Plastic Omnium has announced production of its first all-thermoplastic rear-opening module for the new Peugeot 308.

Designed in the Σ-Sigmatech research and development centre in Lyon and produced in two plants in France – Langres (Haute-Marne) and Fontaine (Territoire de Belfort), the tailgate weighs 12 kg, or 3 kg less than the same product made of steel. In addition, the new tailgate offers carmakers greater freedom of design and is entirely recyclable.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

The all-thermoplastic tailgate represents a further improvement to Plastic Omnium’s range of rear-opening modules, which also includes thermoset composite tailgates and hybrid tailgates made with thermosetting resins and thermoplastics. This innovation makes for a comprehensive offering of products suited to carmakers with diverse design and weight reduction needs.

Plastic Omnium will produce more than 1m tailgates worldwide in 2013 and plans to double the revenue generated by this product line over the next five years.

Just Auto Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Auto Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Continental has secured the Window Displays Innovation Award in the 2025 Just Auto Excellence Awards for its Window Projection solution, transforming side windows into dynamic, data-rich canvases. Discover how this compact projection technology and intelligent software are reshaping in-car UX and opening fresh revenue streams for OEMs and mobility providers.

Discover the Impact