MonoSol, a manufacturer of water soluble films, has launched Vivos Edible Delivery Systems. Water soluble and edible, pouches engineered from Vivos films disappear and release their contents when exposed to hot or cold liquids; the dissolved film can then be consumed along with the food.

Consumers benefit from on-the-go convenience, in addition to portion control and sustainability in terms of not having to throw away the package.

Foodservice kitchens and food manufacturers using pre-measured quantities in mixing and batching operations improve the accuracy of the operation while also saving production time and processing costs. Specific examples include fruit drinks, work out supplements, instant teas and coffees, gravies, soups, hot chocolate, pasta, cooking aids, dyes, enzymes, vitamin fortifiers and yeasts to mention a few.

The patent pending Vivos water soluble edible film formulation is composed of a proprietary blend of food grade ingredients. The film is transparent and has no smell or taste when consumed. It offers good oxygen barrier properties and has robust mechanical properties that enable real-world usage with various foods and forming of bags/pouches using existing converting technologies.

US private equity firm Carlyle Group has paid US$4.9 billion to acquire DuPont Performance Coatings.

German chemicals firm BASF has set up a new research laboratory for thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) in the US.

German automotive products supplier Mann + Hummel GmbH is expanding in China by acquiring Bengbu Haoye, a manufacturer of filters for the automotive industry.

US-based Emerald Kalama Chemical is building a facility to manufacture environmentally friendly materials in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, at the plant it acquired from DSM in 2010.

Mitsui Chemicals of Tokyo has established a company for functional polymeric materials in Shanghai’s Jinshan district.

Five years after Huntsman Polyurethanes teamed up with renewable resource-based polyol producer Alberdingk Boley to co-develop PU solutions for the coatings market.

Solvay Advanced Polymers is upping capacity for its Spire polyetheretherketone (PAEK) by 70% at its Panoli, India, plant.

In lieu of a growing lighter vehicles trend, Lanxess opens its first US$20 million worth production plant for high-tech plastics plant in Gasronia in the U.S. state of North Carolina, to help meet the increasing demand for premium, lightweight plastics.