Covestro and XRG commence strategic partnership: Transaction successfully closed

Covestro AG today announced the successful closing of its strategic partnership with XRG P.J.S.C. (formerly ADNOC International Limited, together with its subsidiaries in the following “XRG”). The agreed capital increase of EUR 1.17 billion was carried out as planned, providing #Covestro with additional resources to support the implementation of its “Sustainable Future” strategy.

Dr. Markus Steilemann, CEO of Covestro, said: “With today’s closing of the transaction, we can now begin our joint journey with XRG. Together with #XRG as a strong and long-term partner, we are well positioned to drive Covestro’s transformation and create long-term value for our customers, employees, and stakeholders worldwide.

The closing of the transaction marks the official start of the partnership, building on all underlying agreements and prior regulatory clearances.

source : Covestro

Celanese Achieves ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification for POM ECO-C Grades

Celanese Achieves ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification for POM ECO-C Grades, Expanding Circular Economy Leadership

Celanese Corporation a global leader in specialty materials and chemicals, has achieved Carbon Footprint Certification (CFC) from International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) for its Hostaform® and Celcon® POM ECO-C grades at production sites in Frankfurt, Germany, and Bishop, Texas - expanding its network of certified facilities to empower customers to reduce product carbon footprints and accelerate the transition to a circular economy. This milestone underscores Celanese’s commitment to sustainability and innovation.

Advancing Lower-Carbon Solutions

This certification is the result of #Celanese’s major investment in Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technology at its Clear Lake, Texas facility as a part of its Fairway Methanol joint venture with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. - one of the world’s largest active CCU plants. The process captures CO₂ emissions and converts them into methanol, reducing fossil-based inputs without compromising material performance.

Key Highlights:

Certified Sustainability: ISCC CFC certification provides third-party verification of carbon footprint reduction.

Performance Retained: POM ECO-C maintains hallmark properties - high stiffness, thermal stability, sliding performance, and wear resistance - now with the lowest carbon footprint #POM to date.

Global Reach: Certification at Frankfurt and Bishop strengthens Celanese leadership in sustainable engineering plastics.

Digital Transparency with Chemille® - Digital Assistant

To complement these efforts, Celanese now provides Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) letters via AskChemille.com, its digital assistant for advanced material selection and support. By integrating certain Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data into the Chemille® platform, Celanese delivers greater transparency and enables customers to make informed, sustainability-driven decisions while supporting Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions awareness.

source : Celanese

Mitsubishi Strengthening Carbon Fiber Manufacturing Capacity for High-End Applications

 Strengthening Carbon Fiber Manufacturing Capacity for High-End Applications in Japan and the United States

Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation has decided to enhance its carbon fiber production capacity in Japan and the United States for high-end applications across the sports and leisure, aerospace, hypercar, and other sectors.

As the need for lightweight and high-performance products in the sports and leisure, aerospace, and hypercar sectors has increased in recent years, demand for carbon fiber for high-end applications has been steadily expanding. Our carbon fiber for high-end applications, featuring outstanding strength and elastic modulus, meets rigorous quality standards and is highly valued by industry-leading customers.

In response to such robust demand, Mitsubishi Chemical has decided to enhance its high-performance carbon fiber production capacity by effectively leveraging its existing facilities in Japan and the United States.

Going forward, Mitsubishi Chemical will continue to capture market growth, create and deliver value to its customers and, by focusing on high value-added businesses, pursue further profit growth.

 

・Manufacturing sites: Tokai Plant / Aichi area (Toyohashi-shi, Aichi, Japan)

                        Sacramento Plant (Sacramento, California, U.S.)

・Operational schedule: Phased enhancement from 2025 to 2027 (planned)

・Production capacity: Approximately double the current level

source: Mitsubishi Chemical Group

TYPE 4 COMPOSITE H2/CNG CYLINDER PROJECT REPORT

TYPE 4 COMPOSITE H2/CNG CYLINDER PROJECT REPORT

Driving Toward a Safer, Greener, and Economically Viable Future

Purpose of the Report

This comprehensive project report is designed to empower entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors looking to enter the hashtag

#Type4CompositeCylinder market specifically for 

#Hydrogen (H2) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) applications. The goal is to provide a clear, actionable roadmap to success by understanding market dynamics, overcoming typical challenges, & aligning with the latest technological and regulatory trends.

Key Focus Areas Covered in the Report

-> Market Landscape & Growth Potential

->Global overview of the Natural Gas Vehicles (NGVs) and Hydrogen vehicle market

->Market segmentation by vehicle use and bulk transportation

->Regional analysis: India & international markets

Technological Advancements

->Latest innovations in Type 3 and Type 4 composite cylinder technology

->New manufacturing techniques, lightweight materials, and safety features

->Impact of automation and digital monitoring systems

Strategic & Competitive Insights

->Analysis of major global and regional players

->Market share distribution, SWOT analysis, and strategic models adopted

->Mergers & Acquisitions landscape

Investment & Project Setup

->Estimated initial capital investment for setting up a Type 4 cylinder manufacturing line

->Infrastructure and equipment guidance

->Costing & certification

Regulatory & Standards Overview

->Overview of global certification standards

->Safety and durability assessments

->Quality assurance practices

Economic Efficiency & Customer Value

*Comparative analysis of Type 1 vs. Type 4 cylinders in terms of cost-efficiency and performance

*Economic rationale behind choosing Type 4 for mobility & transport sectors

Special Insights Included

*The hydrogen economy: Global trends, policies, and application-specific demand for Type 4 cylinders

*Durability studies of composite cylinders under various stress environments

*Case studies: Lessons from failed and successful projects

*Guidance on navigating prototyping and certification hurdles

Strategic Vision

This report is not just data-driven, but strategically aligned to guide new entrants, startups, & expanding enterprises toward avoiding common pitfalls. With an increasing number of companies failing due to certification delays and technical setbacks, this report lays out a clear roadmap to market entry and scalability.

