Rampf Eco Solutions is presenting its recycled polyols together with chemical processes and multifunctional plants for the upcycling of polyurethane residues at the Utech Europe 2021 (Stand D37) trade fair from 16 – 18 November 2021 in Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Covestro announced that it will unveil a range of digital tools for the polyurethane elastomer industry at Utech Europe 2021, which will be held in Maastricht, the Netherlands, from 16 – 18 November 2021. According to Covestro, this is in line with the company's strategy to grow based on continuous digital transformation: it will not only impact the company's work, from plant maintenance to research and development, but also improve the way Covestro supports its customers.

Millions of people in more than 90 countries watch the Vienna New Year's Concert each year. The Golden Hall in Vienna's Musikverein building is one of the acoustically best halls in the world and the pride and joy of the concert house. When an underground tunnel was built just four meters from the building in 2002, vibration protection specialist Getzner Werkstoffe supplied Sylodyn discrete bearings for the mass-spring system (MSS), thus ensuring continued, undisturbed music enjoyment. The system has now been in operation for 17 years, has withstood a load of roughly 450 million tonnes and continues to offer unchanged high performance.

Covestro’s product range in Europe is to be expanded to include mass-balanced thermoplastic polyurethanes from as early as the beginning of 2022, and in Asia at a later date. This was announced recently by the company.

DuPont announced on 2 November that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Rogers Corporation for USD 5.2 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions.

BASF and Sport Group have started a cooperation for the distribution and installation of a new, sustainable flooring system with Infinergy. BASF offers Infinergy, the first expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (E-TPU) for flooring systems. The high-performance material is said to have a very good environmental profile and is Oeko-Tex certified. Function, stability and environmental compatibility have been extensively tested and make Infinergy a forward-looking alternative to previously used materials, said BASF. In addition, the product ensures a production cycle without residual waste, because it can be fully recovered and reused without harmful residues. In the outdoor sector, the material can be used as an elastic layer for unsealed, sustainable and environmentally friendly sports facilities, running tracks and playgrounds.

Teknor Apex has announced the addition of an Arvitec co-extrusion line in their application development laboratory in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, enhancing the capabilities of their European Center of Excellence for plastics research and development. This extrusion line has been completely commissioned and trialed and is ready to support clients’ development projects as well as internal company development projects.

Kraiburg TPE announced that it has entered into a partnership with the digital platform Brain of Materials. The compounder pointed out in a statement this will enable the company to make its innovative materials with all their technical data directly available to developers and manufacturers from various industries for integration into product development processes. By using Brain of Materials, the company now provides its customers and interested parties with further digital access to technical data and material details for seamless integration into development processes.

On 26 October 2021, the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) published a report that analyzes scientific data on the environmental impacts of plastics and finds plastics to be more sustainable than alternative materials when life cycle assessments are taken into consideration. The report, authored by environmental scientist Kenneth Green and titled “Plastics and Sustainability,” further finds that eliminating plastics would be detrimental to ongoing sustainability efforts and that enhancing recycling systems is a practical solution.

Manufacturers of medical devices deal intensively with the materials to be used before the development phase. In the field of plastics, PVC has proven itself for many medical applications. As for infusion systems each system comprises a pin, a drip chamber, a transparent infusion line, a flow controller and a connector. This material is increasingly subject to criticism, e.g. because of problems with plasticizers. With serious possible consequences: PVC plasticizers can be released. Certain active ingredients can also form deposits on the surface of the PVC material which impairs the effect of the respective drug. Medical products that are produced in very large numbers must, on the one hand, be economical to manufacture despite the highest demands on product safety and hygiene. On the other hand, the requirements are constantly increasing to ensure the health of staff and patients.