May 2023

Company News

• »  M&As: DuPont to buy Spectrum Plastics in US$1.7 bn deal
• »  M&As: Versalis to acquire Novamont from Mater-Bi; Marie Tecnimont acquires PMMA recycling tech for EUR6 mn, sets up jv
• »  Apollo/Adnoc make offer of US$7 bn for stake in Braskem

Materials News

• »  Green news: Tosoh to build CO₂ recovery/feedstock conversion plant in Japan; Chemical firms launch R&D hub for plastic waste processing in the Netherlands
• »  Green news: Trinseo starts up PC recycling pilot facility in Netherlands; Idemitsu Kosan, Kumho Petrochemical and Sumitomo tie up for biobased styrene
• »  Green tie-ups: Lotte/Polymateria to commercialise biodegradeable resin in Malaysia; Eastman secures feedstock for US$1 bn recycling facility in France
• »  UN’s roadmap to slash plastic pollution by 80% by 2040
• »  China PP expansions: Grace starts up five PetroChina/Grand Resource Science PP lines; adds new licence with PetroChina Guangxi
• »  Expansions: Alujain selects Lummus tech for propylene plant in Saudi Arabia; Lummus licenses Texplore’s HDPE tech in Thailand

April 2023

Company News

• »  Tie-ups: Chandra Asri/INA to pursue chlor-alkali plant in Indonesia; Petronas Chemicals to expand specialties portfolio with acquisition of Perstorp
• »  M&As: TotalEnergies sells resin product lines; Henkel exits from Russia, sells businesses for EUR600 mn
• »   Newly formed Lanxess/Advent jv known as Envalior; sales of EUR4 bn
• »  M&As: Versalis to acquire bioplastics maker Novamont; Toyoba and Mitsubishi set up jv in functional materials

Materials News

• »   Expansions: Lummus/Citroniq to produce green PP in US; Technip awarded contract for Juhua’s PTT plant in China
• »  Green materials: PureCycle completes Ohio facility for recycling PP waste; Idemitsu produces ISCC-certified biobased styrene/PS in Malaysia
• »  T-Plas 2023 highlights a new special zone for recycling solutions
• »  EPA issues draft strategy for plastic pollution; to test oil from advanced recycling for impurities
• »  New technologies to push the recycling agenda April issue 
• »  Packaging: Improving global carbon emissions, one package at a time April issue 
• »  Thermoplastics Elastomers: KRAIBURG TPE’s sustainable TPE gets a grip on the Victory toothbrush April issue 
• »  Biomaterials: Kuraray develops biobased, highbarrier, recyclable granulate for paper coating April issue 
• »  China plants: Clariant opens catalyst plant; SK Geo Centric/Satellite to build 4th EAA plant
• »  China: Adopting pathways to carbon neutrality April issue 

Machinery

• »  Interfoam China 2023 to focus on new trends and opportunities in the foam industry
• »  Foaming technologies will take centre stage at Interfoam South China in December
• »  Interfoam Vietnam to showcase the booming foam market in Asia
• »  Krones expands process technology offering with acquisition of US firm Ampco Pumps
• »  Chinaplas 2023: ExxonMobil targets Chinese processors with portfolio of sustainable solutions April issue 
• »  Chinaplas 2023: Kiefel showcasing new KMD 90 Smart; capable of processing recycled/PLA resins April issue 
• »  Chinaplas 2023: Coperion and Herbold display compounding/recycling solutions and for production of bioplastics April issue 

Advertorial

• »   Advertorial: Discover green plastics & rubber solutions in CHINAPLAS 2023 April issue 

March 2023

Company News

• »  M&As: Evonik invests in additives firm Interface Polymers; Toyo Ink acquires Thai Eurocoat coatings firm
• »  Aramco expands presence in China with 10% stake in Rongsheng Petrochem; breaks ground on new refinery/petchem complex in China
• »  M&As: Constantia Flexibles to acquire Drukpol Flexo; IMCD expands industrial footprint with acquisition of UK’s Orange Chemicals
• »  M&As: Univar bought by Apollo for US$8 bn; LyondellBasell to acquire Italian recycler Mepol Group
• »  Pengerang inks US$100 bn off-take agreements with chemical/energy majors
• »   M&As: Aramco completes US$2.65 bn acquisition of Valvoline lubricants biz; Solvay to sell entire stake in RusVinyl to partner Sibur for EUR430 mn

