Elkem Silicones announced that it will invest EUR 25 million to build a new Research and Development (R+D) centre at its Saint-Fons site in France for the development of high value-added silicone specialities. Construction is scheduled to start in March 2019. The facility, which is expected to be operational at the end of 2020, will bring together 130 European researchers and will be at the heart of the Chemistry Valley and the Lyon Metropolis.

The government has planned to allocate another IDR 13 billion in state budget fund to rejuvenate 1,200 hectares of rubber plantations in South Sumatra province next year (2019).

Perstorp Holding AB announced that it has agreed to sell its caprolactone business Capa, including the production site in Warrington, UK, to Ingevity Corporation for approximately EUR 590 million. The transaction is subject to certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in Q1 2019.

On 3 December 2018, the French Borflex group announced that it has taken over the Mendrisio-based Swiss company Rex Articoli Tecnici SA, a specialist in the design and production of rubber and thermoplastic parts. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Alibaba has told the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAT) it will provide an auction system for Chinese buyers of Thai rubber in China, anticipating annual sales of at least 200,000 tons. Nakorn Tangavirapat, deputy governor of the RAT, said on Wednesday (12 December 2018) that officials of Alibaba Group visited the RAT offices to ask it to gather and certify sources of natural rubber supply for its online auction project.

Innovative materials and technology have been a hallmark of all presentations staged at the K trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany, the international flagship fair for the plastics and rubber industry. K 2019, which will take place from 16 – 23 October 2019, will also revolve around the key issues of circular economy, resource conservation and digitisation, all of which will be addressed at exhibition stands and by the accompanying programme.

On 10 December 2018, Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS) announced its incorporation as an independent legal entity and collaboration platform. SCS was founded in 2017 by leading styrenics manufacturers and is a joint industry initiative to drive the shift to a more circular economy for styrenics.

Dow Chemical announced the opening of a new polyol plant for rigid polyurethane foam in Rayong, Thailand. According to the company, the facility increases its capacity to offer insulation materials and solutions with reliable, energy-efficient performance.

On 11 December 2018, Continental performed the symbolic ground-breaking ceremony in Pune, India, signalling the start of construction work on a plant to manufacture premium surface materials for the automotive industry.

Indonesian state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina and its Russian counterpart, Rosneft Oil Company, will build and operate a new oil refinery integrated with New Grass Root Refinery and Petrochemical in Tuban, East Java. "The government has determined the construction site of the refinery in Tuban District, East Java Province. The site was decided following comprehensive studies and considerations, in terms of location, topography, and geological studies," Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Ignasius Jonan noted in a written statement received by ANTARA in Jakarta Wednesday (14 November 2018). However, the construction plan of the refinery is still facing constraints in the form of land acquisition.