Plastics and Polymers

Driving Change Across the Industry

Christene Smith from CHEManager speaks with Christine Bunte, Managing Director of Plastics Europe Deutschland, and Miriam Olivi, President of Women in Plastics Italy.

Plastics and the Value Of Sustainability

How designers can help make sustainable materials both attractive and desirable, emphasizing the importance of collaboration among industry professionals to create a new aesthetic language for sustainability.

Pritzker Private Capital Acquires Majority Stake in Americhem

US investment company Pritzker Private Capital (PPC) has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Americhem, a family-owned US manufacturer of custom color masterbatch, performance additive and engineered compound solutions.

Traceless, a Game-Changing Biomaterial

In this interview, Christene Smith sits down with Anne Lamp, the CEO & Co-Founder of Traceless Materials, to delve into the groundbreaking world of natural biopolymer materials.

Covestro to Build its Largest TPU Site in China

German engineering plastics producer Covestro has decided to build its largest-ever thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) site at Zhuhai, China.

Plastics Industry Slams new US Legislative Proposal

US chemicals and plastics producers have expectedly slammed a new legislative initiative called Protecting Communities from Plastics Act (PCPA) introduced by Democratic Party senators and representatives in both houses of Congress at the beginning of December.

Bloomberg Funds Program to Block US Petchem Projects

Michael Bloomberg, the founder of US-based financial, software, data and media group Bloomberg LP and a United Nations special envoy on climate ambition and solutions, has launched a campaign to stop the expansion of petrochemicals and plastics production in the US.

Investindustrial Sells PVC Compounder Benvic to ICIG

European private equity group Investindustrial — through subsidiary PVC Europe — has agreed a sale of PVC compounder Benvic to International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG). However, it expects to retain Benvic’s medical activities in Italy.

Vietnam Expands in Petchems and Plastics

Vietnam is on its way to becoming a major Asian player in petrochemicals and plastics. Up to now, the country has lagged regional peers such as China or Malaysia in bringing new production facilities on stream, but this is slowly changing.

Azelis Makes Another Move in Turkey

Azelis has agreed to buy Turkish specialty chemicals distributor Dağalti Kauçuk San, marking its third acquisition in the country so far this year.

Covestro Chief Sees Recession Looming

A recession is headed for Europe that will be deeper and last longer than the financial crisis of 2008, Markus Steilemann, CEO of engineering plastics producer Covestro, predicted in an interview with a German business newspaper.

Making Demanding Applications Bio-Based

Biovox was founded in 2020 to enable more sustainability through renewable bioplastics even in difficult applications such as consumables in healthcare or machine parts.

Polyplastics Plans German Polymers Plant

Japanese engineering plastics specialist Polyplastics has announced plans to build a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) production plant in Leuna, Germany, to meet growing global demand for its Topas COC polymers.

Circular Economy

The chemical industry is on the threshold of a new era – the age of circularity. We asked industry experts to share their opinions on this transformational topic.

Transition to Circular Economy: No Time to Stand Still

The shift to a circular economy requires intensive cooperation along the chemical value chain and across industries.

The Age Of Circularity

AdvanSource Biomaterials Sells TPU Business to Mitsubishi Chemicals

Marine Litter, Tighter Regulations, Progressive Digitalization

Covestro Widens Japanese TPU Stake

Covestro has widened its stake in its thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) joint venture with Japanese PPS compounder and pigment manufacturer DIC (formerly Dainippon Ink & Chemicals), increasing its holding to 80% from 50%.

Going Circular: How to Close the Loop?

Since their invention after the World War II, plastics started to grow faster than any other standard material.

Celanese to Buy India’s Next Polymers

LyondellBasell completes Schulman Acquisition

Sibur Said Preparing for IPO

Material Solutions for the Automotive Industry

Polyplastics USA to Incorporate TOPAS

SABIC Acquires 24.99% Stake in Clariant

Bayer Divests More of Covestro

Celanese Acquiring Custom Compounder

Europe Calls for Duty Free Bioethanol

Covestro to Hang onto Tarragona MDI Site

ExxonMobil signs MoU for Petchems in China

Business Opportunities in the US

The Middle East – More Opportunities than Risks

DSM Partners Toyota Motorsport

Covestro Lifts West Virginia TPU Capacity

Through debottlenecking, Germany-based engineering plastics producer Covestro said it plans to expand production capacity for thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) at its New Martinsville plant in the US state of West Virginia by 25%. The new capacity is expected to be in the market by the second quarter of next year.