New Materials, Circularity, and Ingenious Technologies
At the end of June, the expert jury thoroughly examined the submissions for the 23rd SPE AutomotiveAward, discussed them, and made their evaluations. It was noted that most developments also serve the goal of making automobiles more sustainable. Submitters and jury members are now eagerly awaiting the award ceremony at the Award Night, which will take place in Bonn two days before the start of the K-Messe.
On June 23, 2025, 35 experts from processing, tool and mechanical engineering, raw material suppliers and OEMs, as well as from institutes and the trade press, met at the Grafe Design Center in Blankenhain to review and evaluate the submissions for the 23rd AutomotiveAward. Almost all innovations serve the goal of making vehicles lighter and more efficient and taking further steps towards a more sustainable circular economy for materials. Many ingenious ideas were among them, both in the selection of raw materials used and in terms of processing methods.
Many of the innovations concerned details that required explanation. Therefore, most submitters accepted the offer and answered the jury members’ questions. Some joined online, while others made the journey to Blankenhain and explained on site what the plastics technology innovation in their component consisted of. After the explanations, the jurors asked intensive follow-up questions, uncovering surprising details in some submissions. This helped to evaluate the components factually and with nuance.
A heartfelt thank you is due to all jury members who diligently and attentively carried out the evaluation from morning until late afternoon. SPE Central Europe extends its sincere gratitude to the employees of the GRAFE Group for their hospitality and excellent preparation. Thanks also to the media technicians of the Comitec Group, who perfectly implemented the diverse technical requirements.
The representatives of the companies that submitted vehicle components, as well as the jury members, are now eagerly awaiting the Award Night on October 6, 2025, at the Kameha Grand Bonn Design Hotel. Then the secret will be revealed as to which parts will lead their category this time and which submissions will take home one of the Special Awards. If you would like to experience the award ceremony live, you can find the registration form at entwicklung25.spe-ce.de/award-2025.
Photo: © Klaus Fricke
