Recent developments
Regulation and exits
EU compliance and portfolio shifts shaped supply. PureCycle received the REACH Certificate of Compliance, enabling EU sales of PureFive polypropylene resin and flagging an Antwerp build by 2028. BASF will exit the hydrosulfites business, closing Ludwigshafen and phasing out dyeing reductants, prompting sourcing adjustments in wet-processing.
Circular PET scale-up
Indorama advanced bio-based PET fibers and yarns under the deja™ Bio portfolio via certified mass balance. matterr secured a €30 million grant and a strategic partnership with BESTSELLER to deploy a 10,000 t/y chemical recycling unit in Germany. CARBIOS and Indorama will supply r-PET filaments for use in Michelin tire reinforcements from enzymatically recycled monomers.
Bio-based building blocks
Mevaldi raised capital to scale its bio-based building block 3MPD and ready Pentonext for polyesters and polyurethanes. Eastman and Huafon will establish a joint facility in China for the production of cellulose acetate yarn, localizing Naia. Arkema obtained ISCC PLUS certification for its acrylic monomer production facilities worldwide, enabling bio-attributed binders via mass balance.
Capacity and equipment
Covestro closed the acquisition of Pontacol, adding multilayer adhesive films for textile lamination. Gabriel-Chemie completed an expansion at its Nyíregyháza, Hungary production site, increasing masterbatch capacity and efficiency. Mistra-Autex ordered an ANDRITZ needlepunch line with ProWin closed-loop control, boosting technical nonwovens output and fiber efficiency.
Operations and stewardship
Solvay’s Santo André site achieved a 94% water reuse rate using MBR technology under a long-term Veolia contract, cutting freshwater demand for polymer output serving textiles. Indorama launched deja™ Care PET fibers and yarns for skin-sensitive apparel, with certifications and cleaner chemistries reducing wastewater burdens.