
Category
Materials

TPUs find use in spikeless golf shoes with superior traction
The shoes feature Estane TRX TPU polymers from Lubrizol to deliver superior traction on wet and dry surfaces.
Cancarb completes sixth unit expansion at Alberta facility
The expansion at the plant in Medicine Hat brings capacity for Cancarb’s Thermax brand of thermal carbon black products to 54,000 MT per year.
Nova Chemicals debuts film structure designs formulated with post-consumer resin
The film structures can be tailored to meet customer-specific application demands.
U.S. winter storm impacting the polyester value chain, analyst says
The storm currently raging in Texas could have an impact on the global polyester chain, according to market analyst Wood Mackenzie.
Lanxess to acquire specialty chemical maker Emerald Kalama
Based in the U.S., Emerald Kalama has approximately 500 employees and three production sites.
Thermoplastics distributor Nexeo makes leadership appointments
The company has named Jeff Collier to chief commercial officer of North America and Arturo Hoyo as vice president of sales for North America.
New president for BASF Canada
The Mississauga, Ont.-based chemical maker has appointed company veteran Apala Mukherjee to the position.

Solvay and Leonardo partner to develop research lab for thermoplastic composites
The agreement is meant as the first step in platform collaboration on short and mid-term applications in aerospace and beyond.

The plastic road ahead
With more and more recycled plastic being used to repave highways and roads around the world, we might be driving toward a future with a lot less plastic pollution.
Thomas Gangl replaces Alfred Stern as Borealis CEO
Gangl, 49, will become Borealis’ new CEO effective April 1, 2021.

Researchers develop recyclable composites
A Washington State University research team has created a recyclable carbon fibre-reinforced composite that could eventually be used in everything from modern airplane wings and wind turbines to sporting goods.
Canada’s Polystyvert partners with Ineos in polystyrene recycling venture
The joint development agreement will enable the two companies to work together in closing the loop of recycling PS in a low-energy, cost-competitive production method.
Stepan acquires Invista’s aromatic polyester polyol business
The purchase includes two manufacturing sites, one in Wilmington, N.C., and the other in Vlissingen, the Netherlands.
Shintech expanding PVC capacity at two Louisiana sites
The Houston-based company will invest $1.3 billion to expand its manufacturing and packaging facilities at its sites in Plaquemine and Addis.
Eastman to build massive molecular recycling plant in Tennessee
The plant, to be built in Kingsport and be mechanically complete by the end of 2022, will use methanolysis to convert polyester waste that often ends up in landfills and waterways into durable products.

New tool calculates benchmark data for sustainable production of plastics
Developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in the U.S., the data measures how much energy is required and the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from the production of a variety of plastics.
Investment firm One Rock acquires material supplier Distrupol
Headquartered in Surrey, England, Distrupol sells more than 4,000 grades of material to more than 1,300 customers in 13 countries.
Shell invests in Quebec’s first waste to low-carbon fuel plant
The approximately $875 million Varennes Carbon Recycling project was first announced by Canadian clean tech company Enerkem in December 2020.
Sabic and Plastic Energy set to start construction of advanced recycling unit in the Netherlands
The project, will be realized under a 50-50 joint venture, is expected to become operational in the second half of 2022.

New process to recycle polyolefinic plastics at low temperature
Researchers in Japan have used a novel catalyst process to recycle polyolefinic plastics into chemicals.