Covestro joins KOLLEKT to develop fully recyclable automotive lighting
- BMFTR funds KOLLEKT with €4.371 million; the project runs June 2026–May 2029 under the CircularGlowUp programme supervised by PTKA.
- Consortium led by FORVIA HELLA includes BMW, Covestro, Fraunhofer IEM and UMSICHT, HZDR, universities, SMEs and SW Maschinenservice.
- A flexible, AI-powered robotic dismantling cell plus digital product twins will enable largely automated, material-pure disassembly and real-time traceability for reuse and recycling.
- KOLLEKT applies Design for Circularity and four R-strategies (Repair, Re-Use, Remanufacture, Recycle) to return Makrolon®, Bayblend® and Apec® polycarbonates to high-quality use and support EU ELV recycling targets.
Project overview
KOLLEKT is a publicly funded, interdisciplinary research consortium developing recyclable product concepts for automotive lighting, mechatronic and electronic components. The three-year project runs from June 2026 to May 2029 and is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) with a total funding volume of €4.371 million under the CircularGlowUp framework, supervised by the Karlsruhe Project Management Agency (PTKA).
Partners and foundations
The consortium is coordinated by FORVIA HELLA and includes BMW, Covestro, Geba, Fraunhofer IEM, Fraunhofer UMSICHT, the University of Paderborn, Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, the Helmholtz‑Zentrum Dresden‑Rossendorf (HZDR) and SW Maschinenservice. KOLLEKT builds on findings from the predecessor project NALYSES (completed in 2026) and aims to scale results across automotive lighting and related electrical/electronics sectors.
Technical approach
The project centers on "Design for Circularity" and four R-strategies: Repair, Re‑Use, Remanufacture and Recycle. A key element is a flexible, AI-powered robotic dismantling cell combined with digital product twins and AI-based data processing to enable precise, largely automated, material-pure disassembly and networked, real-time material and process traceability.
Materials and regulatory impact
Covestro contributes expertise on high-performance polymers and evaluates recycling pathways for polycarbonate grades (Makrolon®, Bayblend®, Apec®). KOLLEKT output aims to return these materials to high-quality cycles, inform recycled-content strategies and support automotive manufacturers in meeting EU End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) recycling and future recycled-content expectations toward 2032.
Source: Covestro