US slaps full tariffs on PET and rPET imports, hitting Asian markets

In a significant policy shift, the #US has announced that imports of polyethylene terephthalate and recycled PET will now be subject to full tariffs, effective from Sept. 8, 2025.

This decision has raised significant concerns within the Southeast Asian and South Asian rPET markets, which had previously benefited from tariff exemptions. The recycled PET material does not hold a separate HS code and shares the same HS code as the virgin counterpart.

According to a document released by the White House Sept. 5, HS codes 3907.61.00 and 3907.69.00, which pertain to various forms of #PET, have been added to Annexure 1. This means that goods entered for consumption or withdrawn from warehouses after 12:01 am EDT, three days following the announcement, will incur these new tariffs. Traders and exporters are already expressing concern that the move will significantly alter trade dynamics, particularly for Indian exporters who have relied on local recyclers to meet US demand.

The announcement comes as a surprise to many in the #rPET/PET trading community, who had expected these materials to continue to be categorized under Annexure II, which did not impose tariffs. As a result, traders from India, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam are now grappling with the implications. One Indian trader reported rerouting a cargo already en route to the US to Europe, while others predict that demand for rPET from Southeast Asia will decline. The impact is particularly pronounced for Indian-origin cargoes, which may face tariffs as high as 50%.

Adding to the pressure, US PET prices have dropped significantly in recent months, with the ex-works price for recycled PET clear flakes in Los Angeles assessed at a 15-month low of 50 cents/lb as of Sept. 5. Meanwhile, rPET FOB India clear #bottlegradeflakes were valued at $850/mt FOB India on Sept. 8.

source : S&P Global

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Temperature limitations for GRP

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

The maximum allowable temperature is determined by the resin type and state of cure. Experience of typical GRP systems suggests the following maximum allowable temperatures (in air), depending on resin type as shown in the below table, The temperatures listed in this table are for initial guidance only.

The maximum allowable temperature for #GRP, however, may be considerably lower, depending on the aggressiveness of the specific fluid and its concentration. The minimum recommended temperature for GRP regardless of the #resinsystem is minus 40 °C although lower temperatures may be considered.

source : Abdelhakim Ismail Amer

Siemens Mobility and Stadler move closer to multi-billion train contract for Berlin

A consortium consisting of manufacturers and the national operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) has been selected as the winner of a tender to supply #trains and transport services for two-thirds of the city’s S-Bahn network in the German capital.

Subject to contract signing, DB will operate the lines for 15 years, while #SiemensMobility and #Stadler will deliver at least 1,400 cars together with 30 years of technical maintenance.

While no official announcement has been made, several German media outlets report that the consortium has received letters confirming its success. The other bidder, Alstom, has until 11 September to lodge an appeal.

The tender process, which began in August 2020, faced multiple delays, including legal challenges from Alstom. In early July, the German government allocated the required €15 bln for the project. The first trains are expected to enter service no earlier than the 2030s.

source : Rolling Stock

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Graphene Composites Unveils Ground-breaking Ballistic and Blast Protection Technology

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Graphene Composites Unveils Ground-breaking Ballistic and Blast Protection Technology

#GrapheneComposites (GC), an advanced materials specialist based at NETPark, has announced a significant development in ballistic and blast protection with the launch of its next-generation GC Shield® technology.

Commenting on the advancement, Sandy Chen, CEO of Graphene Composites, stated, “GC Shields are a major advancement in ballistic and blast protection to deliver unprecedented performance in both #vehiclermour and personal protection applications. This is not just a leap forward in #shieldtechnology; it is a foundational platform for the next generation of personal and tactical protection systems.”

Superior Blast and Ballistic Protection

Sedgefield, UK, 27 August 2025: Graphene Composites has developed next-generation ballistic and blast protection through its GC Shield® technology, designed to provide advanced defence solutions.

Highly Effective Vehicle Armour Protection

The GC RF2 Shield achieves STANAG 4569/AEP-55 Level 1 standards for superior blast and ballistic resistance in #armouredvehicles. It delivers up to 30 percent weight reduction compared with conventional vehicle armour. The technology demonstrates exceptional capability to disperse and reflect impact force, making it highly effective against blast threats.

Enhanced Ballistic Shield Protection

As a ballistic shield exceeding NIJ Level III standards, the GC RF2 offers protection against advanced threats including the 5.56 x 45mm M855 ‘green tip’ round and the 5.45 x 39mm 7N6 ‘poison bullet’ round. Engineered to be lighter than competing designs, the RF2 enhances mobility while maintaining a high level of protection. The shield withstands multiple shots, including stacked and edge rounds, without spalling or ricochet. Its improved force dispersion reduces back-face deformation, further increasing safety.

Tactical Flexibility

Beyond individual protection, the GC Shield incorporates a modular design that enables the formation of a Shield Wall in under five seconds. Its lightweight construction supports rapid deployment without diminishing defensive capability. This adaptability provides operational advantages for both special operations units and defensive position setups.

