LG Chem Signs Supply Contract for Vehicle Transparency Control Film with German Webasto

Advanced Sunroof System Installed in European Complete Vehicles
Continuous Discovery of High-Value Electronic Materials Business
Shin Hak-cheol "Fostering Mobility Materials Business"

LG Chem is expanding its automotive materials business by entering the market for transparency control films for vehicle sunroofs.

On the 29th, LG Chem announced that it signed a supply contract for 'Switchable Glazing Film (SGF)' with Webasto, a global leader in automotive sunroof systems based in Germany.

LG Chem announced on the 29th that it has signed a supply contract for 'Switchable Glazing Film (SGF)' with Webasto in Germany. Kim Dongchun, Head of LG Chem's Electronic Materials Division (front row, left), and Jan Henning Melpelt, Head of Webasto Advanced Glass Business (front row, right), are signing the contract (Photo by LG Chem).

LG Chem will supply SGF to Webasto over the coming years. Webasto, ranked among the world's top 100 automotive parts companies, plans to use the film to create advanced sunroof systems and install them in European vehicles. Although the transaction size for the SGF film was not disclosed, it is expected to reach several hundred billion KRW.

SGF is a film that can control the transmission of light and heat through electrical signals, primarily used on automotive glass such as sunroofs. It is normally opaque, but when voltage is applied, the liquid crystals inside rearrange to become transparent.

Applying SGF to vehicles allows for differentiated interior design. Drivers can designate different zones on the sunroof or other vehicle glass as transparent or opaque. This enables selective transparency to freely adjust shaded areas and also provides privacy protection. SGF adoption is increasing recently, especially in premium vehicles and electric cars, and is expected to form a trillion-KRW scale market within a few years.

LG Chem holds over 200 SGF-related patents domestically and internationally, leveraging its accumulated technologies in liquid crystals, dot/adhesive materials, precision coating, and pattern formation from its existing electronic materials sectors such as displays and semiconductors. LG Chem’s SGF is evaluated to have less light interference and provides a clear view from any angle compared to competitors’ products.

LG Chem plans to secure mass production infrastructure this year and start full-scale sales from the second half of next year. The company has SGF production facilities capable of supplying up to 3 million vehicles annually. It also aims to develop next-generation products with clearer black tones and faster response times, and to expand SGF application to front and side windows. Additionally, LG Chem intends to continuously explore various high value-added automotive materials businesses such as automotive adhesives and transparent antenna films.

Shin Hak-cheol, Vice Chairman of LG Chem, stated, "Based on our technological capabilities in electronic materials such as displays and semiconductors, we will nurture the mobility materials business, a future growth area, and create new customer value."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.