Hyundai selects IDI Composites’ Fortium thermoset material for Santa Cruz truck box

IDI Composites International (Noblesville, Ind., U.S.) announces the selection of its Fortium thermoset composite material for the truck box of Hyundai's 2022 Santa Cruz Sport Adventure Vehicle (SAV). The Santa Cruz creates a new vehicle category that features the comforts of a four-door sedan with the functionality of a rear open truck bed that is ideal for urban and adventurous environments.

“We’re excited to be a part of such a forward-thinking project,” states Eric Haiss, global director, Automotive Business Development for IDI Composites International. “The Santa Cruz is an innovative new category in the SUV and light truck segments, and our Fortium material is a great choice to create a durable, attractive, lightweight and UV-resistant truck box.”

IDI’s Fortium series of materials offer 40-65% discontinuous glass fiber reinforcement which imparts high strength and impact resistance. The discontinuous nature of the reinforcement also allows these materials to be molded into complex geometries by compression or injection molding, IDI notes. Additionally, Fortium offers IDI’s “scratch black” technology; the black pigmentation is consistent throughout the entire part, not just on the surface, so scratches in the material from heavy use are less detectable and the part maintains its appearance.

In addition, to its UV characteristics, Fortium is reported to be high strength, lightweight, corrosion resistant, low shrink, dimensionally stable and minimally conductive. IDI’s team can also formulate for paintability, flame resistance, and low-smoke generation. Additionally, the moldability of thermoset composites provides numerous opportunities for parts consolidation.

“Advancements in thermoset composites are driving exciting innovations as they are being selected more frequently as the material of choice by automotive engineers in new vehicle designs,” says Kevin Cahill, director of Composite Technology for IDI. “The performance characteristics of Fortium and our other thermoset composites compared to traditional materials make them an ideal choice for the Hyundai truck box as well as future automotive applications.”

Manufactured in Montgomery, Ala., the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Sport Adventure Vehicle hit dealer showrooms in August 2021.