Why This Report?

User-friendly format for entrepreneurs & decision-makers

Competitive pricing, making it accessible for small & mid-sized firms

Aims to support a cleaner, safer, & economically feasible hydrogen & CNG future

Detailed investment modeling and market entry tactics for real-world execution

The Future Is Composite

With the global push toward carbon neutrality and hydrogen adoption, the demand for durable, lightweight, and certified composite cylinders is set to soar. This report helps you stay ahead of the curve.

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : The Importance of Material Selection in Injection Molding

 Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

💡 The Importance of Material Selection in Injection Molding

🔹 Material Selection: The Foundation of Flawless Injection Molding In injection molding, the right material choice isn't just a step—it's the cornerstone of performance, durability, and cost-efficiency. At SCSplastic, we know that selecting the optimal plastic can make or break your project, balancing factors like strength, heat resistance, and sustainability.

Why it matters:

- Ensures parts meet industry standards (e.g., ISO, UL).

- Minimizes defects like warping or cracking.

- Supports eco-friendly designs with recyclable options.

Below is a quick comparison of the top 20 common engineering plastics for injection molding, highlighting key properties like tensile strength, heat deflection temperature (HDT), and typical uses. This table is based on industry data from sources like DuPont, BASF, and Ensinger (2024-2025 benchmarks).

Pro Tip: For high-heat applications, go with PEEK or LCP. For cost-effective strength, PA66 or ABS shine.

source: SCSplastic

Chinese bamboo fibre composites: an opportunity for automotive interiors

Key technology and application of bamboo fibre composite materials for automotive interiors and a new product – a bamboo fibre automotive interior headliner-, developed under the leadership of the International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan of China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration, have passed expert evaluation.

This new technology fully leverages the inherent properties of bamboo fibre to develop bamboo fibre automotive interior parts, opening the door for the widespread application of bamboo products in the automotive field. Under the global aim of “health and safety, green and low-carbon and lightweight”, finding a material that can meet mechanical, safety and process requirements while reducing environmental burden has become an urgent issue for the automotive industry.

The research team led by the International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan recognised the enormous potential of bamboo as an engineering material. However, transforming flexible bamboo fibres into irregularly shaped structural components that meet stringent automotive standards is no easy task. Over more than a decade, the research team has continuously tackled a series of key technologies, including bamboo fibre manufacturing and its material properties, bamboo-plastic composite interface control and bamboo fibre composite moulding.

Technical challenges

First, lightweighting was achieved. The bamboo fibre lightweight manufacturing technology developed by the R&D team allows the bamboo fibre content in the board to reach up to 75% while the density can be controlled to ≤ 0.5 g/cm³. This means that, for the same volume, bamboo fibre composite materials are much lighter than traditional plastics and other materials. In addition, its irregular moulding depth can reach more than 25 mm, meeting the complex three-dimensional shaping requirements of components such as trunk side panels and automotive interior headliners, achieving a balance between irregular structures and lightweighting.

Secondly, the team overcame the challenge of interface integration, achieving a balance between rigidity and flexibility. Bamboo fibre is a hydrophilic natural organic material, while polymer resin is a hydrophobic chemical material.

First applications in Chinese electric cars

Currently, one bamboo fibre production line and two bamboo fibre composite material production lines with an annual output of 200,000 square metres have been established, enabling mass production of a series of products such as automotive interior headliners and seat back panels. The Baojun Enjoy model, equipped with bamboo fibre interior trim, made its debut at the recent World Forestry Congress.

source: Wuling/ Jeccomposites.com

BASF, San Fang and Nichetech collaborate to advance circular economy in footwear industry with new TPU films

BASF, San Fang Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd. (San Fang), and Nichetech Advanced Materials Co., Ltd. (Nichetech) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop sustainable solutions for the footwear industry, with a focus on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) products and a shared ambition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The first milestone of this collaboration will be the introduction of Global Recycled Standard (GRS)-certified TPU films, combining high performance with environmental responsibility. The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is an internationally recognized certification that verifies the use of recycled materials in products. It provides a robust framework for tracking recycled content throughout the entire supply chain, ensuring transparency and integrity.

These films will enable footwear brands to incorporate recycled materials without compromising quality or durability. Building on this foundation, the partners will expand the portfolio with additional GRS-certified products that meet international recycling standards, delivering innovative solutions for brands and consumers worldwide.

The strategic alliance leverages each partner’s expertise. BASF is one of the world’s leading chemical companies and has extensive know-how in sustainable and high-performance materials and applications. Founded in 1973, San Fang develops key raw materials and application technologies and actively promotes environmentally friendly products for a circular economy such as recycled polyester polyols. Nichetech specializes in high-performance flexible films and possesses advanced manufacturing capabilities and a strong footwear market knowledge.

“We are proud to collaborate with BASF and Nichetech to pioneer innovative sustainable solutions for the footwear industry that meet global standards and deliver real value to brands and consumers in Taiwan and beyond,” said Chih Yi, Lin*, President, San Fang.

Leveraging on San Fang’s expertise in recycled polyester polyols, Nichetech brings deep knowledge in TPU film applications and a dedication to driving industry-wide change.

“Our expertise in TPU film applications allows us to set a new benchmark for sustainable materials in the footwear industry,” said Chih Yi, Lin*, President, Nichetech.

BASF complements these strengths with advanced TPU technology and global reach, enabling large-scale adoption of recycled materials.

source : BASF