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Borealis celebrates 30th anniversary (c) Borealis
05.03.2024

Borealis celebrates 30th anniversary

Borealis is commemorating its thirtieth year of operations. Born of a merger between Statoil and Neste, Borealis has expanded from its early Nordic roots to become one of the top polyolefins players. Its dedication to value creation through innovation has produced proprietary and transformative technologies which benefit society and accelerate the transition to a circular economy. The company is regularly ranked as Austria's top innovator in the European Patent Index and holds an extensive patent portfolio of around 8,900 granted patents. In Europe in particular, Borealis has for decades bolstered the industrial landscape by investing in its capital assets, and by providing thousands of jobs.

Borealis is commemorating its thirtieth year of operations. Born of a merger between Statoil and Neste, Borealis has expanded from its early Nordic roots to become one of the top polyolefins players. Its dedication to value creation through innovation has produced proprietary and transformative technologies which benefit society and accelerate the transition to a circular economy. The company is regularly ranked as Austria's top innovator in the European Patent Index and holds an extensive patent portfolio of around 8,900 granted patents. In Europe in particular, Borealis has for decades bolstered the industrial landscape by investing in its capital assets, and by providing thousands of jobs.

Innovations
Borealis uses technological innovation to add value to polyolefin-based applications, ensure that production processes are made more resource efficient, and to accelerate plastics circularity. Borstar®, the multi-modal proprietary technology for the manufacture of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), has been a mainstay of Borealis success since the start-up of the first Borstar PE plant in Porvoo, Finland in 1995. Borstar has since been joined by other technology brands, like Borlink™, an innovation for the power cable industry; Borstar® Nextension Technology, an innovation that among other benefits facilitates the production of monomaterial applications designed for recycling; or the Borcycle™ M technology for mechanical recycling, which breathes new life into polyolefin-based, post-consumer waste, transforming it into applications with a lower carbon footprint.

Global Expansion
With the strong support of its two majority shareholders OMV (Austria) and The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC, UAE), Borealis continues to expand its global footprint. The joint venture Borouge, established in 1998 in the UAE, and listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) since 2022, is one of the largest integrated polyolefin complexes. It is currently the site of the company’s largest-ever growth project: Borouge 4, the new USD 6.2 billion facility in Ruwais, which will serve customers in the Middle East and Asia. In North America, the Baystar™ joint venture, founded in 2017 and operated with partner TotalEnergies, entailed the construction of a new ethane cracker as well as the most advanced Borstar plant ever built outside of Europe. The PE Borstar 3G plant in Pasadena, Texas was started up in late 2023 and has brought Borstar to this continent for the first time. Borealis’ commitment to Europe as a production location is evidenced by the new, world-scale propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant currently under construction at Borealis operations in Kallo, Belgium.

More information:
Borealis polyolefins Recycling
Source:

Borealis

(c) Löffler
The EC300-S collarette cutter
10.02.2023

TMAS: Svegea installs Collarette Cutter at Löffler

Svegea of Sweden – a member of TMAS, the Swedish Textile Machinery Association – has recently installed an EC300-S collarette cutter for the high speed production of tubular apparel components as well as an FA350 automatic roll slitter at the plant of Löffler, in Ried im Innkreis, Austria.

The EC 300-S collarette cutter is equipped with the computer-controlled True-Drive II and high pre-feed device, which is used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements. It operates at speeds of up to 20,000 metres per hour. The integrated, fully automatic FA350 roll slitter FA500 roll slitter is equipped with three separately adjustable settings enabling three different band widths to be cut within the same cutting cycle. Automatic tube sewing units are provided for sewn tubes in optional rolled or flat folded forms, depending on customer preference.

Svegea of Sweden – a member of TMAS, the Swedish Textile Machinery Association – has recently installed an EC300-S collarette cutter for the high speed production of tubular apparel components as well as an FA350 automatic roll slitter at the plant of Löffler, in Ried im Innkreis, Austria.

The EC 300-S collarette cutter is equipped with the computer-controlled True-Drive II and high pre-feed device, which is used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements. It operates at speeds of up to 20,000 metres per hour. The integrated, fully automatic FA350 roll slitter FA500 roll slitter is equipped with three separately adjustable settings enabling three different band widths to be cut within the same cutting cycle. Automatic tube sewing units are provided for sewn tubes in optional rolled or flat folded forms, depending on customer preference.

