SPE honours technological depth and solution expertise

Just ahead of K 2025, ENGEL received four gold awards at the prestigious SPE Automotive Awards. The winning components clearly demonstrate ENGEL’s technological depth and solution expertise. From sustainable lightweight designs and highly integrated functional parts to innovative process technologies, the awarded projects show how ENGEL – in close collaboration with its customers – is shaping the future of plastics processing, always with a strong focus on delivering real customer value.

The four gold awards in the categories “Electronical / Optical Part,” “Body Interior,” “Enabler Technology” and the prestigious “Grand Innovation Award” recognise the outstanding development work of ENGEL and its partners. All four award-winning projects demonstrate how intelligent interaction between material, process and machine technology can lead to solutions that set new technological benchmarks while also delivering impressive results in terms of sustainability and cost efficiency.

A lighting and functional decorative part for the BMW X3, manufactured by Yanfeng, received the gold award. The component is produced in a fully automated 3K injection moulding process with in-mould labelling. It features a translucent matte chrome film with a 3D depth effect and a self-healing PUR surface. The emission-free, paint-free and plating-free process is ideally suited for production sites with strict environmental regulations. The key challenge lies in the reliable integration of multiple materials and the sensitive decorative film into a highly automated series production process.

The award went to a foamed airbag cover used by various OEMs. This application combines outstanding surface quality with a 45% reduction in CO₂ emissions – a significant step forward in sustainable automotive manufacturing. The part is made from a fully recyclable TPE-O monomaterial that actively supports the circular economy. The main challenge lies in achieving a flawless surface despite the foaming process – a task that is reliably mastered thanks to precise process control on the ENGEL system.

A next-generation thermoplastic battery housing system, specially developed for use in high-voltage applications, received the gold award in the coveted “Enabler Technology” category. This innovation delivers a 43% CO₂ reduction over its entire lifecycle while meeting the highest standards for safety and mechanical strength. With this project, ENGEL showcases its system expertise in sustainable mobility solutions – helping to pave the way for lighter, more efficient electric vehicles.

The evening’s highest award went to a thermoplastic convertible top cover produced using the ENGEL organomelt process for the Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet. This process combines heating and forming of organic sheets with subsequent injection moulding in a single production cell – resulting in a fully recyclable lightweight solution that is 15% lighter and has a lower overall height than the previous metal version. The technically demanding combination of two processes highlights ENGEL’s system expertise, enabling customers to produce highly innovative and sustainable lightweight components in series production.

The four gold awards at the 2025 SPE Automotive Awards underscore ENGEL’s position as a technology leader. They demonstrate how deep process expertise and integrated system solutions enable future-oriented series production applications. For customers, this translates into real added value: resource-efficient manufacturing, greater energy efficiency and the cost-effective production of highly innovative components. ENGEL is therefore more than just a machine manufacturer – ENGEL is a true partner for long-term success in plastics processing.