Materials at RAI Automotive Industry NL, the use of these materials has become much more widespread: “Today, composites are used well beyond luxury cars. For example, they are integral to buses made by Dutch manufacturers like Ebusco and VDL.”
Lighter and more sustainable materials
This transition to lightweight materials is highly impactful, de Bruijn emphasises. “We can reduce CO₂ emissions in the automotive sector not only by replacing combustion engines with electric or hydrogen engines but also by using composites to make cars lighter.” According to the laws of physics, the lighter a vehicle, the less fuel it consumes. As a result, reducing a car's weight also lowers its carbon footprint.
While this lightness contributes to greener mobility, certain composites can also be produced and recycled more sustainably. This is the expertise of Axxor, based in Zwolle, Overijssel. A member of RAI Automotive Industry NL, the company produces honeycomb cardboard, a highly durable material with low CO₂ emissions.
This material is suitable for various industries, from automotive to furniture manufacturing. According to Raoul Hijkoop, Senior Sales Engineer at Axxor, their honeycomb cardboard can be found in unexpected car components: “Think of boot floors, headliners, and even the roof of a Ford Bronco.”
Learning from Brittany
However, working with composite materials “requires a different approach to design and manufacturing,” says de Bruijn. To learn more about France’s composite ecosystem, RAI organised a mission to Brittany in October 2024. Thanks to the region’s rich history in building racing yachts, it has become home to some true champions of lightweight materials.
During the Dutch-Breton meetings, a delegation of RAI member companies was introduced to innovations from the Breton sector, including the robotic arms of Coriolis, carbon fibre automotive parts from Forvia, and expertise in rubber, elastomers, and recycling from ContiTech, a subsidiary of Continental.
The Dutch delegation also visited the Dupuy de Lôme Research Institute, which collaborates closely with Compositic, a polymer manufacturer that tests its innovations on-site.
The land of lightweight materials
Bert Keestra of Envalior (Geleen, Limburg / Emmen, Drenthe), a manufacturer of polymers and lightweight materials, returned from Brittany full of ideas. “The Breton sector brings together carmakers like Stellantis and global suppliers like Forvia, who are supported by technologies from Coriolis and research institutes like ENSTA and Compositic.”
One standout opportunity for Keestra was the chance to work with Excelcar, based in Chartres-de-Bretagne. At their research centre, Excelcar tests polymers and lightweight materials from third-party producers. This presents a great opportunity for Envalior, as de Bruijn points out that the Netherlands does not yet have a comparable centre “on this scale.”
Regarding the strengths of the Dutch sector, both Keestra and Hijkoop are unanimous. “The Netherlands excels in composites, which is of interest to both OEMs and French SMEs,” says Envalior’s engineer. Meanwhile, Hijkoop takes pride in the fact that Axxor’s innovations, already used in numerous SUVs, “prove that sustainable composite solutions don’t have to be expensive.” He is confident that Axxor “can help French companies implement honeycomb cardboard solutions.”