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Thematic Investing

Smart Materials

Growing populations and expanding industries are consuming more finite resources, generating more waste, and increasing emissions. Meanwhile, trade tensions and labor scarcity are driving factory reshoring, robotics, and automation trends. The Smart Materials strategy helps industries overcome these challenges so they can enhance output with less input and pollution.


325

USD billion, the market size of minerals needed for the energy transition (in 2023)

30

million, expected shortage of manufacturing workers by 2025

137

USD billion, expected spending on semiconductor equipment in 2027

Why invest in smart materials?

Innovative materials involve specialized engineering to create new and better materials that reduce resource strain, energy use, and emissions. Beyond materials, smart manufacturing applies digital solutions to support high-tech developments that enhance manufacturing efficiency, reduce waste and improve product quality.

The strategy

The Smart Materials strategy invests in companies creating the building blocks that enable other emission-intensive sectors to become cleaner and leaner. These include lithium, batteries, and other energy-storage solutions needed to transition energy and transportation markets.

Similarly, it’s investing in suppliers of innovative building materials that enhance insulation and overall energy efficiency as well as industrial gases that lighten the environmental footprint across many hard-to-abate manufacturing processes. The strategy also invests in biobased materials that help reduce the consumption of traditional feedstock, lower industrial emissions, and create less environmental pollution when disposed. For the same reason, end-of-life recycling of materials is also a critical investment channel.

In addition, the Smart Materials strategy invests in CAD- and PLM-simulation software, robotics, and automation technologies to optimize product design, increase productivity and reduce waste and disruption along the entire manufacturing value chain.

Smart Materials has the right stuff to capture game-changing innovation for your portfolio.


Smart Materials I GBP

performance ytd (31/03)
-9.90%
Performance 3y (31/03)
-5.01%
since inception (31/03)
7.05%
total size of fund (31/03)
319mln
morningstar (31/03)
View the fund
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The value of the investments may fluctuate. Annualized (for periods longer than one year). Performances are net of fees and based on transaction prices.

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Important information This disclaimer applies to any documents and the verbal or written comments of any person in presentations or webinars on this website and taken together is referred to herein as the “Information”. The services to which the Information relate are NOT FOR RETAIL CLIENTS - The information contained in the Website is solely intended for professional investors, defined as investors which (1) qualify as professional clients within the meaning of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID), (2) have requested to be treated as professional clients within the meaning of the MiFID or (3) are authorized to receive such information under any other applicable laws and must not be relied or acted upon by any other persons. This Information does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any financial product, and may not be relied upon in connection with the purchase or sale of any financial product. You are cautioned against using this Information as the basis for making a decision to purchase any financial product. To the extent that you rely on the Information in connection with any investment decision, you do so at your own risk. The Information does not purport to be complete on any topic addressed. The Information may contain data or analysis prepared by third parties and no representation or warranty about the accuracy of such data or analysis is provided.
In all cases where historical performance is presented, please note that past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results and should not be relied upon as the basis for making an investment decision. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested. Neither Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. nor any of its affiliates guarantees the performance or the future returns of any investments. If the currency in which the past performance is displayed differs from the currency of the country in which you reside, then you should be aware that due to exchange rate fluctuations the performance shown may increase or decrease if converted into your local currency. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. (“Robeco”) expressly prohibits any redistribution of the Information without the prior written consent of Robeco. The Information is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use is contrary to law, rule or regulation. Certain information contained in the Information includes calculations or figures that have been prepared internally and have not been audited or verified by a third party. Use of different methods for preparing, calculating or presenting information may lead to different results. Robeco Institutional Asset Management UK Limited (“RIAM UK”) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. RIAM UK, 30 Fenchurch Street, Part Level 8, London EC3M 3BD (FCA Reference No:1007814). The company is registered in England and Wales under Ref No. 15362605.

In all cases where historical performance is presented, please note that past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results and should not be relied upon as the basis for making an investment decision. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested. Neither Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. nor any of its affiliates guarantees the performance or the future returns of any investments. If the currency in which the past performance is displayed differs from the currency of the country in which you reside, then you should be aware that due to exchange rate fluctuations the performance shown may increase or decrease if converted into your local currency. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. (“Robeco”) expressly prohibits any redistribution of the Information without the prior written consent of Robeco. The Information is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use is contrary to law, rule or regulation. Certain information contained in the Information includes calculations or figures that have been prepared internally and have not been audited or verified by a third party. Use of different methods for preparing, calculating or presenting information may lead to different results. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. is authorised as a manager of UCITS and AIFs by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets and subject to limited regulation in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us on request.