From the Sector

At Chinaplas 2025, the Reifenhäuser Group will present its latest technological innovations for the efficient and sustainable production of plastic films. The extrusion specialists will showcase at Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center from April 15 – 18 solutions that address the key challenges of today’s plastic industry: reducing resource consumption, increasing recyclability, and making production more autonomous and efficient. Meeting these demands requires advanced production technologies that Reifenhäuser already offers today.

A central focus at the show will be the use of Machine Direction Orientation (MDO) technologies for producing fully recyclable mono-material films with performance and cost-effectiveness equivalent to conventional multi-material structures.

Marcel Perrevort, CSO of the Reifenhäuser Group, explains: “In the flexible packaging sector, we are currently seeing a huge trend away from conventional and non-recyclable mixed material laminates towards fully recyclable mono-material composites, both for blown and cast films. Our state-of-the-art MDO stretching units enable enhanced mechanical properties for all-PE or all-PP films. Thus, PET films commonly used in material composites can be replaced. By downgauging, we also reduce production costs to a competitive level, making recyclable films a profitable choice.”

MDO for blown film lines
With the EVO Ultra Stretch MDO unit for Reifenhäuser’s blown film lines manufacturers produce all-PE mono films for applications such as high-barrier food pouches. Due to the stretch process film thicknesses of 18μm (with properties of a 25μm product) and less can be achieved, keeping production costs within the range of conventional films. With the patented integration of the MDO unit directly into the haul-off, the film is stretched in the ideal phase of the process – using the first heat – for maximum efficiency and film stability. Furthermore, the all-PE film achieves the required barrier effect with an EVOH content of less than five percent, fully meeting the criteria for recyclability. At the same time, Ultra Stretch enhances the performance of the EVOH barrier layer while reducing material usage, delivering cost and sustainability benefits.

CARBIOS, a pioneer in the development and industrialization of biological technologies to reinvent the life cycle of plastic and textiles, announces the resignation of Philippe Pouletty from term of office as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director, as well as from his term of office as Chief Executive Officer, a position he had accepted on a transitional basis on 18 December 2024.
 
The Board of Directors has taken note of this decision and thanks Philippe Pouletty for his contribution to CARBIOS' development.

The Board of Directors has appointed Isabelle Parize as Chairwoman of the Board and Vincent Kamel as Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect.
 
Continuing the work already undertaken, Vincent Kamel will focus on successfully executing CARBIOS' strategic objectives, including securing the additional financing needed to build its PET biorecycling plant in Longlaville.

Isabelle Parize is CEO of DELSEY. Isabelle Parize began her career at Procter & Gamble, where she held strategic positions in marketing and brand management for 13 years. She then joined Henkel as Vice President EMEA. On the strength of this experience, she became head of Canal Sat, the French media group. She then pursued her career in the beauty sector, becoming President of the Managing Board of Nocibé, one of France's leading perfume retailers, in 2011. In 2015, she was appointed Managing Director of Douglas AG, a European perfume giant, where she steered the company's expansion and modernization.
 
In 2018, she took a new role as CEO of DELSEY. Between 2021 and 2025, she will continue to support the Group as President of its Supervisory Board. Isabelle Parize has served on Coty Inc.'s Board since 2020.
 
Isabelle Parize has been a member of the CARBIOS Board of Directors since 2022.
 
Vincent Kamel, with over 38 years' experience in the polymer and chemical industries, has held management positions in companies such as Rhône-Poulenc, Rhodia and Solvay, both in France and abroad (China, South Korea, Brazil), notably as General Manager of Solvay's polyamide division, Director of the Coatis business unit and Director for Asia in the engineering plastics sector.
 
Vincent Kamel has been involved in CARBIOS’ development since 2021 as a member of the company's Board of Directors, and since December 2024, as an advisor to CARBIOS’ executive management.

Starlinger & Co GmbH puts the focus on its technologies for sustainable and efficient polypropylene tape production as well as food-safe recycled PET and polyolefins at Chinaplas this year.

