MATERIALS AND APPLICATIONS
Today, metal replacement represents a strategic lever for industrial innovation. It is no longer about simply replacing metals, but rather redesigning components using advanced engineering polymers— with advantages in terms of light weight, performance, sustainability and competitiveness.
Thanks to RadiciGroup’ s engineering polymers, the weight of the Genny Zero personal transporter has been reduced by 45 %.
METAL REPLACEMENT – RETHINKING DESIGN
Italian technology plast / October 2026
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Metal replacement is enjoying surging growth and— as Erico Spini, Global Marketing Manager of RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers, emphasises— can no longer be interpreted as a simple substitution of materials. On the contrary, it represents a true paradigm shift in product design. „ It‘ s not about replicating a metal component in plastic,“ he explains, „ but rethinking it completely to exploit the properties of engineering polymers.“
CO-ENGINEERING AND SKILLS – THE ROLE OF A TECHNO- LOGICAL PARTNER This approach marks a shift from process to innovation, where value lies not only in new alternative materials, but also in the ability to redefine geometries, features and production processes, resulting in more efficient and integrated components. Design thus becomes the true battleground for competitiveness.
To address this transition, a well-structured and collaborative approach is essential. Over the years, RadiciGroup has been able to build a working model based on co-engineering, where the customer is placed at the centre of application development. „ Plast 2026 gave us the opportunity to showcase not only innovative materials, but above all the value of technical collaboration,“ Spini observes. Metal replacement requires advanced skills, ranging from material selection to simulation and final validation. In this context, investments in modelling and characterisation become crucial to address increasingly complex applications, ensuring reliable results even under critical operating conditions.
PERFORMANCE, LIGHT WEIGHT AND SUSTAINABILITY A major strength of metal replacement strategies is their ability to simultaneously meet technical and environmen-
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