At the Eastern Economic Forum, Alexander Petrov, Executive Director of Sibur Holding, announced plans to launch the production of polydicyclopentadiene (PDCPD) using proprietary technology. This material is capable of replacing metal in certain body elements of vehicles, which will reduce their overall weight.

As Petrov noted, weight reduction is one of the main directions of automotive industry development: lighter equipment consumes less fuel and puts less strain on components. KamAZ is the main client and partner for this project, and other equipment manufacturers are also participating in the work.

Polydicyclopentadiene belongs to the class of super-engineering plastics and has high impact strength, resistance to aggressive environments, and low weight. In terms of strength, it is not inferior to metal, and parts made from it are 40–50% lighter than metal counterparts.

Previously, this material was entirely imported from China. However, at Nizhnekamskneftekhim, Sibur specialists managed to develop their own catalytic system and bring the grade to the quality required by the automotive industry. The company plans to launch mass production in the near future.

According to experts, Russian automakers annually use 118 thousand tons of polymer materials, 26% of which are produced at Sibur enterprises. By 2028, this figure could increase to 70%.