LG Chem makes automotive film market debut

[Photo provided by LG Chem Ltd.]

South Korea’s LG Chem is expanding its presence in the car electronics materials industry by venturing into the market for switchable glazing film (SGF), which adjusts the transparency levels of vehicle sunroofs.

The move comes as challenges in the petrochemical sector due to oversupply from China prompted the company to explore new avenues for growth.

On Monday, LG Chem announced that it signed a contract with German automotive sunroof systems company Webasto to supply SGF for vehicle sunroofs. Under the deal, valued at millions of dollars, LG Chem will supply SGF to Webasto for over five years starting from the second half of 2025. The supplied SGF will be incorporated into Webasto’s advanced sunroof systems, which will in turn be installed in European cars.

SGF adjusts light and heat transmission levels using electric signals, making it suitable for applications such as privacy protection and vehicle interior design. It remains opaque under normal conditions, but the internal liquid crystals rearrange when voltage is applied to make the glass transparent. Users can also divide the glass into zones, specifying which parts will be transparent and which will remain opaque.

This is LG Chem’s first SGF supply contract with an automotive parts company, and it aims to aggressively penetrate the SGF market moving forward.