With a maximum melting capacity of 1000 kg per hour and production speeds of up to 550 meters per minute, Starlinger’s starEX 1600 tape extrusion line unites high efficiency with resource-saving state-of-the-art design. It produces top-quality PP or HDPE/LLDPE tapes for high-performance packaging applications for dry bulk goods such as woven PP sacks or big bags. Specially developed and worldwide unique machine components such as the eqoSTRETCH stretching and annealing system ensure energy-saving production and uniform tape characteristics, while the eqoCLEAN filter system enables the processing of high shares of recycled polypropylene for producing more sustainable woven PP packaging.

“We have gathered decades of expertise both in woven plastic packaging production as well as in plastics recycling,” said Harald Neumüller, Chief Sales Officer at Starlinger. “By combining this know-how, we have developed technology that helps packaging manufacturers to establish closed packaging loops and make plastic packaging circular.” Starlinger has already realised lighthouse projects with customers in the FIBC sector, proposing a closed-loop economy for big bags made from rPP and rPET. “We consider used plastics as a resource, not waste,” Neumüller continued. “This is the only way to get a grip on the increasing amount of plastic waste worldwide. By collecting used plastics and reprocessing it we protect our environment, conserve natural resources, and at the same time save money that would need to be spent for waste treatment facilities and environment clean-ups.”

Precision to the core
With its high-speed winding technology, the twinTAPE+ automatic precision winder is Starlinger’s top-scale tape winder model. It ensures that the produced PP tapes from the starEX tape extrusion line are wound into perfect packages that improve productivity and fabric quality on the looms. The bevelled bobbin edges avoid that tapes come off during doffing, transport and handling and increase loom efficiency during weaving. The automatic bobbin change procedure of twinTAPE winders reduces operator work significantly, and the patented linear traverse system features an infinitely variable stroke, allowing a wide variety of bobbin designs. As the winder does not need lubrication, maintenance work is reduced to cleaning, which saves significant amounts of operator time.

Oerlikon Manmade Fibers Solutions recently hosted its highly anticipated Innovation and Technology Day at the Deltin Hotel in Daman by end of January 2025. The event attracted over 300 participants, including industry experts, partners, and stakeholders, who gathered to explore the latest advancements and trends in the manmade fibers industry in India.

Customer Event in Daman, India
The Innovation and Technology Day commenced with a warm welcome and introduction by Wolfgang Ernst, Chief Sales Officer (CSO) at Oerlikon Manmade Fibers Solutions, and Debabrata Ghosh, Head of Sales at Oerlikon Textile India. They provided an overview of the Indian market and its challenges.

“The Indian textile industry, particularly the chemical fiber sector, is experiencing significant growth and transformation. This development is driven by increasing production capacities, strategic investments, and a shift in global consumption patterns”, said Ghosh. India's production of manmade fibers (MMF) is robust, with annual outputs of 4.8 million tons of Polyester Filament Yarn (PFY), 1.7 million tons of Polyester Staple Fiber (PSF), 0.7 million tons of viscose, 0.2 million tons of Polyamide 6 (PA 6), and 25 thousand tons of acrylic. Additionally, the country boasts substantial capacities for PET bottles and films, growing at rates of 7% and 15% per annum, respectively. The Indian market is witnessing significant expansions in PTA (Purified Terephthalic Acid) capacity, with major projects underway by Indian Oil Corporation, GAIL, MCPI, Reliance Industries, and the Adani-Indorama joint venture. These expansions are set to increase the PTA capacity from the current 6.296 million tons to over 14 million tons by 2030.

Market Dynamics and strategic investments
“The global consumption landscape is shifting towards India and emerging Asia, driven by rising incomes and changing demographics. By 2050, India and emerging Asia are expected to account for 30% of global consumption at purchasing-power parity (PPP), up from 12% in 1997. This shift underscores the growing importance of these regions in the global economic landscape”, Ghosh continuous. Significant investments are being made to enhance production capacities and integrate advanced technologies. Indian Oil Corporation, in a joint venture with MCPI, is establishing a 900 TPD continuous polymerization unit in Odisha, supported by substantial government subsidies. Similarly, the Adani Group, in partnership with Indorama, is entering the petrochemical sector with a $3 billion PTA plant in Maharashtra.

