RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers will take part in Plast 2026, which will be held from 9 to 12 June at Fiera Milano. At its stand in Hall 9, B23/C18, the company will present solutions for the markets it regards as strategic, including automotive, e-mobility, electrical and electronics, and water management. The display is intended to show applications developed jointly with customers and industrial partners, which is in line with a working model based on technical collaboration, co-design, and the adaptation of materials and components to specific application requirements. The company emphasizes that the aim of this approach is to transform complex design needs into solutions that can be implemented on an industrial scale, while taking into account requirements related to performance, sustainability, and production competitiveness.
As Erico Spini, global marketing manager at RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers, points out, "Plast is an opportunity for us to present not only innovative materials, but above all the value of technical partnerships built side by side with our customers. Our goal is to support partners in developing new applications that combine high performance, sustainability, and industrial competitiveness." The presentation will therefore focus not only on the materials themselves, but also on finished applications showing the practical effects of cooperation with customers and technology partners.
Metal replacement as a development direction
One of the main topics at the stand will be the replacement of metal with engineering plastics. RadiciGroup indicates that, thanks to investments in advanced simulation, application modelling, and accurate material characterization, it offers the expertise needed to carry out projects with a high degree of engineering complexity. In this approach, metal replacement does not mean merely reproducing the function of the original component, but redesigning the part in such a way as to achieve weight reduction, production optimization, and new performance characteristics.
According to the company, this is particularly important in areas such as water management and e-mobility, where engineering polymers can affect the overall efficiency of the system. This approach is also relevant in projects requiring the combination of mechanical strength, operational safety, and processability with the need to reduce component weight.
Solutions for electrical, e-mobility, and water management applications
In the electrical and electronics field, RadiciGroup will showcase an advanced energy distribution system made of the latest-generation flame-retardant materials from the Radiflam range. These materials have been developed to meet increasingly stringent requirements regarding safety, reliability, and processability.
E-mobility will also occupy a significant part of the stand. A demonstrator including a structural support for a battery module made of flame-retardant materials from the Renycle family will be presented. The company describes this solution as an example of applying circular economy principles to high-performance components. The application received an award from the Society of Plastics Engineers in the "Enabler Technology" category in October last year. The stand will also feature an innovative electric personal transporter developed in cooperation with other industrial partners. In this case, double metal replacement was applied, in both structural and aesthetic components, which enabled a significant weight reduction and improved overall performance.
For the water management sector, the company has prepared solutions based on the Radistrong, Radilon, and Bionside material families. These have been designed for the gradual replacement of conventional metal materials with lighter, safe, and more sustainable alternatives. RadiciGroup also emphasizes the compliance of these solutions with the most stringent international standards for contact with potable water.
The role of recyclates and bio-based materials
The company's presence at Plast 2026 is also intended to confirm its long-term commitment to developing mechanically recyclable solutions and bio-based materials with a limited and measured environmental impact, assessed using the LCA methodology. These materials are intended to support customers in achieving environmental targets and meeting standard requirements.
As RadiciGroup indicates, this is particularly important for the automotive sector, also in the context of the proposed European Union regulation on end-of-life vehicles. The proposal provides for the gradual introduction of mandatory minimum shares of recycled plastics in newly produced vehicles, 15 per cent within six years and 25 per cent within ten years from the implementation date of the regulation. At least 20 per cent of that share would have to come from closed-loop recycling, that is, from recycled materials recovered from end-of-life vehicles. In the company's view, this regulatory direction will further accelerate demand for advanced materials combining high performance, traceability, and certified circular content.
As Erico Spini concludes, "The market is asking for increasingly customized solutions and specialized expertise enabling the launch of demanding, high value-added applications. This is precisely where RadiciGroup sees its distinctiveness, in the ability to work side by side with customers using a tailor-made approach that combines research capabilities, application development, and market knowledge. This experience positions us as a trusted partner supporting innovation not only in our core markets, but also in new application areas driven by global megatrends, such as robotics and data centers."
RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers also emphasizes that it has a vertically integrated production chain, a strong international presence, and specialist expertise in polyamides and engineering polymers. In this model, the company positions itself as a technology partner for customers seeking support in responding to the challenges of global industrial transformation.
