Weekly News Digest: February 27, 2023

Resin Price Report: Spot resin trading has busiest week of the year

The Plastics Exchange Market Update: February 17, 2023

First quarter looks mostly flat for resin prices

HDPE market growing by 10% annually

Train derailment not expected to affect vinyl chloride market

Toray to open R&D center in Japan

Omya to distribute Trinseo automotive styrenic resins in North America

Foster to become marketing partner for Rohm Cyrolite products for medical applications in North America

Covestro to build TPU plant in China

Teknor Apex launches new halogen free FR glass fiber reinforced PP

SABIC launches new PC copolymers for thin wall medical device applications

Ampacet launches new color line for HDPE containers that mimic the gloss of PET

Delta Tecnic introduces new colorant line aimed at recycled PVC

“Monomaterial” is the new buzzword in packaging

This Week in History

February 27, 1856: German chemist Alfred Einhorn was born. He is thought to have created polycarbonate in a laboratory in 1898. He also invented Novacain.

Frebruary 28, 1935: Wallace Carothers at DuPont invents nylon 66

March 5, 1963: The Hula Hoop was patented. It was made from Phillips Petroleum polyethylene

Weekly News Digest: February 20, 2023

Resin Price Report: Prime resin availability continues to contract

The Plastics Exchange Market Update: February 10 2023

INEOS to build new PE plant in Belgium which it says is the most environmentally friendly plant ever built

PolyPlastics develops new conductive PBT for millimeter wave radar applications

Hard to recycle PEX pipes get new lease on life via chemical recycling

PetroChina to again license LyondellBasell’s polyethylene technology

BASF develops new TPU foaming technology that does not use chemical blowing agent

Covestro develops ultra-durable PC for healthcare applications

Toray to increase PPS capacity in Korea

Avient launches polyolefins filled with cellulose fiber and waste coffee grounds

CAI Performance Additives develops new anti-hydrolysis additives for nylons, polyesters and urethanes

ACI Plastics to expand its recycling operations in Michigan

This Week in History

February 20, 1987: US regulators approve acquisition of Celanese Corporation of America by West German company Hoechst AG

February 25, 1928: Shi Wen Long, the founder of Chi Mei Corporation which is the world’s largest ABS producer was born in Tainan Taiwan

Weekly News Digest: February 13, 2023

Resin Price Report: Spot resin trading picks up pace

The Plastics Exchange Market Update: February 3, 2023

Suppliers look for a bottom in resin prices

Non-PVC alternatives future-proof medical applications

Revalyu to build PET recycling plant in Georgia

DSM launches new software that helps predict color and properties to reduce time to market

Rohm develops new acrylic grades for medical applications

ECON develops new pelletizer aimed at masterbatch compounding

This Week in History

February 16, 1901: John Rex Whinfield, who would patent PET fiber in 1949 was born.

Weekly News Digest: February 6, 2023

Resin Price Report: Week marked by sluggish trading, force majeures

The Plastics Exchange Market Update: January 27, 2023

Techmer PM introduces PFAS-free process aid

Covestro to discontinue composites business

SABIC introduces new PC grades that withstand harsh chemicals for medical applications

Foster Distribution rebrands to Foster Supply Chain Solutions

Chroma Color adds the ability to measure total solar reflectance of compounds

Novatec introduces new smart dryer that adjusts based on resin moisture

This Week in History

February 11, 1942: DuPont stops manufacturing nylon stockings and transitions to parachute production for World War II.

Weekly News Digest: January 27, 2023

Resin Price Report: PE exports set all-time record

The Plastics Exchange Market Update: January 23, 2023

Severe weather hits Houston area petrochemical and resin producers

Dow cutting 2,000 jobs

Carbon black supplier Orion reduces air emissions with new technology

Rohm opens new innovation center in Wallingford CT

This Week in History

February 1, 2002: ExxonMobil becomes the sole owner of Advanced Elastomer Systems and the Santoprene product line.

February 4, 1941: Roy J Plunkett was granted a patent for “Tetrafluoroethylene Polymers” also known as Teflon.

Weekly News Digest: January 23, 2023

Resin Price Report: PP contracts could see steep increase this month

The Plastics Exchange Market Update: January 13, 2023

New leadership at Covestro’s US operations

BASF to expand MDI plant in Geismar Louisiana

New York bans PFAS in food packaging

Dow Chemical reduces PE price increase for January and adds one for February

Kraiburg develops new TPEs for commercial food equipment

Amapcet launches new colorants for electrical and electronics applications

Graphene nanotubes reduce static build up in TPU hoses

This Week in History

January 29, 1938: Paul Schlack at IG Farben invents nylon 6

Weekly News Digest January 16, 2023

Resin Price Report: Prices rise at start of new year

The Plastics Exchange Market Update: January 6, 2023

Nexeo to distribute Teknor Apex TPEs in Europe

DSM launches 2 new grades for pressure vessels for hydrogen storage

CAI introduces new FR additives for PC film

Avient launches cross-linkable formulations for photovoltaic cables

Chevron Phillips to construct new petrochemical complex in Qatar

Corpus Christi Polymer resumes construction of PTA/PET plant

Recycled material prices show stability heading into 2023

This Week in History

January 17, 1977: Monsanto registers the trade name Santoprene

Weekly News Digest: January 2, 2023

No notable news during this holiday week. If you haven’t already read them, I would highly recommend that you read a series of articles from Plastics Technology Magazine about the history of polymers. They are a fascinating look at the history of all of the plastic materials that we use. It gets a little deep into the chemistry but most of the material is suitable for the lay person. Here is a link to the first of 24 articles in the ongoing series:

Tracing the History of Polymeric materials Part 1

This Week in History

January 5, 1918: The American Cellulose and Chemical Manufacturing company was founded. This company’s name would become Celanese Corporation of American in 1927