Recent developments
Strategic partnerships
Regulators cleared the Covestro and XRG partnership, enabling a €1.17 billion capital increase to fund circularity, digitalization, and growth in mobility, construction, and electronics. Covestro retains operational autonomy while aligning with XRG’s energy-transition expertise.
Circular feedstocks
Norsk e-Fuel and Braskem will assess integrating e‑naphtha from CCU-based PtL plants into polymer chains. Target capacity exceeds 200,000 t/y e-fuels by 2032, with roughly 25% e‑naphtha for PP and other resins, expanding lower‑carbon feedstock options.
Capacity shifts
The closure of the Fife Ethylene Plant removes 830,000 t/y of ethylene and threatens 429 jobs, intensifying Europe’s cracker rationalization—nearly 5 Mt/y lost across seven sites in 18 months—and disrupting adjacent NGL and pipeline infrastructure in Scotland.
European investments
INEOS announced a €250 million investment at Lavera to upgrade cracker reliability, efficiency, and emissions, backed by the French state. Future phases depend on support amid high energy and carbon costs affecting regional competitiveness.
Bio-based applications
Braskem and TE Connectivity launched bio-based heat shrink tubing using sugarcane ethanol–derived polymers. The BIOFUSE line meets UL224 and other standards while offering lower lifecycle footprints versus fossil incumbents for electrical insulation and flame-retardant applications.
Export developments
Sinopec initiated its first export of high-density polyethylene to Australia and New Zealand. Low-odor HDPE grades, produced at Maoming for packaging liquids, reflect tailored product–logistics coordination to extend Asian polymer suppliers’ reach.
Recycling recognition
PureCycle and Churchill Container received the U.S. Plastics Pact Sustainable Packaging Innovation Award for the Run It Back line, featuring cups and containers with up to 100% PCR polypropylene, including food-contact uses and early adoption by professional sports venues.