Trend-Setting Trade Show Appearance At the K 2022 In Düsseldorf, Germany

Circular Plastics For Green Growth Markets

• Covestro as a pioneer for circular economy and climate neutrality
• Global approach with alternative raw materials, renewable energy and innovative recycling
  New concept for circular products

At K 2022, Covestro will showcase the possibilities of particularly sustainable plastics for the world and tomorrow’s growth markets. To this end, the company will soon be presenting new products and materials for many key areas that support the circular economy and climate neutrality at the world’s largest plastics trade show. In this regard, Covestro sees itself as an industry pioneer and is focusing above all on future-oriented, creative partnerships. International media now got a foretaste of the trade show appearance in October at a press conference in Düsseldorf, Germany.

“Mankind is facing enormous challenges. In addition to acute crises, we need to overcome long-term challenges such as protecting the climate, nature and resources and thus safeguarding our livelihoods,” said CEO Dr. Markus Steilemann. “This can be achieved if business and society consistently orient themselves towards the circular economy. Plastics are indispensable on this long journey, and Covestro is pleased to contribute particularly sustainable new products and materials to this end, tailored to the customer needs of today and tomorrow. Together with our partners, this is how we intend to seize the immense opportunities for sustainable growth.”

“Crafting Connections With You”
Under the motto “Crafting Connections With You”, Covestro intends to establish new collaborations with customers and partners and strengthen existing ties at booth A 75 in Hall 6 at K 2022 from October 19 to 26, as well as on a digital platform. “Collaboration along key value chains in particular is of great importance for the vision of a full circular economy to succeed,” said Dr. Andrea Maier-Richter, Global Head of the TPU Business Entity. “With our more sustainable developments, we support our customers and partners in facilitating their transition to the circular economy and achieving their own climate goals.”

To make circular solutions in the product portfolio even more recognizable to customers in the future, Covestro has developed the “CQ” concept. The brand suffix stands for “Circular Intelligence” and indicates the alternative raw material base for the company’s products if it is at least 25 percent. Among the first “CQ” products is Desmodur®CQ. Polyurethane foams based on Desmodur®CQ are used, for example, in upholstered furniture, mattresses and thermal insulation.

Moving away from fossil resources
Covestro primarily uses mass-balanced, renewable precursors and plastic waste as alternative raw materials, as well as green electricity. To realize its vision of a circular economy and achieve its ambitious climate targets, the company is also focusing on the future supply of “green” hydrogen and the development of innovative recycling technologies.

All these measures help conserve fossil resources and avoid CO2emissions. In the long term, Covestro aims to offer all its products in a climate-neutral1 version. By 2030, the company plans to invest around one billion euros in circular economy projects. To achieve net zero emissions, Covestro also expects to invest between EUR 250 million and EUR 600 million by 2030.

The high-performance plastic polycarbonate and the important polyurethane (PU) raw material methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) are already available in larger quantities as climate-neutral products. Like the renewable PU raw material toluene diisocyanate (TDI), they are manufactured using renewable2 raw materials such as new biomass and biowaste and residual materials, which are allocated to the products by calculation using the mass balance approach. According to a common calculation model1, no net CO2 emissions are generated during production from the cradle to the factory gate.

For its own raw material supply, Covestro cooperates with a number of industrial partners who provide renewable precursors such as mass-balanced acetone, phenol and benzene. Suppliers such as Borealis, Total, Mitsui Chemicals and Mitsui & Co. produce these raw materials at sites certified to the internationally recognized ISCC PLUS standard. At the same time, Covestro is gradually converting its production sites to this standard, which is already the case in Leverkusen, Dormagen, Krefeld-Uerdingen, Antwerp and Shanghai.

Most recently, Covestro announced a collaboration with Neste and South Korean petrochemical company SK geo centric to supply mass-balanced benzene for its MDI production in China. MDI is an important raw material for rigid PU foam, which provides efficient insulation for buildings and the cold chain. Certified polycarbonate, in turn, plays a role in the automotive, electrical and electronics, and medical industries, among others. And TDI is a precursor for PU flexible foam, which is used to make mattresses and upholstered furniture.

Covestro has also signed contracts with energy suppliers such as Ørsted, EnBW, ENGIE, Datang Wuzhong New Energy and others to supply sites in Germany, Belgium and China with electricity from renewable sources.