Challenges and Opportunities
Despite the positive outlook, the industry faces challenges such as ensuring cost efficiency, scalability, and the seamless integration of new technologies into existing production processes. However, the sector is optimistic about improving profitability, driven by favorable supply-demand dynamics and strategic investments. “The Indian textile and chemical fiber industry is poised for significant growth, supported by strategic investments, capacity expansions, and a favorable global consumption shift. These developments position India as a key player in the global textile market, driving towards a sustainable and prosperous future”, said Ernst.

After the introduction about the current market situation, the event continued with numerous technical presentations in which Oerlikon and its partners presented their technological and solution expertise along the textile value production chain “From Melt to Yarn, Fibers and Nonwovens”.

“To spin an excellent yarn, you need the prefect melt”, said Moderator André Wissenberg, Head of Marketing, Corporate Communications, and Public Affairs at Oerlikon Manmade Fibers Solutions. How this can be produced using extrusion or continuous polycondensation technology was demonstrated by the keynote speakers Sven Streiber, Regional Sales Director at Oerlikon Barmag, Deepak Lokre, Head of Engineering at Oerlikon Textile India, and Matthias Schmitz, Head of Engineering Recycling Technology at BB Engineering (BBE).

The second session focused on Oerlikons technology partner for manmade fiber spinning mills. Presentations covered topics such as enhancing manmade fiber production with innovative air engineering, automatic handling solutions and quality inspections, as well as air texturizing solutions. Notable speakers included Praveen Kumar Singh, Managing Director of Luwa India, and Luca Lacitignola, Sales Director at Irico Gualchierani Handling (IGH), Simone Ducceschi, Sales & Project Manager at Thema Systems, as well as Ralf Morgenroth, Head of Engineering Textile Machinery at BBE.

The third session delved into solutions for producing the perfect fibers and yarns, with a focus on Oerlikon Barmag POY/DTY, FDY, IDY technologies as well as Oerlikon Neumag BCF and staple fiber line plants. Presentations were delivered by Philip Jungbecker, Head of R&D, and Guido Dresen, Regional Sales Director, both at Oerlikon Barmag, as well Chetan Bhagat, General Manager Sales, and Sameer Mehrotra, General Manager Service at Oerlikon Textile India. Ralf Morgenroth added further insights of the compact spinning solution VarioFil from BBE.

Environmentally friendly recycling solutions
The fourth session highlighted environmentally friendly recycling solutions, featuring insights from Sven Streiber and Sudipto Mandal, Sales and Marketing Manager at Oerlikon Textile India, and again Matthias Schmitz, BBE. They provided a detailed portfolio overview in the field of mechanical and chemical recycling. The new partnership between Oerlikon Barmag and Evonik was also presented to the audience. Finally, this was followed by a session on customer services and digital solutions, where Michael Ruebenhagen, Head of Global Service Sales and Ivan Gallo, Digital Solutions, both at Oerlikon Manmade Fibers Solutions discussed current upgrade and retrofit options, the Digital Academy, and the future of digitalization in manmade fiber spinning mills. Shared Kulkarnie, General Manager Service Sales & Workshops, as well as Chandru Gurbaxani, Digital Solutions, performed together with their German colleagues.

The event concluded with closing remarks again from Wolfgang Ernst, who provided a global market overview and outlook for 2025. Final remarks were given by Atul Vaidya, Managing Director of Oerlikon Textile India. Finaly the event ended with a gala evening with more than 500 participants featuring a fashion show, music, dancing, and excellent food, supported by Decathlon and Garden Vareli.

Autoneum expands its sustainable product portfolio for commercial vehicles with new polyester-based side and rear wall panels. Their carrier material consists of Propylat PET, the company’s eco-friendly and fully recyclable Pure technology made of 100 percent polyester. Autoneum’s components thus offer a significantly more sustainable alternative to the composite or thermoset resin panels commonly used in trucks today, which are difficult to recycle. Thanks to the unique material composition of Propylat PET, they contribute to optimized acoustic and thermal management.

With the establishment of a dedicated Business Unit Commercial Vehicles at the beginning of 2024, Autoneum has set the course for further sustainable and profitable growth in this market segment on a global scale. Manufacturers of medium and heavy trucks as well as agricultural vehicles thus benefit not only from Autoneum’s existing production footprint and comprehensive product and technology portfolio, but also from the Company’s longstanding experience in the development and manufacturing of environmentally friendly monomaterials. Components such as the new polyester-based side and rear wall panels support customers in improving the environmental performance of commercial vehicles and are therefore an important step towards a circular economy also in this vehicle segment.

