LG Electronics said on the 12th that it has introduced the antimicrobial functional material "PuroTec (PuroTec™)" to the European market for the first time.
LG Electronics unveiled LG PuroTec at "K 2025 (hereafter K Show)," which opened on the 8th (local time) in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
PuroTec, in the form of glass powder, is an antimicrobial and antifungal functional material that, when added in small amounts in making materials such as plastic, paint, and rubber, prevents odors and contamination caused by microorganisms. It can be applied to a wide range of fields, including home appliances, mobility, building materials, and clothing. Through this K Show, LG Electronics plans to introduce the PuroTec solution to global B2B (business-to-business) customers and accelerate the discovery of potential customers and market penetration.
LG Electronics exhibited a variety of products applying PuroTec at its booth, including home appliances such as washing machines and refrigerators, as well as clothing, sofas, bathroom products, and automobile seats. It also showcased antimicrobial plastics developed in collaboration with LG CHEM.
PuroTec recently completed regulatory registrations related to antimicrobials required for entry into the European and U.S. markets. Europe and the United States strictly regulate that only products that have proven safety through hazard assessments may be distributed and supplied in the market for functional products such as antimicrobials and disinfectants, under the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), respectively.
LG Electronics first applied functional glass powder to ovens released in North America in 2013. It has filed 420 patents related to glass powder to date. It has production facilities with an annual capacity of 4,500 tons at the Smart Park in Changwon, South Gyeongsang. A company official said, "Since 2023, we have been selling PuroTec, and sales have more than doubled every year."
Through continuous research and development, the company is expanding the application fields of glass powder beyond PuroTec. Representative examples include "Marine Glass," which dissolves in water to supply nutrients to seaweed and microalgae and helps restore the marine ecosystem and reduce carbon, and "Mineral Wash," which enables washing without surfactants.
Baek Seung-tae, head of the Kitchen Solution Business Unit at LG Electronics (executive vice president), said, "We will strengthen the new-material B2B business by promoting PuroTec's growth potential in the global market."