Innovative technologies for chemical recycling
Hermann-Josef Dörholt, Global Head of the Performance Materials segment, emphasized the great importance of recycling technologies in order to really close loops: “Covestro is taking a committed approach here: using various approaches, we can specifically recover the raw materials we need for the production of our plastics. In addition to the established mechanical recycling of polycarbonate and thermoplastic polyurethane, we are focusing primarily on chemical recycling for this purpose.” The aim, he says, is to recycle materials completely in order to save fossil raw materials and CO2 emissions, while at the same time offering recycled products in virgin material quality.

As examples, Dörholt cites innovative processes for the chemical recycling of mattress foam waste and used rigid PU foam. Together with partners, Covestro has developed a process to chemically recover the two main components from PU mattress foam: the polyol and the precursor to the isocyanate TDI used. The results of the tests conducted to date are promising and are currently being tested in a pilot plant at the Leverkusen site. The project is now to be extended to the industrial processing of flexible foams.

Covestro is also coordinating the EU project CIRCULAR FOAM with 22 partners from nine countries, which is dedicated to the chemical reprocessing of rigid polyurethane foam from building insulation materials and used refrigeration equipment. The products make an important contribution to saving CO2 emissions and reduced energy consumption, but recycling processes and systematic waste management have been lacking until now. The project aims to save up to one million tons of waste and 2.9 million tons of CO2 emissions annually in Europe by 2040.

Develops Innovative Recycling Technologies

From mechanical remanufacturing to raw material recycling and beyond

Far too much plastic still ends up in the trash. Although the recycling rate has increased in recent years, it is still only 14 percent worldwide. Used plastics are a valuable resource in this respect. Covestro wants to align itself comprehensively with circularity and help make it the global guiding principle. To achieve this, the company develops innovative technologies to reuse plastics and return them to the value cycle – often in close cooperation with partners.
The goal of a new collaboration with the Zurich-based bag company FREITAG is the unlimited recycling of truck tarps, based on thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) from Covestro. At the end of their useful life, the tarps are to be recycled mainly chemically and used for new tarps or other products. It is important for the success of the project that the tarps are similarly robust, durable and water-repellent as the previous products. FREITAG expects it to be a few years before bags made from the tarps are mass-produced, but plans to put a first prototype on a truck as early as this year.

Sorting of plastics by type
At the K 2022 trade show, Covestro will present these and a number of other developments for the unmixed recycling of used plastics. The company’s focus to date has been on proven mechanical recycling, in which the plastic is chemically preserved, and more recent chemical recycling processes, in which the polymer molecules are broken down chemically. Other technologies of such raw material reprocessing – specifically enzymatic and pyrolytic – are under development.

Mechanical recycling is particularly suitable for polycarbonates. Numerous corresponding products from Covestro are already on the market, including polycarbonate blends for IT applications with up to 75 percent recycled material – besides products based on mass balanced raw materials. To facilitate recycling, the company is increasingly relying on monomaterial solutions for end products that feature simplified material separation. In addition, new plastic products are designed from the outset to be easier to recycle at the end of their useful life.

Chemical recycling on the rise
Polyurethanes (PU) and other thermoset products usually cannot be mechanically recycled. Chemical processes are the obvious choice here. Covestro has developed an innovative technology for recovering both core raw materials PU mattress foam as part of a research project with partners. These are polyols and the isocyanate TDI, which are used in the production of mattress foam. The precursor is recovered from the TDI, and both raw materials can be reused for the production of new foam after reprocessing. The results achieved to date are being tested in a pilot plant at the Leverkusen site. Covestro has now introduced the Evocycle® brand name for the project.

To drive the project forward and close recycling cycles, Covestro is cooperating with partners from the chemical and recycling industries. Together with Interseroh, an ALBA Group company, opportunities are to be developed for the collection and processing of the recyclables so that they can ultimately be supplied to Covestro for chemical recycling. Covestro is pursuing a similar goal in its cooperation with the French environmental protection organization Eco-mobilier, which specializes in the collection and recycling of old furniture.

Used PU rigid foams, which provided efficient thermal insulation for buildings and refrigeration equipment, should also be able to be broken down into their constituent parts again by means of chemolysis or even pyrolysis. This is the goal of the CIRCULAR FOAM research project with 22 industrial partners from nine countries, coordinated by Covestro. Over the next four years, experts from science, industry, and society want to develop a comprehensive solution model for the waste management and recycling of such foams.

