Geopolitical uncertainties, regulatory requirements, and increasing performance expectations are reshaping the plastics industry. At Fakuma 2026, BASF will demonstrate under the guiding theme #OurPlasticsJourney how the perceived trade-offs between sustainability, resilience, and performance can be overcome. At the heart of this approach is the conviction that modern plastics can only be future-ready if they deliver on all three dimensions simultaneously: outstanding technical performance, verifiable sustainability, and a resilient, reliable supply chain. Rather than accepting compromises, BASF is focusing on scalable solutions that help customers reduce risks, achieve emissions targets, and maintain the highest quality standards at the same time.
“Today, the plastics industry needs more than good intentions; it needs credible proof points. With #OurPlasticsJourney, we demonstrate how performance, sustainability, and resilience come together in real-world applications to create measurable value for our customers,” says Alexander Weiser, Senior Vice President Performance Materials Europe.
BASF will present these and many other topics at Fakuma 2026 in Hall 4, Booth B4-4303:
Material Innovations for New Applications and Markets
Innovative Ultramid® H Enables New Solutions for Smoke-Permeable Artificial Casings
BASF has launched Ultramid® H33 L, the world’s first thermoplastic polyamide with high water permeability. The material combines strength with water and smoke permeability, enabling smoked sausage casings made entirely of polyamide for the first time. Its thin walls and easy processing make it an attractive alternative to collagen and cellulose.
New Ultramid® A grade for industrial applications
BASF expands its polyamide 66 portfolio with Ultramid® A27AE1 L. The new product grade offers an improved Yellowness Index in comparison to the conventional product and consistently low moisture content, meeting the requirements of demanding industrial applications.
Ultramid® Expand (PA) Unlocks New Design Freedom in Lightweight Engineering
With Ultramid® Expand, BASF showcases the potential of particle foam for lightweight, crash-resistant components with high temperature resistance. The material opens up new possibilities for innovative automotive applications where lightweight design, performance, processability, and safety are equally essential.
TPU Light Guides Enable Design Freedom in Automotive Lighting
BASF is showcasing innovative light guide solutions based on transparent Elastollan® TPU for automotive interior and exterior lighting applications. The material combines excellent optical performance with high flexibility, durability, and efficient processing. Its exceptional low-temperature flexibility and low brittleness help ensure reliable performance and passenger safety even under demanding climatic conditions, while its elastomeric properties help minimize squeaking and unwanted noise in integrated vehicle components.
Plastics for Electrification and Digitalization
High-Performance Engineering Plastics for the Mobility of Tomorrow
BASF is advancing high-performance material solutions for safety-critical applications such as brake-by-wire systems, high-voltage connectors, and power electronics. New flame-retardant polyamide and PPA grades combine excellent electrical insulation with design freedom, high thermal resistance, and long-term reliability.
The future vehicle runs by wire
BASF is showcasing the future of braking systems for software-defined vehicles. A new demonstrator for electromechanical brake-by-wire systems illustrates the transition from hydraulically dominated braking architectures to electronically controlled systems. The demonstrator features a fully plastic brake pedal with integrated sensors, high-performance domain or zone control units, and electromechanical actuators. By employing redundant by-wire components, these technologies provide a key foundation for automated driving, enhanced functional integration, future zonal vehicle architectures, and additional lightweighting potential. At the same time, they open up new application opportunities for engineering plastics in sensors, control units, actuators, and pedal systems.
Ultramid® Advanced (PPA) for challenging E&E applications
The polyphthalamides from BASF enable dimensionally stable, durable components with excellent hydrolysis resistance as well as color-stable E&E parts like PCB and high-voltage connectors. They support enhanced electronic performance, particularly applications related to AI, data generation/storage and power supply.
Ultrason® (PSU, PESU, PPSU) for transparency, AI electronics and food- contact parts
Ultrason® (PSU, PESU, PPSU) can be used in E&E applications such as fiber optical connectors (FOC) for AI data centers, wire insulation/cable jacketing used in electric cars, highly transparent optical components, and food-contact materials. The latter comply with the requirements of EU Regulation 2024/3190, as they are manufactured without BPA and BPS.
Sustainability and Circular Economy in Practice
TPU Upcycling for a Circular Economy
At Fakuma, BASF will showcase sustainable TPU solutions such as Elastollan® RC. The portfolio uses recycled TPU materials from post-industrial and post-consumer sources and returns them to the value chain as high-quality materials. This helps reduce waste, conserve resources, and lower CO₂ emissions without compromising material performance.
Innovations for Greater Sustainability Across the Value Chain
The portfolio includes additional solutions designed to improve sustainability and efficiency. These include
- the BOOXit reusable transport box based on Ultramid® B3K (PA6),
- new Ultradur® RC grades (PBT) containing up to 30% post-consumer PETfor automotive applications,
- and new Ultradur® grades (PBT) for drinking water and food-contactapplications that meet current regulatory requirements.
The portfolio is complemented by the digital Catena-X application PACIFIC, which enables the exchange and calculation Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) data, as well as the transmission of company certificates through Company Certificate Management (CCM).
Productivity and Energy Efficiency in Processing
High Productivity Plus: Greater Efficiency with the Same Performance
With the continuous expansion of its High Productivity Plus (HPP) Engineering Plastics product line, BASF is consistently broadening its offering for demanding applications. In addition to highly efficient PA6 solutions that enable shorter cycle times and reduced energy consumption, the portfolio will be expanded to include further flame-retardant materials and high-performance PA66 grades. This gives customers additional options to meet increasing requirements for safety and performance while improving productivity. How HPP Engineering Plastics can help increase efficiency and sustainability in plastics processing will be presented by Andreas Nixdorf in his talk, “BASF’s High Productivity Plus Engineering Plastics: The Key to Efficient and Sustainable Production,” on October 13 at 12:20 p.m. at the Fakuma Exhibitor Forum.