BMW Group and SGL Carbon have received the JEC Composites Innovation Award in the "Automotive & Road Transportation - Parts" category for their joint "BMW M Natural Fiber Composites" project. The award was presented on January 12, 2026, in Paris at the JEC World Premiere. The project produced production-ready natural fiber composite components using flax-based materials for visible exterior and interior automotive applications. SGL Carbon enabled this through the development of a transparent resin and prepreg system, manufactured at its Meitingen and Willich sites, to address moisture sensitivity and maintain mechanical and thermal integrity.
Background
The JEC Composites Innovation Awards recognize global advancements in composite technology. The winning project brought together a consortium of BMW Group, SGL Carbon, Bcomp Ltd., Cobra Advanced Composites, and PPG Wörwag Coatings, which developed an integrated system of natural fiber composites, including prepregs, coatings, and performance validation. A key technical challenge was achieving moisture tolerance and visual quality for visible components. SGL Carbon addressed this through a specialized resin system that improved processability and durability. The project follows BMW's mid-2025 announcement that natural fiber composites had reached series-production readiness, including certified roof structures made with flax-based materials.
Details
Natural fiber composites achieved a production-related CO₂e reduction of approximately 40% compared to carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP), alongside weight reductions and improved recyclability at end of life. SGL Carbon reported that its resin and prepreg system met required mechanical, thermal, and aesthetic standards for visible automotive applications. Bcomp noted that substituting carbon composites in roof structures enabled these CO₂e reductions and highlighted investments in scalable flax-based material production suitable for current automotive processes. The consortium deployed PPG's multilayer coating system to ensure compatible surface finish, durability, and premium appearance.
Outlook
The award marks growing viability for natural fiber-reinforced polymers (NFRPs) in load-bearing automotive components, particularly visible exterior and interior parts. This has implications for automotive lightweighting and sustainability. Industry stakeholders are expected to increase focus on supply chain resilience, cost parity, and compatibility with current molding and composite processing methods. Ongoing development of standardization and certification frameworks will influence broader OEM adoption as climate objectives and circular economy policies advance.