Materials News

• »  European associations urge EU to adopt rules for calculation of chemically recycled content in plastics
• »  PE updates: S-Oil to use Unipol PE process for South Korean plant; Borouge secures US$30 mn contracts for PE materials in Middle East, Africa
• »  Green tie-ups: Origin Materials/Hyosung to produce batteries, tyres, apparel from carbon-negative materials; Agilyx, Ineos and Technip to build PS recycling plant in US
• »   Sustainable TPEs for household goods and vet medical equipment applications
• »  Green materials; SK Chemicals acquires Chinese green firm Shuye for US$100 mn; Mitsubishi Chemical launches study to commercialise chemical recycling of PC
• »  Green tie-ups: Chiyoda/University of Toyoma/HighChem to produce p-xylene from C02; DIC/Idemitsu Kosan to explore production of biomass PS
• »  New auto interior surface TPE series for the APAC market to be launched at Chinaplas 2023
• »  Expansions: Covestro expands production capacity for polycarbonate films in Thailand, BASF starts up biobased polyols line in India
• »  Expansions: LyondellBasell commissions world's largest PO/TBA unit in US; Chimei starts up 350 kt/yr PS plant in China
• »  Expansions: QatarEnergy, CPChem break ground on US$8.5 bn polymers plant; Aramco breaks ground on US$7bn Shaheen petchem project in South Korea

Advertorial

• »  ADVERTORIAL: Brush industry in the spotlight at the CIBRUSH 2023 exhibition in September
• »  INTERFOAM Vietnam 2023 to showcase advancements in Southeast Asia's foam industr

February 2023

Company News

• »  European associations urge EU to adopt rules for calculation of chemically recycled content in plastics
• »   Plants: Olin to close global epoxy facilities due to weak demand; Adani stays committed to developing US$4 bn PVC plant in India, despite reports
• »  BASF to cut 2,600 jobs; expects savings of EUR500 mn/year
• »  M&As: LG Chem takes stake in Piedmont Lithium and offtake agreements; Evonik invests in Chinese battery expert SuperC
• »   M&As: Solvay to divest stake in Rusvinyl to Sibur; Asahi Kasei/Mitsui Chemicals combine spunbond nonwoven businesses
• »  Green tie-ups: LyondellBasell/Kirkbi invest in APK for recycling technology; CPChem/Nexus in long-term feedstock agreement for bioPE
• »  Investments: Fairbrics raises EUR22 mn for CO₂-based polyester fibre plant; Maire Tecnimont acquires majority stake in bioplastics maker Conser
• »  Investments: Ineos raises EUR3.5 bn for ethylene project; Advent/Lanxess receive clearances for engineering materials jv

Materials News

• »   Green tie-ups: LyondellBasell to use recycled feedstock from Nexus Circular; Avantium and Origin Materials to accelerate production of FDCA and PEF
• »  Project STOP hands over circular waste project to East Java community
• »   UN treaty, drastic reforms can stem plastic waste crisis – Peak Plastics
• »  Expansions: Covestro starts up EUR200 mn chlorine plant in Tarragona; Ineos/Lotte to build third VAM plant in South Korea
• »   Green materials: Nova launches rPE line of products; Avient launches density modified polymers with recycled/bio content
• »  Medical seals and gaskets with polar adhesion TPE
• »  Recycling: Neste, Uponor, Wastewise & Borealis enable chemical recycling of pipes; Mitsubishi collaborates with Tokio Marine and ABT to recycle auto taillamps
• »  Biobased polymers growth at 14% over 5 years; Asia largest capacity
• »  Covestro discontinues thermoplastic fibre composites line; closes German site

Machinery News

• »  Neste and Iillig to cooperate on thermoformed sustainable packaging through demo cases
• »  Azo launches global product centre; reorganies structure
• »   Coperion and Herbold focus on compounding/recycling technology at Plastindia 2023
• »  Sidel acquires Makro to expand offering in labelling machines

January 2023

Company News

• »  M&As: Private equity firms bidding for Univar; Borealis acquires majority stake in recycling firm Renasci
• »   Dow to cut 2,000 jobs; looking to save US$1 bn in costs
• »  M&As: Adnoc acquires 25% stake in Borealis; PKN Orlen buys LDPE facility in Poland
• »  M&As: Advantek acquires Malaysia’s LKTT; Sika to sell part of MBCC’s admixture business to Ineos

Materials News

• »  Green Materials: Braskem to evaluate production of biobased PP in US; Lanxess/TotalEnergies to cooperate on sustainable styrene
• »  Green materials: LG Chem to produce plastics from fishing nets; Nexam Chemical secures first major order from South Korea
• »  Recycling: Petro Rabigh signs MoUs for recycling plants in Saudi Arabia; Sumitomo Chemical completes pilot facility for PMMA recycling
• »   Well-rounded TPEs from Kraiburg TPE
• »  Biobased polyolefins slated for growth in next decade; Asia lead consumer
• »  Expansions: Saudi Top Trading to produce compounds at Petro Rabigh facility; Nayara Energy to set up PP unit in India
• »  Green Expansions: CJ HDC opens South Korean bioplastic compounding plant; Origin Materials completes Canadian biobased materials plant

Machinery News

• »  Hot technologies at Chinaplas 2023