Here, too, the aim is to recover both raw materials originally used – polyols and an amine used as a precursor for the isocyanate MDI. If the material cycle is successfully closed, up to one million metric tons of waste, 2.9 million metric tons of CO2 emissions and 150 million euros in incineration costs could be saved in Europe every year from 2040.

New Resin Offers Exceptional CTI and FR properties for ultra-thin-wall insulation film in high-voltage EV batteries

SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, today introduced NORYL NHP8000VT3 resin, a product well suited for insulation film used in electric vehicle (EV) battery modules to help improve protection against short circuits and fire propagation. This high-performance, polyphenylene ether (PPO)-based resin is engineered with patented technologies to help meet the stringent demands of higher-voltage batteries (600-800 volts). It achieves the highest comparative tracking index performance level category (CTI PLC0), provides ultra-thin-wall extrusion and thermoforming capability, and meets the UL94 V0 standard at 0.25 mm with non-brominated, non-chlorinated flame retardance. NORYL NHP8000VT3 resin provides a novel solution to the drawbacks of incumbent insulation films made with polycarbonate (PC) and polypropylene (PP) by delivering stronger CTI performance and thinner-wall FR capability. This exceptional material can help advance EV battery technology by contributing to occupant safety, weight reduction and higher efficiency for extended range.

SABIC will be featuring its new NORYL NHP8000VT3 resin at The Battery Show Europe 2022 in Stuttgart, Germany, June 28-30 (Hall 8, Booth F10), and will be showcasing an array of insulation film and thermoformed parts.

“Transitioning from standard, 400-volt EV batteries to higher voltages offers the potential to shorten charging times, extend range and improve energy management within the vehicle,” said Joshua Chiaw, director, Business Management, LNP & NORYL, Specialties, SABIC. “However, designing higher-voltage batteries requires the invention of breakthrough materials, such as our new NORYL resin for insulation films. This new solution is the industry’s first thermoformable material to achieve the highest CTI performance level as well as meeting stringent flame retardancy standards. SABIC continues to focus intensively on developing innovative material solutions that can propel e-mobility adoption by addressing safety, performance and range anxiety challenges.”

Highest CTI Performance Level Category for Higher-voltage Batteries
The CTI PLC, which indicates the maximum voltage a material can withstand without developing tracking, is used to evaluate electrical insulators under exposure to conditions of stress, humidity and contamination. NORYL NHP8000VT3 resin achieved the highest CTI performance level category of 0 in testing by an independent laboratory, indicating it can withstand 600 volts and greater. While some PP grades can also achieve CTI PLC0, these materials are more difficult to thermoform, often requiring the application of secondary processes to achieve complex shapes. Furthermore, NORYL NHP8000VT3 resin delivers better mechanical strength than PP at 0.25mm thickness. Polycarbonate, the other incumbent battery insulation material, typically cannot achieve CTI PLC0.

Ultra-thin-wall Flame Retardance for Space Savings
NORYL NHP8000VT3 resin’s ability to meet the UL94 V0 standard at 0.25 mm means it can provide a high level of flame retardance at a thinner film gauge than PC or PP, potentially freeing up valuable space in the battery pack. Compared to PC, NORYL NHP8000VT3 resin features up to 40 percent weight reduction due to its lower specific gravity and thinner-wall FR capability. This capability can also potentially benefit other EV applications. For example, the new NORYL resin may be a candidate for the insulation of metal EV busbars, using overmolding or insert molding processes.

“The NORYL NHP family is our next-generation PPO portfolio with enhanced FR performance,” said Jenny Wang, director, Formulation and Application, APAC, Specialties, SABIC. “It includes NORYL NHP6011 and NHP6012 resins for battery modules and housings. Our new NORYL NHP8000VT3 resin further diversifies the series with more-robust CTI performance. To help support the acceleration of future electric vehicle battery designs, we have raised the bar in CTI PLC values and thin-wall flame retardant performance suitable for insulation materials. This achievement attests to our broad and deep technical knowledge and resources, and strong commitment to continuous innovation.”

