Kuraray has signed the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), registering as a participating company on December 17, 2020. At the same time, the company joined the Global Compact Network Japan, which mainly consists of Japanese companies who have signed the UNGC.

DuPont Mobility & Materials announced that it has won a silver Edison Award in the Sustainability category for Betaforce 2800 TC thermally conductive structural adhesives. Named after Thomas Alva Edison, the Edison Awards have recognised and honoured some of the most innovative new products, services, and business leaders in the world since 1987.

Perstorp Group announced that it has committed to setting science-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. According to the company, with ambitions to become the number one sustainable solutions provider within prioritised markets, it has already committed to becoming Finite Material Neutral. Now, the global chemical company has announced its commitment to emission reduction targets in line with Paris Climate Agreement and the Science Based Targets initiative. Targets will be set for both direct and indirect emissions (scope 1, 2 and 3 according to the GHG protocol) and calculated with projected future expansion and growth considered. The ambition is to apply for science-based targets in 2021.

Sika has agreed to acquire Hamatite, the adhesives business of The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. Hamatite is a market leader in Japan, offering adhesives and sealants to the automotive and construction industries. According to Sika, the acquisition will strengthen its market position in Japan, increase market access to all major Japanese OEMs, and notably extend the product offering for sealing and bonding applications in the Japanese construction industry. Headquartered in Tokyo, the business generates annual sales of CHF 160 million (~EUR 145 million). The transaction is subject to clearance by anti-trust authorities.

BASF is strengthening its innovation capabilities in Asia by breaking ground for the third phase of its Innovation Campus Shanghai and by establishing an academic sounding board as part of the Network for Asian Open Research (NAO). The expansion includes an additional research and development (R&D) building and one R&D workshop building. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. By then, the total investment of BASF into its Innovation Campus Shanghai will sum up to around EUR 280 million.

BASF, Quantafuel and Remondis have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly evaluate a cooperation in chemical recycling including a joint investment into a pyrolysis plant for plastic waste. It is intended that Remondis, a leading waste and water management company, supplies suitable plastic waste to the plant, and BASF uses the resulting pyrolysis oil as feedstock in its production Verbund as part of its ChemCycling project. Quantafuel intends to provide the technology and to operate the plant. The company is a specialist for the pyrolysis of mixed plastic waste and the purification of the resulting pyrolysis oil; the technology is jointly developed and being held with BASF. The location of the pyrolysis plant will be evaluated together, said the companies.

Chinaplas 2021 was concluded on 16 April 2021 with a total of 152,134 visitors. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the move to the new venue at Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center, CHINAPLAS has once again proved itself to be a high standard platform for presenting new technologies and sourcing latest products for the plastics and rubber industries. Though the total number of visitors this year dropped by 6.85 %, the number of local visitors has increased by 23.46 % compared to the previous edition of show in Guangzhou in 2019. In addition, the official live streaming platform has attracted 363,000 audiences and helped the event reach out to global buyers throughout the four days of the event.

Huntsman Building Solutions announced the launch of two new courses for design professionals. The continuing education offerings, Spray Polyurethane Foam as a Continuous Insulation (CI) Solution and Improving Roof Performance with Spray Foam Insulation, are both available through Architectural Record magazine’s Continuing Education Center. Each course is a nano-credit offering, providing participants who complete one with 0.5 CEU credits.

The Vita Group, a European flexible foam solutions provider, announced that it has begun a comprehensive multi-million euro investment programme following the completion of its purchase of Italian foam manufacturer I.M.P.E. S.p.A., based in Naples.