PRA News

French chemical firm Arkema says it has chosen the location of Jurong Island in Singapore to build its new world-scale plant dedicated to the manufacture of the amino 11 monomer and its flagship Rilsan polyamide 11 resins. With this 50% increase in its global capacities announced in July 2017, it…

Italian extrusion machinery maker Amut recently supplied two extrusion lines for the production of waterproofing membranes in PVC and TPO to Jiangsu Canlon. “We are becoming the largest supplier of waterproofing materials around China reaching a productivity capacity of 10,000,000 sq m/year of waterproofing membranes in polymer and 20,000,000 sq…

US petrochemicals major ExxonMobil plans to invest an additional US$2 billion to expand its Baytown, Texas, chemical plant. The expansion, expected to start up in 2022, includes a new Vistamaxx performance polymer unit that will produce about 400,000 tonnes/year of polymers. The project will also enable ExxonMobil to enter the…

Products and brands are harnessing the enormous potentials that are packed within the wafer-thin shell of the printed electronics technology, says Angelica Buan in this report. The effusion of technology advancements in consumer products has set off a criterion that thinner is better and less is more. This is the…

South Korea is leaving no stones unturned to further mature a technology-driven industry, says Angelica Buan in this review of the recently concluded Koplas 2019 show, held 12-16 March in Seoul. The show spanned an area of 26,487 sq m with 4,300 booths occupied by 1,280 exhibitors. The total number…

Chemical firm Trinseo says that it is evaluating “strategic alternatives” for its polycarbonate (PC) resin activities but it has not set a timeline for this evaluation process. It adds that it is analysing options for its PC production facility in Stade, Germany. It says that it is fully committed to continue serving…

At the upcoming Chinaplas show in Guangzhou, to be held from 21-24 May 2019, machinery makers will be showing the latest in automated machinery for medical and packaging applications; as well as digital processing. Digitalisation at the forefront from Arburg German machinery maker Arburg will be presenting the digital future of plastics…

Thailand is focusing on strengthening its industries with high potentials, as it secures its position among Asia’s strong economic contenders, says Angelica Buan in this report. Thailand, Southeast Asia’s second largest economy, has made great strides over the years, progressing from a low income to an upper income economy. The…

Packaging machinery supplier PackSys Global AG of Switzerland will sell its subsidiary, PackSys Global (Thailand) Limited, to Swiss engineering, machine construction, IT solutions and packaging technology firm Benpac Holding AG. PackSys Thailand manufactures lines to make monobloc aluminium aerosol cans and aluminium tubes as well as printing machines for metal…

Current developments in the automotive industry are being made possible with new engineering plastics materials that meet durability, lightweight and cost efficient requirements, says Angelica Buan in this report. The diamond stone, believed to be the hardest material on earth, has been revered for centuries for its “indestructible” properties. Times…