Development and performance go hand in hand

Focus on waterborne and efficient coating systems

Covestro will showcase new polyurethane (PU) coating systems and films at this year’s Techtextil trade show in Frankfurt, Germany, that are more sustainable and environmentally compatible in terms of raw materials, processing, and properties. “For example, we will be presenting new PU dispersions as binders for digital textile printing and a new two-component (2K) PU high solid system of our INSQIN® technology for textile coating,” explains Thomas Michaelis, Head of Textile Coating in the Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America (EMLA) region at Covestro. In addition, Covestro’s booth will focus on variants of Dureflex® TPU films, which are skin-compatible and guaranteed free of harmful substances according to the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100.

Good haptics and durability with high color intensity

Digital textile printing enables economical production of small batches, shortens time-to-market, and reduces waste volumes by up to 85 percent compared to analog printing technologies. PU dispersions are currently establishing themselves in the production of inks for digital inkjet printing processes because, among other things, they enable a stable printing process due to their low viscosity and particle size. With Impranil® DL 1602, Covestro is launching a new anionic, aliphatic-based PU dispersion that can be used to formulate water-based pigment inks for digital inkjet printing. The dispersions show excellent stability at high shear rates. They produce very finely divided ink dispersions with good jetting behavior that are characterized by high re-solubility. “This minimizes the risk of the pressure nozzles becoming clogged. Long and therefore economical runtimes in printing are the result,” explains Dr. Inga Bargende, Digital Printing Expert at Covestro. Other strengths of PU-based inks include good abrasion and rub resistance and high color and wash fastness.

Long pot life and high grain stability

The new INSQIN® 2K PU system consists of Impranil® HS 1062 and Imprafix® IO 3330. It mainly targets synthetics for car interiors. The High Solid system does not require blocking agents. “Nevertheless, it is characterized by long pot lives during processing. This means, for example, that the processor does not necessarily have to use PU mixing heads. It also gives the grain a high degree of stability and is particularly resistant to hydrolysis,” explains Michaelis. Potential applications include instrument panels, seats, door panels, or steering wheels.

Certificate for TPU films free of harmful substances

Several TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) films in Covestro’s Dureflex® product line have now been certified to the 100 by OEKO-TEX® standard. The films are breathable, waterproof, tear-resistant and, above all, kind to one’s skin. That makes them the material of choice for sports articles and outdoor clothing, but also for furniture and seat covers for cars. In 2019, several Platilon® brand TPU film grades have already been certified to the standard.

Covestro will also be showcasing its partially biobased Platilon® H2 EC hotmelt film at Techtextil. “It exhibits excellent adhesion during lamination, is very heat resistant and easy to process. Applications include textile labels, sealing strips, laminates made of glass and aluminum, and conductive tracks for the textile and automotive industries,” explains Dr. Elmar Lins, Segment Manager Consumer & Industrial Solutions Specialty Films for the EMLA region.

BOREALIS AND BOROUGE SHOWCASE SUSTAINABLE WIRE & CABLE INNOVATIONS AT THE WIRE 2022

• Borlink™ HVDC technology plays a key role in energy transition projects worldwide including the German Corridors project
• Launch of first Borcycle™ M jacketing compound containing up to 50% post-consumer recyclate
• Entire Borealis Wire & Cable portfolio to be ADCA-free by end of 2022

Borealis and Borouge announce their presence at the 2022 WIRE trade show taking place from 20 to 24 June in Düsseldorf, Germany. A wide range of innovative technologies and material solutions for Wire & Cable will be highlighted. These success stories are testimony to how Borealis and Borouge’s polyolefin innovations and customer centricity are helping drive the global transition to an energy future that is more sustainable.

Borealis Borlink™: the essential link in energy transition projects
As leading global innovators, Borealis and Borouge continue to provide customer-driven solutions in the wire and cable industry. The proprietary Borlink™ high voltage direct current (HVDC) technology has enabled the use of extruded cable technology to reach higher voltage and transmission levels than ever before. This increases the capacity, efficiency, and supply security of power networks. Beyond passing pre-qualification up to 640 kilovolts (kV), Borlink delivers superior electrical performance, and provides long-running lengths and a minimum number of joints. What is more, the cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) material offers the additional sustainability benefit of being recyclable.

The Borlink HVDC technology has established an impressive track record. It has been selected for use in numerous projects, including a large-scale offshore wind farm in Jiangsu province of China, and several offshore projects have been energised in the North Sea recently.

