Lubrizol has recently introduced halogen-free Estane ZHF TPU grades mainly for cable production that are said to feature low toxicity, low smoke and low gas conductivity. The company said that the design versatility of the new products polymers expands the scope of applications, including thinner or coloured cables.

The Hamburg-based German Lehvoss Group will exhibit at Formnext 2019 (hall 11.1, stand B48), which will take place from 19 – 22 November 2019 in Frankfurt a. M., Germany. The company announced that it will highlight Luvosint TPU for tailor-made orthopaedic insoles as well as its Luvocom 3F series of 3D printing filaments.

Teknor Apex has appointed Suresh Swaminathan as its new president. He succeeds William J. Murray, who is retiring after 41 years with the company. Swaminathan will be responsible for the worldwide custom compounding business.

Songwon has expanded its portfolio of Songstomer thermoplastic polyurethanes. Well-suited to a number of applications such as cables, tubes, films, profiles, compounds and masterbatches, Songstomer polyether-TPU products P-3280A10/P-3285A10/P-3285-A10U/P-3290A10/P-3295A10/P-3254-D10 are said to secure higher mechanical property stability, including less discolouration under long-term heat aging and thermoplastic processing and their high resistance to hydrolysis and microbe attack, make them products of choice for compounding.

At K 2019 Wanhua Chemical has launched a material platform for the additive manufacturing of shoes which integrates highly flexible printing materials, including Wanfab TPU filaments, powders, and waterborne coatings as well as Adwel waterborne adhesives. Based on Wanhua’s materials, the Chinese company Peak Sports has launched 3D-printed sneakers, marketed as The Next. These sneakers provide consumers with comfortable and personalised experience. One of the breakthroughs of the shoes is that they leverage 100 % recyclable 3D printing materials to design a unique circular lifecycle sneaker, which is eco-friendly, says Wanhua.

LG Chem announced Thursday (7 November 2019) it has opened a technical service and development center in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, marking the country’s largest petrochemical technology center. The chemical affiliate of LG Group invested KRW 110 billion (USD 94.8 million) in establishing the center, it said. The center will be used for developing technical solutions and offering other forms of support for the company’s contractors and clients.

Trinseo has updated the APIPlastic.com website focusing on its footwear and fashion portfolio of products, manufactured at the facility in Mussolente, Italy. Trinseo said that it is keen to expand its role as a materials specialist, beyond the traditional materials provider / client paradigm. User experience has been improved, as the new layout is based on the end segments served in footwear (luxury & lifestyle, athletic, and professional), as well as fashion accessories.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2019 to John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2019 rewards the development of the lithium-ion battery.

Daelim Industrial Co., a major construction firm in South Korea, said Wednesday it has won a KRW 535.4 billion (USD 462 million) order to build a petrochemical plant in South Korea. Under the deal with Hyundai Chemical Co., Daelim Industrial will build the heavy-feed petrochemical complex in Daesan, some 120 kilometers south of Seoul.

Albis UK has announced a proposal to cease its manufacturing activities at its Knutsford, Cheshire facility but will continue to build and develop its sales and distribution activities in the UK from the site. The transfer is proposed to take place during the first quarter of 2020. The main products affected by this transfer are the Altech and Alcom brands.