AkzoNobel’s Yacht Coatings business announced a new partnership with the Water Revolution Foundation with the main goals of creating a more sustainable yacht industry and helping to protect the world’s oceans.

The German automotive supplier Fischer Automotive has opened a new factory in Jagodina, Serbia in June 2021. The new site increases the company`s production capacity in Europe. Fischer will use the new site for the production of ventilation nozzles for clients like Mercedes and BMW.

Since 1 April 2021 Dietmar Dieing is leading Sesotec’s Plastics Industry division as the new Vice President of Sales.

The European diisocyanate and polyol producers association Isopa has updated the environmental performance data for polyols and diisocyantes (TDI/MDI) using the established and widely applied PlasticsEurope ‘Eco-Profiles’ methodology. The new data allows polyols and diisocyantes users to make up-to-date estimates of the environmental performance of their products as a part of the full life-cycle assessment (LCA). Isopa said the updated Eco-Profiles underline its strong commitment to encouraging environmental improvements in production and to support companies in producing sustainable polyurethane products.

Wanhua Chemical, a global leader in the production and marketing of polyurethanes, petrochemicals and fine chemicals, has received the inaugural “Excellence Award” from Axalta. Dr. Howard Ding, Sales Director of Wanhua Fine Chemicals, and Marc Block, Vice President of the Performance Chemicals Business Unit, accepted the award online on behalf of the company.

Texon announced that it has seen a significant uplift in interest in its paper-based Texon Vogue material over the last five years, which it attributes, in part, to the increasing number of people becoming vegan. According to the company, around the world a growing number of people are adopting plant-based diets. The United Nations estimated that in September 2020 there were around 78 million vegans worldwide. This increase is driving demand for vegan-friendly food, but also consumer goods including footwear and bags. According to The Vegan Society, the vegan leather market is set to overtake the animal leather market by 2025 and will be worth nearly USD 90 billion.

According to Messe Düsseldorf, now that the deadline for registrations for K 2022 has been reached, it is clear that the interest taken by exhibitors in the world’s most important trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry, to be held in Düsseldorf, Germany, from 19 to 26 October 2022, continues unabated. “K 2022 will again occupy the entire fairgrounds,” said Erhard Wienkamp, Managing Director at Messe Düsseldorf, and added: “When talking to exhibitors we feel that there is an enormous demand for personal exchange on a global level.” 

The Australian independent polyurethane systems house Era Polymers Pty Ltd with head office in Sydney announced that it is celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2021. According to the company, in 1986 George Papamanuel had the dream of owning his own polyurethane business. With the support of his wife Tina Papamanuel, hard work and determination, he realised that dream. George’s business started off small in his garage and he was always pinching Tina’s cooking utensils and crockery to test product.

Covestro and the Brazilian footwear manufacturer Calçados Beira Rio are jointly developing concept shoes with more sustainable material solutions. An elegant women's shoe and a comfortable casual shoe are used as examples to illustrate the variety of possibilities – from upper to lining, from sole to heel.