More than 8,000 cable kilometres based on Borlink HVDC XLPE technology have been laid with more than 8,000 kilometres in the pipeline.

The largest ongoing Borlink HVDC endeavour at present is the German Corridors project. This series of underground electricity transmission lines will carry power from renewable sources, such as offshore wind farms, over hundreds of kilometres with only minimal losses. Insulated XLPE underground cables made with a fully compounded HVDC cable material based on Borlink technology, at a voltage level of 525 kV, will be used in the majority of this large-scale project, specifically in the “SuedLink” and “SuedOstLink” portions.

The SuedLink has two power cable systems, each with 2 gigawatts (GW), and a cable length of over 2,500 km. The northern stretch of the SuedOstLink corridor has one 2 GW circuit and approximately 500 km of cable. Once completed, the German Corridors will have the capacity to transport 8 GW of green energy from the north to the south of Germany. This is comparable to the amount of power produced by 7-8 nuclear power reactors or as an example roughly twice the power need for Denmark.

Borouge’s High Voltage cable insulation grade secures Pre-Qualification Test Certifications

Another notable milestone, the Borouge-manufactured Borlink™ LS4201S has successfully passed Pre-Qualification Tests from leading test establishments, KEMA Labs and China Electric Power Research Institute (CEPRI). Passing the rigorous standards of KEMA Labs and CEPRI at 220 kV validates Borouge as a reliable supplier for high voltage cables. Intended for power cable applications in high stress HV applications with rated voltage up to 230 kV, Borlink LS4201S will meet the increasing demand for advanced high-quality energy solutions in the global market.

First-ever Borcycle™ M jacketing compound contains up to 50% post-consumer recyclate
Borealis has made great progress towards its goal of ensuring that by 2025, 100% of its consumer products are either recyclable, reusable, or made using materials from renewable sources. With the ongoing development of its first jacketing product, Borcycle™ M ME7153SY, made using material containing up to 50% post-consumer recyclate (PCR), its efforts to promote circularity now extend even deeper into its Wire & Cable business. This more sustainable jacketing innovation has been made possible by the proprietary Borcycle M technology which transforms plastic waste streams into value-added, high-performance solutions. As an ever-advancing and transformational technology for mechanical recycling, Borcycle M gives polyolefin-based, post-consumer waste a new life.

Preparations are currently underway for the first potential Borcycle M jacketing compound product launch in December 2022: Borcycle M ME7153SY is a natural medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), fully formulated jacketing compound. Intended for use in medium and low voltage cables, Borcycle M ME7153SY is easy to colour and offers good processability and smooth surface finishes. Its characteristics include good environmental stress cracking resistance (ESCR), UV resistance, and low water permeability.

Borealis pledges to become ADCA-free by 2022
The chemical compound azodicarbonamide (ADCA) is mainly used as a blowing agent in the production of polyethylene (PE) compounds used in data cables. It is classified as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) by the European Chemicals Agency. Borealis has taken the decision to fully phase out all ADCA-based Wire & Cable products by the end of 2022.

A new ADCA-free high density polyethylene (HDPE) grade for coax cables, Borealis HE1116, will be introduced in 2022. Yet Borealis is already offering three ADCA-free grades to ensure that their customers have innovative and high-performing alternatives: the chemically foamed ADCA-free Borealis HE1355 and Borealis ME1254 grades for data cable production; and the physically foamed ADCA-free Borealis HE4883 for data cables. Borealis is among the first in the Energy industry to commit to phasing out all ADCA-based Wire & Cable products, and intends to do so by the end of 2022.

“A core aspect of our EverMinds™ approach to accelerating action in the circular economy sphere is our commitment to developing more sustainable solutions that not only outperform conventional materials, but also make it possible to operate in a responsible way,” explains Bart Verheule, Borealis Global Commercial Director, Energy. “Our proprietary technologies like Borlink, Borstar®, and Borcycle are building blocks for innovation. We can even envision future Energy grades based on the Bornewables™, our portfolio of premium circular polyolefin products produced with renewable feedstock that is derived 100% from waste and residue streams – with this we’re re-inventing essentials for sustainable living. We are building on our track record of bringing energy all around by offering our customers a well-rounded portfolio of pioneering and high-performance solutions on a truly global scale.”

