OCSiAl is introducing a new graphene nanotube product particularly developed for EPDM rubber. According to the company the new material provides materials with anti-static properties and improves tear strength, overcoming the standard drawbacks of carbon black, polymer additives, multi wall carbon nanotubes, and other conductive agents on the market.

Nouryon and Atul announced that they have started production at Anaven, a new joint venture in Gujarat, India, that will help meet the rapidly growing demand in India’s agricultural, personal care and pharmaceutical markets. Anaven operates India’s largest monochloroacetic acid (MCA) production site, with a current capacity of 32,000 t/y, with the possibility of a rapid expansion of up to 60,000 t/y. MCA is used as a raw material for a variety of products, such as adhesives, pharmaceuticals and crop protection chemicals. Atul consumes a portion of the MCA directly in its own production of crop protection chemicals.

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.

Reliable International Exhibition Services Ltd., the organiser of the 18th China International Tire and Wheel Expo (Citexpo) 2021, announced that due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic it has decided to postpone the exhibition to 2022 in order to ensure the continuing success of the event and protect the safety of the exhibitors, domestic and foreign visitors, and related personnel. The event was previously scheduled for 16 – 18 August 2021. The specific date of the 2022 event will be announced later, said the organiser.

Ineos Styrolution, Recycling Technologies and Trinseo have reached a significant milestone in their plans to build commercial polystyrene (PS) recycling plants in Europe. Recycling Technologies has been selected as the technology partner.

Malte Witt has been appointed as Vice President EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) of Armacell, a specialist in flexible foam for the equipment insulation market and provider of engineered foams. Witt succeeds Guillerme Huguen, who will take on the new position of Chief Strategic Development Officer.

In this issue, we look at tyre recycling and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in R&D and production. We have an interview with Anish K. Taneja, who was appointed President of wdk, the German Rubber Industry Association in November 2020 and market reports from Composites Germany, EuPC and Amaplast Materials discussed in this issue are LSR for marine underwater cables, urea-resistant EPDM gaskets and hoses, and butyl rubber.

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.