The carrier material of Autoneum’s sustainable trim components consists of 100 percent polyester. Thanks to the high content of recycled fibers and the excellent end-of-life recyclability of Propylat PET, the side and rear wall panels from Autoneum are considerably more environmentally friendly than the composite or thermoset resin alternatives commonly used in trucks today. Furthermore, additional components can be welded onto the material without the use of adhesives or other chemicals, which further increases the products’ recyclability at the end of their service life. Due to the unique material composition of Propylat PET, the components also improve the acoustic and thermal insulation of the vehicle interior and are characterized by minimal emission of volatile organic compounds as well as low odor. In addition, Autoneum continues to invest in the develop-ment of monomaterial components for commercial vehicles, where both the carrier material and the aesthetic surface are made entirely of polyester, thus further advancing the transition to a sustaina-ble circular economy.

In line with the new Level Up corporate strategy, which focuses on innovation and a future-fit product portfolio among other things, Autoneum has further expanded its research and development activities in 2024 with a particular focus on New Mobility. In addition to establishing a specialized team to accelerate the development and market readiness of novel products and technologies for electric vehicles, the Company has complemented its global innovation network with a new Research & Technology (R&T) Center in Shanghai, China.

Innovation is and always has been an integral part of Autoneum’s corporate strategy and thus a key factor for business success. The Company’s innovation activities are also an important aspect of its vision: to be the global leader for innovative and sustainable solutions bringing comfort to every vehicle. Against the backdrop of the rapidly advancing electrification of mobility and Autoneum’s strategic focus on further expanding its presence in the Asian growth markets, the expansion activities of the company-wide innovation network this year concentrated on two key areas in particular: New Mobility and presence in China.

Responding to the increasing demand for new components for electric vehicles, Autoneum has formed a specialized team dedicated exclusively to New Mobility to further strengthen its position in this growing market segment. The New Mobility team was established in fall 2023 and has been completed over the past twelve months with members from different departments. It unites a broad set of skills from various fields of expertise such as product innovation, product development and industrialization, sales and business development. The team places a particular focus on accelerating the development and time to market of new products and technologies specifically for the fast-evolving battery systems and architectures of electric vehicles. It also acts as a catalyst for innovation pro-jects and strategic partnerships. The New Mobility experts work in close collaboration with the various departments across the organization and are based at Autoneum’s Swiss headquarters in Win-terthur, at the German locations in Gundernhausen and Munich and in Shanghai, China.

Shanghai is also the location of Autoneum’s third R&T Center worldwide, which was opened in China this summer to enhance the Company’s competitiveness in Asia and cater to the development and innovation needs in this key strategic market. The new center aims to intensify and accelerate the development and production of innovative components and materials, especially regarding e-mobility. The establishment of an R&T team in China allows Autoneum to develop products in a timely manner to respond to the dynamic market conditions and the rapidly evolving requirements of Chinese vehicle manufactures. In terms of material development, the center will support the wider organization in the further development of sustainable materials, especially polyester. In addition, it will promote the introduction of Autoneum’s environmentally friendly products such as the Company’s monomaterial carpet systems featuring Autoneum’s innovative and latex-free alternative backcoating (ABC) process to the Chinese market. Moreover, the R&T Center in Shanghai will also serve as a valuable point of contact with the 14 production facilities of the Jiangsu Huanyu Group, whose acquisition of a majority stake of 70 percent by Autoneum was recently announced and is expected to be closed in March 2025 (see media release of November 19, 2024). While the plants in China will benefit from the local R&T team’s expertise in the company’s technologies, the existing broad customer base of Jiangsu Huanyu Group will support Autoneum in better understanding and serving the innovation needs of Chinese vehicle manufacturers.