Palsgaard to showcase full range of plant-based polymer additives at K 2022

Palsgaard, a world leader in plant-based emulsifiers and polymer additives for the global food, packaging and plastics industries, will take the opportunity of K 2022 in Düsseldorf, Germany, to position itself as a preferred supplier to polymer producers, masterbatch manufacturers and compounders seeking to lower their carbon footprint and go renewable. At the world’s largest plastics trade fair in Hall 7, Level 1, Booth D20, Palsgaard will present its complete portfolio of sustainable polymer additives and offer first-hand insight in new developments.

“As the plastics industry is transforming from a linear to a circular economy, there is a fast-growing demand for renewable alternatives to conventional fossil-based formulations,” says Ulrik Aunskjær, Global Business Director, Bio Specialty Additives at Palsgaard. “Beyond the more basic raw materials feedstock, this also applies to functional additives, where common synthetic chemistry is under increasing regulatory pressure while consumers demand more natural, safe and healthy ingredients also in the polymers in which their products are packaged. At Palsgaard, we are addressing these issues with a full range of plant-based, food-grade polymer additives, backed by advanced customer and application support.”

In packaging plastics, Palsgaard’s Einar® additives serve as highly effective anti-fog and anti-static surfactants, dispersing aids, ageing modifiers, EPS coatings and mould release agents. At K 2022, the company will introduce new plant-based innovations in its growing portfolio, developed and optimised at Palsgaard’s Polymer Application Centre in Denmark to help customers stay ahead of increasingly stringent regulations, such as on food-contact, without compromising performance or quality. All of these products provide an excellent drop-in replacement for fossil-based additives in existing polymer formulations and have a perfect fit in new responsible packaging solutions.

Furthermore, Palsgaard will also update K 2022 visitors on significant investments made into the future of its polymer additives business. The expansion of the company’s carbon-neutral production capacity is proceeding as scheduled. After the successful commissioning of a new emulsifier pellet line with a capacity of 10,000 tonnes in 2020, the Juelsminde site will receive a state-of-the art spray tower, which is expected to go on-stream in the fourth quarter of 2023 and add 30,000 tonnes to Palsgaard’s existing spray capacity. This will be complemented by multiple new reaction, distillation and esterification plants, altogether doubling the company’s overall production capacity by 2024.

In addition, new sales offices in Brazil, the United States and China will strengthen the support of customers in these regions, as Palsgaard is delivering on its strategy to develop long-term close partnerships and grow its global service capacities.

Visit Palsgaard at K 2022 in Düsseldorf from October 19 through 26 in Hall 7, Level 1, Booth D20 to meet the company’s product and market specialists and discuss the sustainable benefits and superior performance of the company’s plant-based polymer additives.

Coperion Recycling Innovation Center – New Construction of State-Of-The-Art Test Lab for Plastics Recycling Applications

Coperion GmbH has initiated the construction of a state-of-the-art recycling test lab at its Niederbiegen/Weingarten, Germany, production facility. The new Coperion Recycling Innovation Center will be built in the immediate vicinity of Coperion’s existing Test Center for Bulk Solids Handling. Driven by rising demands worldwide for a circular plastics economy, a clear trend has taken shape over the last years toward more recycling. Coperion is meeting this trend, not only with its equipment and processes designed for recycling applications, but also with its new Recycling Innovation Center. At the facility, customers will be able to develop and test new, sustainable products and recycling processes together with Coperion’s experts. All essential recycling process stages will be covered within the facility including materials conveying, feeding, extrusion, pelletizing, and materials postprocessing. Inaddition, Coperion will conduct its own research activities on plastics recycling in this new Recycling Innovation Center.

With this new addition, the company will expand its test lab capacities, throughout Germany alone, up to 5,000 m² (53,819 ft²), making it evident that Coperion’s investment for innovation and underscoring its research and development activities, particularly with regard to issues of sustainability is paramount.Markus Parzer, President of the Polymer Division and Managing Director of Coperion GmbH, said: “Worldwide demand for state-of-the-art, efficient plastics recycling solutions will continue to grow in the years to come because of the constantly increasing demands of environmental legislation, such as that within the framework of the European Green New Deal, and due to changing consumer behavior and environmental consciousness. In deciding to create this new Recycling Innovation Center, we have set clear priorities to be an active partner with our
customers by offering our advanced technologies and established expertise, as we work with them along the path toward greater sustainability and a functioning circular economy.”