Reiterating the significance of the innovation, Sandy Chen, CEO of Graphene Composites, commented, “GC Shields are a major advancement in ballistic and blast protection to deliver unprecedented performance in both vehicle armour and personal protection applications. This is not just a leap forward in shield technology; it is a foundational platform for the next generation of personal and tactical protection systems.

source : Advanced Carbons Council / Graphene Composites

Borealis invests €100M to expand PP compounding in Schwechat

Borealis is investing over €100 million to expand and upgrade its #polypropylene (PP) compounding facilities in Schwechat, Austria.

The new PP compounding line is expected to begin operations in the second half of 2026. 

#Borealis did not disclose the capacity of the new line.

The investment comes just months after the Austria-based polymer producer announced another €100 million for a new line to produce High Melt Strength polypropylene (#HMSPP) at its Burghausen plant in Germany.

“This is our third significant investment this year, following the expansion our energy business and the increase in capacity for our recyclable, lightweight polymer foam solutions,” said Stefan Doboczky, Borealis CEO.

“Over the past decade, Borealis has built strong expertise in circular solutions that meet our customers’ expectations for quality. With more capacity, we can deliver more of the materials they need, helping them hit performance targets and move closer to their sustainability goals. This project transforms innovation into tangible solutions – bringing our We4Customers strategy to life,” Doboczky added.

PP compounds may incorporate recycled materials to create speciality compounds with tailored properties. Borealis’ #DaplenPP compound grades contain PCR content, for example.

Borealis had plans to build a 60,000 tonnes/year #polyolefin mechanical #recycling plant at Schwechat, due to start operations in late 2025. The company has recently put the project on hold, however, saying the plant would not achieve its target performance under current market conditions.

Borealis’ #BorcycleMtechnology transforms post-consumer #polyolefinwaste into high-performance polymers suitable for demanding applications.

source : Borealis/Sustainable Plastics

Avantium Successfully Starts Up First Part of its FDCA Flagship Plant

Avantium N.V., a leader in renewable and circular polymer materials, is pleased to announce the successful start-up of the sugar dehydration (SDH) unit and all auxiliary systems and utilities at its FDCA Flagship Plant in Delfzijl. This achievement marks a key technical achievement in the phased commissioning and start-up of the world’s first commercial facility dedicated to the production of #FDCA (#furandicarboxylicacid), a key building block for the 100% plant-based and recyclable polymer #PEF (polyethylene furanoate), branded as #releaf®. #Avantium now expects to begin commercial sales under its existing offtake agreements in the first quarter of 2026.

The FDCA Flagship Plant, located at Chemie Park Delfzijl, is the first of its kind and is designed to produce up to 5 kilotonnes of FDCA per year. Construction was completed in October 2024, and Avantium has been gradually commissioning and starting up different parts of the facility.

The SDH unit is the largest part of the plant and plays a crucial role by converting plant sugars into #methoxymethylfurfural (MMF), an important intermediate in the FDCA production process. #MMF is now successfully being produced in the SDH unit. The successful start-up of the SDH follows the FDCA Flagship Plant’s utility and auxiliary systems, such as the tank farm and steam systems, which were put into operation earlier this year.

With the SDH unit now operational, the next steps include the finalization of commissioning and sequential start-up of the remaining units that handle oxidation and purification. Avantium has identified quality issues in the piping and certain electrical components. These will be repaired or replaced to ensure a safe and reliable start-up of the remaining units.

The FDCA produced at the FDCA Flagship Plant will be polymerized by tolling partner Selenis, using biobased #monoethyleneglycol (MEG), to create PEF. Following performance testing and regulatory validation for food contact applications, Avantium now expects to begin commercial sales under existing offtake agreements in the first quarter of 2026, with plans to reach full production capacity within 24 months.

“This milestone is a tremendous accomplishment for the team and a major step forward on our path to commercializing FDCA and PEF,” said Bram Hoffer, Chief Operations Officer at Avantium. Jeroen Vogelzang, Flagship Plant Manager, added: “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together, including our unwavering commitment to safety as the start-up process continues. Thie successful start-up is a major demonstration of the scalability of our #YXYtechnology.”

source: Avantium

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : First NCAMP approval for VARTM with Tenax™ dry reinforcements

 Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

🚀 First NCAMP approval for VARTM with Tenax™ dry reinforcements

Together with Syensqo, we have reached an important milestone:

Our Tenax™ IMS65 E23 24K non-crimp fabrics (NCF) and unidirectional (UD) reinforcements, when used with Syensqo's PRISM® EP2400 epoxy resin system, have been approved by NCAMP for the vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) infusion method. It is the first process and material approval of its kind.

The advantages:

🔹Out-of-autoclave processing with autoclave-like performance

🔹High fiber content with near-zero void content

🔹A long shelf life for preforms, which is ideal for large, complex components

🔹Global availability of all components by sea, land, or air

🔹Accelerated FAA certification with publicly available B-basis airworthiness values

Special thanks go to our partner, the Advanced Composites Institute (MSU-ACI) at Mississippi State University, which played a key role in validating process robustness and material consistency.

With this certification, we offer OEMs and suppliers a scalable, forward-looking alternative to traditional prepreg processing. Together with Syensqo, we open up new possibilities for efficient and sustainable manufacturing in the aerospace industry.

source : Teijin Carbon Europe GmbH