MOCOM and Fairphone ensure durability and sustainability in the new Fairphone 4

Hamburg, 01/11/22. MOCOM is contributing to the next generation of sustainable smartphones with Altech® PC ECO in the new Fairphone 4. The manufacturer is Fairphone, the Dutch social enterprise building a market for ethical smartphones, which is committed to environmental and social sustainability in the electronics industry and places a special focus on responsible material sourcing and fair working conditions along the entire supply chain. As a high-performance modern smartphone, the Fairphone 4 must also meet high requirements in terms of its carbon footprint and product lifetime. After a thorough analysis, Altech® PC ECO was identified as the optimal material solution for the back cover.

Made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled polycarbonate base material, Altech® PC ECO is one of MOCOM's wide-ranging high-quality Near-To-Prime® sustainable compounds. It reduces the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of the smartphone case by 80 percent compared to the use of virgin polymer, making it ideal for Fairphone, who places great emphasis on a low environmental footprint of all components while ensuring the durability of the end product. The recyclate meets the latter criterion thanks to its high impact resistance and ensures that the Fairphone 4 can withstand drops from great heights without damage and fulfills the manufacturer's warranty promises. The high quality of MOCOM's PCR base material also allows for trouble-free painting of the case, ensuring an elegant look and smooth feel. Fairphone currently offers its new model in gray, green as well as speckled green. The successful fulfillment of the customer's demanding property requirements in the end product proves that PCR recyclates are also suitable for upcycling into high end technical applications.

"Altech® PC ECO has already proven itself in several applications," says Gustaf Eneroth, Business Development Manager at MOCOM. "In the realization of the Fairphone 4 case, the early collaboration was an advantage: our existing contact with the agency Above, which designed the Fairphone 4 meant that we were able to support the selection of the right sustainable material that perfectly meets the high requirements at a very early stage."

"We are pleased to have been able to support Fairphone in achieving their far-reaching goals with our comprehensive sustainable portfolio, offering several excellent solutions at the same time," affirms Johnny Zhou, Head of Business Development  Asia-Pacific at MOCOM. "Together with the customer, Altech® PC ECO was chosen as the optimal material for this specific application."

"In MOCOM we have found a partner who has given us excellent support in successfully implementing the project. With the compound from MOCOM, we were able to use a 100 percent recycled base material for the first time. This makes us particularly proud as we advance our sustainability goal," confirms Oscar Chang, Senior Mechanics Engineering Manager from Fairphone.

About MOCOM

MOCOM is one of the world's leading compounders of thermoplastic polymers and offers the plastics processing industry a comprehensive range of high-performance plastics and technical compound solutions. In addition to the specialties (Alcom®, Tedur® PPS) and customized products (Altech®, Altech NXT PP®, Alfater XL® TPV), our portfolio contains a variety of high-quality Near-To-Prime® recycling products (Altech® ECO, Alfater XL® ECO). As a former division of ALBIS PLASTIC GmbH and part of the Otto Krahn Group, MOCOM builds on 50 years of experience. More than 700 employees develop and manufacture high-performance, competitive material solutions in close cooperation with customers combining a deep technical understanding and process know how with many years of experience and enthusiasm for their products. At three German locations as well as in Duncan, South Carolina (USA) and Changshu (China), MOCOM produces a consistently high level of quality worldwide and according to global specifications. All sites are certified to IATF 16949.

For more information visit www.mocom.eu.