Added Bernd Neumann, Coperion Weingarten and Niederbiegen Site Manager: “We are confident that, with our new Recycling Innovation Center, equipped with the most modern technology for high-quality and innovative recycling processes, it will be an attractive added value for our customers in the plastics industry. At the same time, the new facility will allow the addition of interesting, long-term career opportunities for those in the region.”

Recycling Plays a Central Role in Sustainability

In the face of changing end-user consumer habits and environmental legislation growing ever stricter worldwide, the plastics industry recognized long ago that more sustainable production is a must. Recycling plays a central role in achieving this goal. Many plastics treatment and processing operations around the world are addressing the question of how recycling can be implemented, practically and at an industrial scale. To answer this question specific to each customer, concrete approaches to solutions for every recycling process stage will be tested and developed, together with customers from all over the world, in the new Coperion Recycling Innovation Center. These solutions can then be efficiently implemented in production from a
single source.

Marina Matta, Team Leader of Process Technology Engineering Plastics at Coperion, had this to say about the new Recycling Innovation Center: “With this state-of-the-art test lab, we are offering our customers a top-tier solution for developing their processes and products. Along with processing and product solutions for the mechanical recycling of industrial and household waste, together with our customers we can also develop and test innovative solutions for every other current recycling process. Moreover, the Recycling Innovation Center offers Coperion ideal conditions to drive our research and development activities forward for more efficiency and expanded feasibility in plastics recycling.”

Covestro, SK geo centric and Neste cooperate to create value chain for renewable attributed MDI in APAC

Covestro, South Korean petrochemical company SK geo centric and Neste are cooperating to enable the production of a major polyurethane raw material based on renewable raw materials via mass balance. The cooperation will see Neste provide SK geo centric with renewable Neste RETM, an ISCC certified feedstock for polymers and chemicals made from 100 percent renewable raw materials such as waste and residue oil and fats.

SK geo centric will process this feedstock into benzene at the company’s facilities in South Korea and supply it to Covestro to use as raw material for methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) at its site in Shanghai, China. MDI is a key raw material for the manufacture of rigid polyurethane foam, which is a well-proven insulating material for buildings and used in the cold chain helping to save CO2 emissions and reduce energy consumption during its product life.

The cooperation marks the start of possible future collaborations between the three companies, aiming at replacing fossil feedstocks by more sustainable ones in the production of polymers and chemicals in the APAC region and beyond.

“With renewable solutions available, we are now entering the phase of scaling up their usage in the chemical industry,” says Mercedes Alonso, Executive Vice President Renewable Polymers and Chemicals at Neste. “This will be crucial in replacing the vast amounts of fossil resources the industry is currently depending on. To make this ramp-up a success, we’ll need to establish collaborations along the value chain – and this one between three sustainability-minded partners is a prime example of how the industry can do just that.”

Replacing the common crude oil-based fossil feedstock with Neste RE provides a significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, thereby improving the carbon footprint of the polyurethane raw materials produced by Covestro and of downstream industries. Neste RE is produced with renewable raw materials such as waste and residue oils and fats.

“I am much pleased that through this collaboration we continue to ramp up the market for sustainable alternative materials. This enables us to supply our customers in Asia-Pacific with more sustainable MDI based on mass-balanced raw materials,” says Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer of Covestro. “Using such materials is attractive because it will also help them achieve their climate goals. Another core benefit of this line of products is that it is a technical drop-in solution that our customers can use immediately without a major changeover in their plants.”

“We are delighted to ship and export our first renewable Benzene produced with 100 percent renewable Neste RE feedstock,” says Woohyuk-Choi, Vice President of SK geo centric’s Aromatic Business Unit. “SK geo centric will actively work with Covestro and Neste as we mark the first collaboration of this kind in the Asia-Pacific region. We remain committed to expanding this cooperation.”

Under the strategy of “Green for Better Life”, SK geo centric announced its ambitious target to become “Net-Zero” before 2050. To fulfill its responsibility, the company will drive its business transformation by expanding its high-quality renewable products portfolio. SK geo centric will respond to increasing global demands in the market by leveraging the strong synergies between collaboration partners.