Neste, Idemitsu Kosan, Chimei and Mitsubishi Corporation have come together to develop a unique renewable plastics supply chain which will make use of bio-based hydrocarbons (Neste Re) for the production of styrene monomer (bio-SM), and its mass balanced renewable plastics derivatives including acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (bio-ABS) for the production of renewable plastics.

Under the terms of the agreement, Lyondell Basell and 23 Oaks Investments, a solution provider in the upcycling of PCR plastic waste, will establish a joint venture called Source One Plastics. The JV will aim to develop an advanced plastic waste sorting and recycling facility in Germany which will produce processed waste for Lyondell Basell’s new advanced recycling plant in Wesseling, Germany.

Solid-state batteries are termed as the next generation of batteries for electric vehicles due to their many plus points over traditional lithium-ion batteries including higher energy density, quick charge and safer operations. The first player in the market to mass-produce these batteries will enjoy a significant advantage over its competitors, thus, chemical companies are also looking to develop unique solutions for these batteries.

PROCESS Worldwide brings to you the ‘Top 10 plant engineering projects of October 2022’ from all over the world. Right from the world’s first demo plant for electrically heated steam cracker furnaces taking off to Dow and Mura developing Europe’s largest advanced recycling plant in Germany, find out all the projects making headlines here.

Solvay and Iberdrola Renouvelables France have plans to enter into a 20-year corporate power purchase agreement under which Iberdrola will supply 60 % of the produced green electricity to Solvay’s industrial sites in Tavaux and Saint Fons in France.

Dow and Mura Technology have plans to build Europe’s largest advanced recycling plant for plastics at Dow's Böhlen site in Germany. The project is expected to deliver approximately 120 KTA of advanced recycling capacity. This is one of the many series of plants that are being planned to be built across the U.S. and Europe.

Circularise and ISCC have announced a joint project under which numerous companies will test a pilot blockchain-based digital system with certification procedures to validate sustainability claims in the chemicals sector.

With the growing demand for biofuels across the globe, the oil refining firm Neste is in the process of expanding and digitalizing its existing biofuel refinery in Singapore in order to enhance process safety and asset integrity in the plant; improve energy efficiency, operational reliability and predictability in maintenance regime; and foster closer collaborations among other production sites.

Ima and Intertape Polymer Group have partnered together to develop a new solution – the E-co Flex1 for the packaging industry. Termed as the ‘Pack Station of the Future,’ the solution has been specifically designed to streamline the packaging process in the e-fulfillment industry.

With sales of more than 2 trillion euros (2.26 trillion dollars; 2020), China is by far the largest chemical producer in the world. Even though growth has slowed from an average of 8.7 to 5.7 percent in recent years, this figure is still very impressive by global standards. This is also true for investments in property, plant and equipment, which amounted to 115 billion euros in 2020. Based on our China Market Insider series, we have summarized some interesting market trends and developments in China's chemical industry this year.