Lead battery giant Clarios has announced it is further developing its Seculene brand line in Germany as it expands its range of recycled products including polypropylene (PP).

Clarios said on October 8 it is boosting its portfolio of high-quality recycled plastics for the automotive industry with the Hanover-based Seculene PP compounds.

PP recyclates made from 100% post-consumer material enable a wide range of automotive applications including starter battery housings.

Clarios said recycled PP is becoming increasingly relevant for automotive manufacturers and suppliers as the new European End-of-Life Vehicle Regulation, which takes effect in 2028, introduces for the first time mandatory minimum recycled plastic content requirements for new vehicles.

The proposed targets call for 15% recycled plastic content by 2032 and 25% by 2036, with a defined share of the material required to originate from end-of-life vehicles.

Christian Rosenkranz, VP at Clarios for industry and government relations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), said the company was reaffirming its commitment to circular value creation, resilient European supply chains, and reliable customer partnerships.

The recycling expansion follows Clarios’s recent announcement of investments of more than €4 million ($4.7 million) in energy-efficiency covering facilities across the EMEA region as it expands sustainable production practices.

In a related move, the battery manufacturer agreed a major deal during the summer to source low-carbon lead for its EMEA battery manufacturing plants from Swedish mining and metals company Boliden.