Covestro opens TPU paint protection film line in Taiwan

Covestro has commenced a new manufacturing line for thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) that will be utilized for paint protection films (PPFs), said the company.

The line is installed at the firm's current Taiwanese facility in Changhua. Products manufactured here will be available in the global market. The world's PPF market is expected to rise steadily until 2030, with Asia-Pacific representing the biggest share of the overall market.

Growth forecast in the region is fuelled by that of the Chinese market. Europe and North America are also exhibiting solid increase. The PPFs will be marketed under the Desmopan UP brand. The new manufacturing line and the introduction of Desmopan UP will help meet rising demand for high-performance PPF in the Asia-Pacific region and around the globe.

We remind, Covestro, a leading manufacturer of high-quality polymer materials and their components, has signed a 90 megawatt (MW) virtual power purchase agreement (vPPA) with Orsted, a clean energy leader in the U.S. market, headquartered in Denmark.

mrchub.com

Europe’s first new polypropylene (PP) plant to open in 15 years has started production in Poland, the producer Grupa Azoty announced on Thursday.

Based at the Police petrochemical complex in the northwest corner of Poland, by the sea-linked river Oder, it can produce up to 437,000 tonnes of PP and 429,000 tonnes of propylene per year.

Grupa Azoty said sales of its PP, called Gryfilen, will start in August this year.

The new complex – with a budget of more than zloty (Zl) 7.2bn, roughly EUR1.6bn at today’s exchange rate – uses Oleflex UOP technology to make polymer-quality propylene by propane dehydrogenation (PDH), and Unipol GRACE technology to make PP.

The production capacity will be “gradually increased until the assumed parameters of the new factory are reached”, according to Grupa Azoty.

We remind, Grupa Azoty Polyolefins said that it has taken a first delivery of ethylene feedstock for its USD1.8bn world-scale propane dehydrogenation (PDH) and PP plant that it plans to launch in Police, northwestern Poland in the near future, said the company. A shipment of 3,500 tonnes of ethylene was on Monday delivered to the company’s maritime gas terminal in Police by the gas carrier GasChem Rhone, it added.

mrchub.com

VinylPlus reveals that the European recycling rates of PVC were at approximately 27% in 2022, said Amiplastics.

According to the organization, 813,266 tonnes of PVC waste were recycled and utilized in new products in the EU-27, Switzerland, the UK and Norway. The figure is about 0.3% higher than in 2021, which was at 810,775 tonnes. Of this, 38% was post-consumer waste (where PVC is gathered after use) and 62% was preconsumer waste (where plants reprocess their own waste internally).

In 2022, the amount of pre-consumer recycling dropped by about 1.5%, while post-consumer recycling expanded by almost 3.5%. Recycling of flexible PVC and films went down by approximately 19% to 212,000 tonnes in 2022 from about 262,000 tonnes in 2021.

Under its VinylPlus 2030 commitment, the organization aims to recycle 900,000 tonnes/y and 1 M tonnes/y of PVC by 2025 and 2030, respectively.

We remind, Solvay announces the completion of the sale of its 50% stake in the RusVinyl joint venture to its joint venture partner Sibur. At the time of closing, Solvay received €433 million in cash proceeds in Belgium which will be reported in the first quarter as cash flow from investing activities (Consolidated statement of cash flows). A capital loss of €174 million will be recognized in the first quarter of 2023, mainly reflecting the crystallization of historic currency translation balances.

mrchub.com

Teknor Apex has declared the takeover of Nu-Pro Polymers (a recycled PVC compound manufacturer based in Wheeling, IL, US). Nu-Pro turns post-industrial (PIR) waste into new compounds that are said to match superior performance, said the company.

It specializes in natural, black and clear grades including a range of durometers and consisting of up to 90% recycled content. After the takeover deal, Nu-Pro will still produce products for Teknor Apex under the brand name Cycle-Tek.

We remind, Teknor Apex announced an expansion of its relationship with Nexeo Plastics. Nexeo Plastics will become a key distributor for Teknor Apex in Europe (effective January 1, 2023) of its portfolio of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) under the Sarlink® and Monprene brands.

mrchub.com

Ashland is introducing Polyplasdone Plus, a co-processed multifunctional direct compression superdisintegrant containing a glidant and lubricant. Saving time and simplifying development, the multifunctional disintegrant offers superior powder flow and lubrication during pharmaceutical manufacturing, said the company.

This innovative product eliminates two manufacturing steps and simplifies equipment setup while simultaneously delivering improved tablet hardness and helping ensure the production of consistent, high-quality products in batch and continuous manufacturing.

Regarding parameter improvement, Polyplasdone Plus multifunctional disintegrant maximizes the capacity of equipment by increasing the powder flow function by 29% and the feed factor by 9%.

The continued focus on improving manufacturing efficiency coupled with strong demand for the tablet dosage form is driving the use of high-speed tableting. Ashland's innovative multifunctional direct compression disintegrant, Polyplasdone Plus multifunctional disintegrant, will help overcome development hurdles and improve process efficiencies due to low ejection force and enhanced flow properties, with no additional lubricant required.

We remind, Ashland says it has raised the quarterly dividend on its common stock by 12%, to 33.5 cents/share. The dividend will be payable on 15 June to shareholders of record as of 1 June. The company has also established a new share buyback program worth USD500 million, replacing a previous USD1-billion buyback authorization from 2018. Shares will be repurchased in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions.

Ashland Global Holdings Inc.is a global additives and specialty ingredients company with a conscious and proactive mindset for sustainability. The company serves customers in a wide range of consumer and industrial markets, including architectural coatings, automotive, construction, energy, food and beverage, nutraceuticals, personal care and pharmaceuticals. Approximately 3,800 passionate, tenacious solvers – from renowned scientists and research chemists to talented engineers and plant operators – thrive on developing practical, innovative and elegant solutions to complex problems for customers in more than 100 countries.

mrchub.com