Connector housings consume tens of thousands of tonnes of plastic a year, much of which ends up as e-waste. Harwin and Nicomatic, with bio-materials studio New Materialist, launched the Nivora initiative to find a petroleum-plastic alternative that still meets performance and reliability requirements.
The project first screens bio-polymer bases and bio-sourced, biodegradable additive combinations, then develops formulations with laboratory partners and compares samples against customer specifications item by item. Performance targets, acceptance criteria and application scenarios were defined up front, covering the full project lifecycle.
The three partners share resources and interim results, meeting weekly. They report growing customer interest in sustainable supply chains, local sourcing and regulatory compliance, with EU and UK rules factored in. The long-term aim is to bring the material to market and support wider adoption of bio-based alternatives.
Compiled by the committee. Data and conclusions follow the original sources; please credit when republishing.
Source：International Cable & Connector (Big-Bit) · Advanced Basic Materials Committee
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