SNF announced a $ 1.2 billion investment in a further increase of Polyacrylamide production. These water-soluble polymers profit from increasing demand in the enhanced oil recovery industry (fracking).

Dow announced an agreement with the Fuenix Ecogy Group from the Netherlands for the supply of pyrolysis oil feedstock, which is made from recycled plastic waste. The feedstock will be used to produce new polymers at the chemical group's production facilities at Terneuzen, the Netherlands.

Ineos Styrolution, Covestro and many other leading companies as well as associations such as the Circular Plastics Alliance and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste are undertaking massive initiatives to solve the ‘plastic’ issue which is a threat to our environment.

Sibur and Sinopec have signed a framework cooperation agreement to produce SEBS. Under the terms of the agreement, both the companies will establish a 50/50 joint venture in Russia to produce at least 20 ktpa of SEBS.

The Maag Group, comprising Maag Pump Systems, Automatik, Gala Industries, Reduction Engineering Scheer and, since 2018, Ettlinger Kunststoffmaschinen, is enhancing its systems expertise by focusing on Centers of Excellence.

Dow and SCG have entered into an agreement to develop recycling solutions with an aim to tackle plastic waste. The deal also intends to create a circular economy for plastic in Thailand.

Covestro is already actively exploiting the benefits of digital transformation. The company now announced that important progress had been made in two areas: A pilot project has provided new findings for the predictive, intelligent maintenance of systems and is now continued at the production site in Caojing, China. Also, the global project for digitalizing and integrating the system landscape in production, "Optimized System Integration" (OSI2020) for short, is entering the next project phase.

Evonik Venture Capital invests in a 3D-printing start-up in China that makes implants for neuro and spine surgery. The company is the lead investor in a high single-digit million-euro round of fundraising for Shanghai-based Meditool.

Skids, package units and flexible modules: The trends and facts in modular plant engineering – Flexible like a construction kit and powerful like a made-to-measure system: Modularisation has the potential to herald in a new era of plant construction. However, on the way there, there are not only technical hurdles to overcome — definitions are also being fought over. An status-report between PED, process skids and MTP.

Nouryon has made a series of investments at its metal alkyls plant in Rotterdam to improve efficiency and increase capacity. The projects are to enable the company to continue meeting growing demand from customers in the polymer industry and improve supply reliability in Europe.