TPE Opportunities in a Recessionary & Shifting Automotive Interior Environment

Abstract

Recessionary conditions are affecting both the supply and demand sides of the auto sector and will disrupt/reconfigure the auto interior supply chain. The composition of auto sales is changing.

Some segments (e.g. compact utility vehicles, CUVs) are becoming saturated, EVs and hybrids will show strong gains in market share, especially in N. America.

Auto interiors, a significant TPE market, must accommodate and can benefit from changes in:

• drive train, especially electrification and hybrids
• space configuration shifts
• internal and external electronic signal sending and receiving
• product differentiation in saturated segments (e.g. CUVs)

New opportunities for TPEs in auto interiors will result from new technologies such as:

• 5G communications
• signal sending/receiving performance (smart materials)
• acoustic requirements
• enhanced cleanability requirements

About the Speaker

Robert Eller is President of Robert Eller Associates LLC (REA).

REA provides technical, market and economic analysis to support management decision-making, and strategy formulation in the plastics, TPE and rubber industries often at the advanced R-D/early commercialization interface. TPEs are one of REA’s consulting specialties.

His company has operations in Akron, Ohio (USA), Asia Pacific and Europe. Bob and his associates have carried out numerous technology, strategy, pricing forecasts, product positioning analyses (usually at the advanced R/D-early commercialization interface) and acquisition (due diligence) support.

His company is currently working on:

-Assisting clients with identifying opportunities for product innovation and the innovation process -Positioning new TPEs, their fabrication technologies and strategies for market development -Acquisition candidates in the global plastics and rubber markets -The evolving role of thermoplastic composites and fabrication technologies -Innovation opportunities in the packaging industries -Positioning of new polyolefin, TPE and compound technologies in the automotive sector -Assessment of compounders in the Asia/Pacific region

Bob is a graduate of M.I.T.in Chemical Engineering and has an M.S. in Polymer Science and Chemical Engineering from Brooklyn Polytechnic. He is one of the founders of the SPE Automotive TPE conference, established in 1999.

His employment experience includes ExxonMobil, A. D. Little, Phillip Townsend Associates, Charles River Associates (Vice President), Multibase (a French/U.S. TPE compounding company — General Manager) and Robert Eller Associates LLC which he established in 1991.

Bob holds 4 patents in the plastics materials and process areas.

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Robert Eller
Robert Eller Associates LLC
bobeller@robertellerassoc.com
http://www.robertellerassoc.com
Office phone (USA)+1 330.670.9566
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