Kuraray Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Hitoshi Kawahara) announced that its coolant control valve (CCV), developed using the company’s heat-resistant polyamide resin GENESTAR™, has received the New Mobility Category Award at the SPE Automotive Award 2025, presented by the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE).
The award-winning CCV was jointly developed with Yinlun Co., Ltd., a leading Chinese manufacturer of heat-exchange equipment. The SPE Automotive Awards recognize innovative plastic technologies in the automotive industry. Kuraray’s CCV, which achieved third place in the New Mobility category, was praised for its lightweight, compact design using plastic instead of metal, contributing to improved fuel efficiency in new energy vehicles.
By combining two grades of glass fiber-reinforced GENESTAR™ with high laser transmittance and hydrolysis resistance, the valve delivers the rigidity and fatigue resistance required to withstand demanding automotive operating conditions. In addition, GENESTAR™ enables advanced processing technologies such as bump-off molding and laser welding, improving production efficiency.
Automotive thermal management systems use multiple electric valves to optimally distribute coolant to key components such as drive motors, batteries, and inverters, enhancing overall energy efficiency. As these systems become increasingly complex in new energy vehicles, ongoing technological innovation is essential.
The new CCV integrates Kuraray’s material design expertise with Yinlun’s product design technology, enabling weight reduction through electric valve integration and more precise cooling control. This advancement is expected to improve environmental performance, including reduced CO₂ emissions in internal combustion engine vehicles and extended driving range in new energy vehicles.