Material Selection Guidance
Helping you choose plastics that extend product life and support recycling initiatives.
Performance Plastics and the Path to a Greener Future
Sustainability is no longer a trend, it’s an expectation. From manufacturers to end users, businesses are under increasing pressure to reduce waste, lower carbon emissions, and extend product life cycles. Performance plastics play a key role in meeting these goals.
Unlike traditional single-use plastics, performance plastics are durable, lightweight, and highly engineered materials designed to last longer and perform better in demanding environments. By reducing energy consumption, enabling recycling initiatives, and supporting circular economy efforts, performance plastics are helping companies achieve measurable sustainability targets.
Furthermore, by replacing metals, wood, and other heavy or short-lived materials, performance plastics can support both functional and environmental goals.
At Piedmont Plastics, we believe the right material choice can help businesses improve efficiency while reducing environmental impact. Let’s explore how performance plastics contribute to sustainability and recycling.
What Are Performance Plastics?
Performance plastics are advanced polymer materials engineered for strength, durability, and resistance to demanding conditions. They offer unique benefits that make them a preferred choice across industries, including:
High impact resistance
Dimensional stability
Resistance to heat, UV, and chemicals
Long service life in harsh environments
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How Performance Plastics Advance Sustainability Initiatives
1. Lighter Materials Reduce Energy Costs
Replacing metals and other heavy materials with performance plastics leads to major weight reductions. For example:
In transportation, lighter parts mean reduced fuel consumption and fewer emissions.
In construction, lighter components are easier to handle, requiring less equipment and energy during installation.
This results in measurable cost savings and a smaller carbon footprint.
2. Extended Product Lifespans
Performance plastics are engineered to resist corrosion, moisture, UV degradation, and chemical attack. Their durability means:
Longer service life
Fewer replacements
Less waste generated over time
By keeping products in service longer, performance plastics reduce the environmental impact of repeated manufacturing, shipping, and disposal.
3. Recycling and Reuse Opportunities
Many performance plastics can be collected, reground, and reprocessed into new products. Manufacturers and distributors are adopting take-back and recycling programs that:
Divert industrial scrap away from landfills
Lower disposal costs
Create a consistent feedstock for new material production
At Piedmont Plastics, we work with suppliers and customers to promote recycling initiatives and help identify materials that support closed-loop systems.
4. Reduced Carbon Footprint
Performance plastics often replace energy-intensive materials like steel, aluminum, or glass. Because they require less energy to produce and ship, they contribute to lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.
For businesses with ESG goals, performance plastics provide an opportunity to meet sustainability commitments without sacrificing performance.
A Case Study From The International Association Of Plastics Distribution
The transportation industry relies heavily on performance plastics because they deliver on every expectation: lightweight for speed, flexible for design, colorful for aesthetics, impact resistant and antimicrobial for safety, clear for visibility, and resistant to weather and corrosion. As automotive technology evolves with trends like weight reduction, sound absorption, enhanced safety, and sustainable material use, performance plastics are playing a larger role than ever before, according to IAPD.
Material Applications in Vehicles
Performance plastics are found across nearly every part of modern vehicles, from passenger cars to agricultural equipment:
- Non-carpet flooring: Trunk and bed liners made from thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) and thermoplastic rubber (TPR)
- Tonneau covers: Primarily TPO, but also ABS sheet or PC/ABS co-extruded sheet
- Body panels: ABS or TPO with UV-resistant films for weatherability
- Lighting components: Acrylic and polycarbonate sheet or film for clarity and strength
- Sound absorption: Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) in noise-reducing applications
- Aftermarket parts: Utility-grade ABS for bumper replacements
- Battery systems: Flame-rated sheet for shims in SAFT batteries; TPO and PVC/acrylic multilayer sheets with anti-stat and fire-resistant properties for EV battery trays, covers, and enclosures
- Specialty vehicles (ATVs/UTVs): ABS, TPO, and PC/ABS used for durable fenders and doors, with decorative films like camo prints for customization
Advancing Sustainability in Transportation
Sustainability is woven into the use of performance plastics. Many thermoplastics can be reground and reused without sacrificing performance, and scrap generated during forming can often be returned to sheet manufacturers for reprocessing. This closed-loop approach minimizes waste while maintaining material integrity.
Beyond recycling, plastics also support sustainability by reducing vehicle weight, which improves energy efficiency and lowers emissions, and by extending the lifespan of parts, which reduces replacement frequency.
The Competitive Edge of Plastics
Plastic sheet offers automakers and equipment manufacturers multiple advantages:
- A wide range of material options and configurations for nearly every application
- The ability to vacuum form parts more efficiently and at lower cost than injection molding
- Performance capabilities that meet or exceed traditional materials without compromising sustainability
In short, performance plastics provide transportation manufacturers with lightweight, durable, and sustainable solutions that align with industry megatrends and future-focused innovations like electric and autonomous vehicles.
Why Partner with Piedmont?
At Piedmont Plastics, we deliver more than just materials. We provide expertise to help your business meet its sustainability goals.
About The Piedmont Plastics Recycling Program
At Piedmont Plastics, sustainability is more than a talking point. It’s part of how we do business. Our recycling program is designed to reduce waste, conserve resources, and support customers in reaching their environmental goals.
How the Program Works
Scrap Collection: We help customers set up processes to collect and segregate performance plastic scrap, ensuring clean, high-quality material for recycling.
Customized Solutions: Every business has unique needs. We tailor recycling programs to fit specific applications, industries, and sustainability initiatives.
Partnerships with Recyclers: Piedmont Plastics partners with trusted recycling facilities to maximize the reuse of industrial plastics.
Why It Matters
By participating in the Piedmont Plastics recycling program, customers can:
Reduce landfill costs by diverting scrap from disposal streams
Lower carbon footprint by extending the lifecycle of raw materials
Demonstrate ESG leadership by showing measurable commitment to sustainability initiatives
Improve efficiency by creating a closed-loop system that captures value from unused material
Our recycling program reflects our broader commitment to environmental responsibility and industry best practices, as outlined by the International Association of Plastics Distribution (IAPD). By making recycling accessible and effective, Piedmont Plastics empowers customers to operate more sustainably while still meeting their performance needs.
Ready to Learn More?
Performance plastics are more than just durable material option for your applications. They are a critical tool for advancing sustainability. By extending product lifespans, reducing energy use, and supporting recycling, they help businesses reduce costs while meeting environmental goals.
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