The new R&T Center in Shanghai complements the primary R&T Center in Winterthur, Switzerland, which supports the global network with its expertise and a vast array of services in the areas of pre-development as well as acoustic and thermal benchmarking, simulation and testing, and the center in Bocholt, Germany. The latter was integrated into Autoneum’s innovation network following the acquisition of Borgers Automotive last year and has since established itself as the Company’s competence center for trunk and trim components. Including the new center in China, a total of approximately eighty R&T employees – including engineers, chemists, physicists and product designers – are continuously working on new ideas aimed at the next technological breakthrough in acoustic and thermal management and shielding technologies.

For the first time, a piece of clothing is made entirely from textile waste – no bottles, no packaging, no virgin plastic. 100% biorecycled fibers. By developing and industrializing CARBIOS’ enzymatic depolymerization technology to achieve 100% “fiber-to-fiber” recycling, the consortium collectively advances the textile industry's shift towards a circular economy.

CARBIOS, a pioneer in the development and industrialization of biological technologies to reinvent the life cycle of plastic and textiles, and its “fiber-to-fiber” consortium partners On, Patagonia, PUMA, Salomon, and PVH Corp., parent company of Calvin Klein, unveil the world’s first enzymatically recycled polyester garment made from 100% textile waste using CARBIOS’ pioneering biorecycling technology.

This technological feat contributes to advancing textile circularity when, today, the majority of recycled polyester is made from PET bottles, and only 1% of fibers are recycled into new fibers.  The collective achievement marks an important milestone for the consortium’s ultimate aim of demonstrating fiber-to-fiber closed loop using CARBIOS’ biorecycling process at an industrial scale, and marks an important step forward for the textile industry’s shift towards a circular economy.

A plain, white T-shirt was a deliberate choice to showcase the technological achievement that made its production possible from mixed and colored textile waste.  By using CARBIOS’ biorecycling technology, polyester is broken down using enzymes into its fundamental building blocks which are reformed to produce biorecycled polyester whose quality is on par with oil-based virgin polyester.  Petroleum can now be replaced by textile waste as a raw material to produce polyester textiles, that will in turn become raw materials again, thus fueling a circular economy, with the added benefit of a lower carbon footprint and avoidance of landfill or incineration.

The t-shirt’s production began with all consortium members (On, Patagonia, PUMA, PVH Corp. and Salomon) supplying rolls and production cutting scraps to CARBIOS in Clermont-Ferrand, France.  This textile waste consisted of some mixed blends with cotton or elastane, as well as various treatments (such as durable water repellent) and dyes which render them complex to recycle using conventional methods. The collected waste was deconstructed into its original monomers, PTA and MEG, using CARBIOS’ biorecycling technology at its pilot facility. The resulting monomers were then repolymerized, spun into yarn and woven into new fabric by external partners, demonstrating the seamless integration into existing manufacturing processes.  The resulting sports t-shirt made from 100% textile waste meets the quality standards and sustainability objectives of the apparel brands present in the “fiber-to-fiber” consortium.

CARBIOS’ demonstration plant in Clermont-Ferrand, France, has been up and running since 2021, and its first commercial plant, the world’s first industrial-scale enzymatic PET recycling plant, is currently under construction in Longlaville, France.  In addition, CARBIOS recently announced several letters of intent with PET producers in Asia and Europe, confirming global interest in its biorecycling technology and advancing the international roll-out of its licensing model.

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) has achieved ISCC+ certification for three of its fiber manufacturing sites. In addition to one already ISCC+ certified fiber plant, this marks a significant milestone in the company's ongoing commitment to sustainability and circular economy practices. Across its entire business, a total of nine Indorama Ventures sites are now ISCC+ certified, offering a diverse range of sustainable products, including PTA, PET chips, fibers, and fabrics.

The newly certified high-performance fiber portfolio will serve customers who require technical yarns such as in the Mobility, Tire cords, Airbags, Industrial or Mechanical Rubber Goods sector. The new offerings include:

• Mass balanced (M.B.) polyamides PA6.6 and PA4.6 from the company’s sites in Obernburg (Germany) and Pizzighettone (Italy). Developed in collaboration with key partners, these products match the performance of standard polyamide yarns while reducing GHG emissions by approximately 55% at the polymer level.
• Bio-based high-tenacity PA4.10 (M.B.) yarn made in Obernburg (Germany) for tire and specialties applications. This 100% bio-content polymer, produced from bio-based Sebacic Acid and bio-based Di-Amino Butane (DAB) component via mass balancing, supports significant GHG emissions reduction due to the innovative raw material.
• Recycled PET yarns and tire cord fabric from Indorama Ventures’ site in Kaiping (China). These yarns and fabrics made from 100% recycled PET, represent the company’s efforts to drive the evolution towards circular practices and lower carbon products.

