BASF expands Ultradur portfolio with up to 30% recycled PET

BASF is expanding its engineering plastics portfolio with new Ultradur RC1 grades containing up to 30% post-consumer recycled content. The glass fiber-reinforced PBT and PET compounds match the technical performance of conventional virgin grades while raising the proportion of recycled material.

The company engineered the materials for structural automotive parts such as brackets, housings and connectors that require high strength, stiffness and dimensional stability. The PCR-PET feedstock comes from packaging waste that does not compete with bottle-to-bottle recycling streams and is often sent toward energy recovery.

The addition helps manufacturers lower Scope 3.1 emissions and meet stricter regulatory thresholds for recycled content in vehicle components. BASF plans to showcase the Ultradur RC1 lineup at the Fakuma 2026 trade fair in Friedrichshafen.

BASF shares have risen 15% over the past year, while its broader industry recorded a 2.2% decline over the same timeframe.