July 2023
Customers can now form large, complex structural parts with the introduction of SABIC PP compound H1090 resin and STAMAX 30YH611 resin, two materials that are ideal for sheet extrusion and thermoforming and provide a distinctive substitute for conventional sheet metal forming, compression, and injection moulding. With its main office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, SABIC is a multinational, diversified chemicals company.
These new products, which are based on polypropylene (PP), are 30% intumescent (a coating or sealant that swells when heated or seals a gap in case of fire) and flame-retardant (FR) materials reinforced with glass fibre. Module separators, enclosures, and top covers for electric vehicle (EV) battery packs are among the components for which they can be utilised.
BLUEHERO, an initiative supporting the automotive industry's mission to create safe, dependable, and efficient electric vehicles (EVs) with a focus on optimising structural battery components, has enabled SABIC to develop and validate these new materials. Among other things, BLUEHERO makes use of SABIC's proficiency in large-scale moulding, compression moulding, thermoforming, and sophisticated injection moulding.
Both in its labs and with clients, SABIC has verified the manufacturability, mechanical, and fire safety performance of STAMAX 30YH611 resin and SABIC PP compound H1090 resin in EV battery applications with complex geometries.Â
October 2023
The first-ever mechanical recycling (MCR) compounding line for polycarbonates at Covestro's integrated site in Shanghai, China, has started up. In response to the growing demand for post-consumer-recycled (PCR) plastics, particularly in applications within the automotive, consumer goods, and electrical and electronic product sectors, this line is set to produce over 25,000 tonnes of premium-quality polycarbonates and blends containing mechanically recycled materials annually.
In October 2023, Covestro AG (Leverkusen, Germany) started up its polycarbonate mechanical recycling compounding line at its integrated site in Shanghai, China. The line will produce over 25ktpa of premium polycarbonates annually, including those blended with mechanically recycled materials due to greater requirements for post-consumer-recycled (PCR) plastics, particularly within electricals/electronics applications, the automotive sector along with consumer goods applications. By 2026, Covestro plans to sell more than 60,000 tons a year of recycled-content polycarbonates in the Asia Pacific as demand remains strong. Moreover, mechanically recycled polycarbonate was installed at Covestro’s Map Ta Phut site, which involved modifications to an existing compounding line.
2023: Asahi Kasei Plastics North America Inc. will make a $5.5 million investment to add new End-Use Production and laboratory compounding lines along with additional peripheral equipment. A representative for the company told Plastics today that the addition of two Coperion ZSK 70-mm twin-screw extruders would result in a 30% increase in overall capacity. The End-Use Production line will be installed in the fall and should be ready by December, while the new lab line will be operational by September. Growing demand for its engineering plastics, Xyron polyphenylene ether (PPE) and Leona polyamide (PA) 66 and 66+6I, is the driving force behind the expansion.
2023: Shanghai, China, will soon have compounding capabilities for BASF's certified biodegradable biopolymer ecovio. With the newly created capacity, BASF will be able to serve its clients in the Asia-Pacific area better and help them adjust to the constant changes in laws and regulations more quickly.
The plastic compounding market major player such as BASF SE, LyondellBasell Industries Holdings B.V., DuPont de Nemours, Inc., and others are working to expand the market demand by investing in research and development activities.