ISCC+ Certification
The ISCC+ (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) is a globally recognized standard for the sustainable production of biomass, and bio-based products, including recycled content. This certification ensures that materials are sourced and processed responsibly, reducing the environmental impact and promoting a circular economy.

In the presence of CEO Eelco Spoelder, Autoneum opened its new production facility in Pune in Western India on August 28, 2024. The opening of the third plant in the key automotive market of India is in line with the Company’s strategic focus on future profitable growth with a particular emphasis on Asian growth markets. Series production of carpet systems, interior trim, wheelhouse outer liners, e-motor encapsulations and other noise protection components for local and international vehicle manufacturers has already begun.

The plant in Pune in the western Indian state of Maharashtra is wholly owned by Autoneum and complements the existing production facility in Behror near New Dehli in the north and the joint venture plant in Chennai in the south of India. During the inauguration ceremony in Pune, Autoneum CEO Eelco Spoelder said: “With the opening of our new plant, Autoneum gains access to the third of the four major automobile production centers in India. By expanding our presence in this strategically important region, we can further strengthen our position in Asia, the world’s largest automotive market.”

The building spans an area of 7 500 square meters and includes modern production equipment. The Pune plant will supply both local and international customers with noise-reducing lightweight components for the interior and exterior of vehicles of all drive types. Pune will be the first Autoneum plant in India with the capability to produce Hybrid-Acoustics PET felts for e-motor encapsulation. Components made of Hybrid-Acoustics PET are characterized by their lightweight construction and noise protection that are optimized for electric vehicles. They consist entirely of PET, which is largely obtained from recycled fibers, and thus meet customer demand for environmentally friendly mobility solutions.

As announced in March, Pune is one of two plants that Autoneum is opening this year in the important Asian growth markets of China and India. The new joint venture plant in Changchun in the northern Chinese province of Jilin will ramp up production of inner dashes, interior floor insulators and other NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) components for European, Japanese and Chinese car manufacturers from the end of 2024. Both new plants in Pune and Changchun are strategically located thanks to their proximity to important customers. In India, Autoneum supplies European, American, Indian, Japanese and Korean vehicle manufacturers.

Freudenberg Performance Materials (Freudenberg) will present packaging solutions with various sustainability benefits at Fachpack 2024 in Nuremberg, Germany, from September 24-26. The range of exhibited products includes Evolon® microfilament textiles for reusable technical packaging of sensitive industrial parts, bio-based nonwoven materials for desiccant bags, and Evolon® The Food Bag – a solution for food preservation.

Freudenberg’s innovative Evolon® technical packaging product line will emphasize the company’s commitment to sustainability. Evolon® offers enhanced surface protection for various kinds of sensitive industrial parts, including molded plastics and painted components. It is notable for its durability and high recycled PET content. The microfilament fabric serves as an eco-friendly alternative to single-use packaging, particularly in the transportation of sensitive industrial goods such as automotive parts. Evolon®'s protective qualities reduce damage during transport and lower the rejection rate.

Additionally, Evolon® ESD (electro-static discharge) materials address the need for specialized packaging of sensitive electronic components by providing customizable permanent electro-static discharge protection in additional to surface protection.

Evolon® The Food Bag
Freudenberg will also be exhibiting a packaging product for food preservation in the home. Evolon® The Food Bag extends the shelf life of vegetables, fruits and bread by providing great moisture and climate management. The innovative bag was a finalist in the 2020 Zu gut für die Tonne!  prize (“Too Good For The Bin”), part of the National Strategy for Food Waste Reduction launched by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL).

Sustainable nonwoven materials for desiccant bags
A further highlight at Fachpack 2024 will be nonwoven materials for manufacturing desiccant bags. In addition to conventional fully synthetic materials, Freudenberg’s product range includes sustainable bio-based wetlaid nonwovens which are binder-free and industrially compostable.