German researchers report in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology that they have identified and characterized a strain of bacteria capable of degrading some of the chemical building blocks of polyurethane.

According to the Belgium-based company Materialise, 3D printing technology may lend a hand in preventing the spread of the coronavirus. The 3D printing specialist has designed a 3D printed door opener that makes it possible to open and close doors with your arm, removing the need for direct contact with door handles. The company is offering the printable design for free and calling upon the global 3D printing community to 3D print the door opener and make it available all around the world.

Feica – The Association of the European Adhesive and Sealant Industry announced that a series of its one-component foam (OCF) test methods has been approved as CEN standards. OCF manufacturers representing more than 90 % of the market in Europe have developed, within Feica, standardised test methods which allow the performance of OCF products to be measured, compared and communicated in an accurate manner, allowing customers to buy with confidence.

Davis-Standard once again exhibited at MD&M West in Anaheim in February. The company showcased a running TPE tubing line at its stand. The line is capable of processing a variety of flexible tubing materials at speeds up to 300 feet / min (91 mpm).

In March 2020 Amyris, global science and technology company for pure, sustainable ingredients for the health and wellness, cleaning, beauty and flavors and ragrances markets, announced the launch of a new, safe and clean Pipette Baby branded hand sanitizer – that can be used by everyone – to help combat COVID-19. Initial production of its hand sanitizer has started with Allure Labs as its contract manufacturing and packaging partner.

To make sure that Zahoransky’s Z.Shark tufting machine can use its full output capacity in an even wider range of applications, it now has the option of being fitted with a double turret instead of a single turret. Typical applications include the tufting of children's toothbrushes as well as hybrid toothbrushes and toothbrushes with different hole diameters that are partially tufted by two machines. In these cases, the double turret compensates for the lower bundle requirement per toothbrush so that the Z.Shark can produce at its maximum speed of 1,000 tufts/minute.

Elkem Silicones has presented its liquid silicone rubber (LSR) technology at the Medical Design and Manufacturing (MD&M) West 2020 conference from 11 – 13 February 2020 in Anaheim, CA, USA.

Laoganma, also known as Old Godmother, manufactures chili sauces in China. The highly popular products are also exported to the USA, Australia and more than 30 other countries around the world. The company produces and seals 1.3 million bottles per day and currently employs more than 4,000 people. And now the world's largest producer of chili sauces has opted to change its entire range over to Provalin TPE sealing compounds supplied by Actega DS.

Covestro announced that it is investing in the French technical start-up company Crime Science Technology (C.S.T) as part of its corporate venture capital activities. With this investment, the company is strengthening its business with special films for ID documents and is getting access to the Optical Variable Material (O.V.M) technology for polycarbonates and polyurethanes.

At Formnext 2019 in Frankfurt, a leading sector show for additive-based manufacturing, BASF 3D Printing Solutions (B3DPS) introduced its new Forward AM corporate brand. The company said that it continues to pursue its goal of driving industrial scalability as the next phase of additive-based manufacturing. “Forward” stands for future-oriented, leading-edge materials and technology, while “AM” stands for “additive manufacturing”. Under the Forward AM brand the company offers end-to-end materials and service solutions along the entire value chain – from an initial product idea right through to its serial manufacture.