Sibanye Stillwater (SBSW) and Heraeus Precious Metals said Thursday they have launched a joint research and development project focused on glass fibre bushings using platinum and palladium dispersion-hardened alloys.

The companies said the two-year project will cover alloy development, prototyping and customer validation.

The partnership aims to deliver market-ready bushing offerings tailored for glass fibre applications, including E-glass fibres, they said.

Under the collaboration, Heraeus will contribute expertise in research and development, precious metals processing and commercialization, with development activities in Hanau, Germany and Shanghai, China. Sibanye Stillwater will provide expertise in platinum-group metals as a strategic partner, the companies said.