Sports and knitwear specialist Löffler is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023. Its plant in Ried houses 25 circular knitting machines and three seamless knitting machines with an annual output of around 905,000 square metres of fabric, and in addition to product development, design, cutting and some sewing are all carried out in-house.

Löffler is known for its transtex under garments, which ushered in the two-layer principle of structures combining hydrophobic polypropylene and other fibres like cotton, Modal, Tencel or merino wool.

Before transtex, endurance athletes usually wore pure cotton underwear next to their skin, which became wet over time and cooled the body down. Löffler’s two-layer fabric prevented this, since the polypropylene does not absorb moisture and instead wicks it to the outside, where it can evaporate to keep the skin dry.

Innovation has been ongoing ever since, and in December, Löffler received an ISPO Award 2022 for transtex Retr’x – its latest functional underwear made from recycled polypropylene from textile waste and a combination of recycled and GOTS-certified organic cotton. Transtex Retr’x is neither dyed or bleached and is Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex as well as Made In Green by Oeko-Tex approved.

In addition to its own branded products, the plant makes sports garments for sister company Fischer, which is also based in Ried, and is at the same time involved in significant government tender projects, including the supply of polo shirts for the Austrian Red Cross and for the German and Austrian police forces. Combined, Löffler and Fischer employ approximately 700 people in the region of Upper Austria.

Source:

TMAS by AWOL Media

08.11.2022

Ascend buys majority stake in recycler Circular Polymers

Ascend Performance Materials has purchased a majority stake in California-based Circular Polymers, a recycler of post-consumer, high-performance polymers including polyamide 6 and 66, polypropylene and polyester (PET). The deal provides Ascend with a consistent supply of high-quality PCR materials for its ReDefyne™ sustainable polyamides, launched at K 2022.

Circular Polymers, which as part of the deal is renamed Circular Polymers by Ascend, reclaims and processes post-consumer carpet via a unique technology and has redirected approximately 85 million pounds of waste from landfills into new goods since 2018.

“We are focused on helping our customers reach their sustainability goals and Circular Polymers by Ascend provides materials that offer strong performance with a considerably smaller environmental footprint, compared to other technologies like pyrolysis,” said Phil McDivitt, president and CEO of Ascend. “Since we launched ReDefyne, the demand for our circular products has been significant across all segments of our business, including automotive, consumer, electronics and high-performance fibers and textiles.”

Ascend Performance Materials has purchased a majority stake in California-based Circular Polymers, a recycler of post-consumer, high-performance polymers including polyamide 6 and 66, polypropylene and polyester (PET). The deal provides Ascend with a consistent supply of high-quality PCR materials for its ReDefyne™ sustainable polyamides, launched at K 2022.

Circular Polymers, which as part of the deal is renamed Circular Polymers by Ascend, reclaims and processes post-consumer carpet via a unique technology and has redirected approximately 85 million pounds of waste from landfills into new goods since 2018.

“We are focused on helping our customers reach their sustainability goals and Circular Polymers by Ascend provides materials that offer strong performance with a considerably smaller environmental footprint, compared to other technologies like pyrolysis,” said Phil McDivitt, president and CEO of Ascend. “Since we launched ReDefyne, the demand for our circular products has been significant across all segments of our business, including automotive, consumer, electronics and high-performance fibers and textiles.”

Ascend has a sustainability strategy based on three pillars: empowering people, innovating solutions and operating without compromise. Ascend has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2030 and recently announced two new efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of its products.

Source:

Ascend Performance Materials / EMG

(c) Borealis
08.09.2022

Borealis and Trexel develop fully recyclable lightweight bottle

  • Monomaterial solution contains renewably-sourced polypropylene from the Bornewables™ portfolio of circular polyolefins
  • Trexel employs its proprietary MuCell® technology to deliver a range of lightweighting benefits
  • EverMinds™ in action: reuse and design for recycling are focus of value chain collaboration

Borealis and Trexel, an expert in foaming injection and blow moulded parts, announce that they have co-developed a new plastic bottle based on a grade from the Bornewables™ portfolio of polyolefins made using renewable feedstocks derived 100% from waste and residue streams. The lightweight bottle – which will be showcased at the Borealis stand at the K 2022 (from 19 to 26 October 2022 in Düsseldorf) – is reusable and fully recyclable. It boasts a significantly lower overall CO2 footprint because it is composed of renewably-sourced feedstock and produced in the foaming process.

  • Monomaterial solution contains renewably-sourced polypropylene from the Bornewables™ portfolio of circular polyolefins
  • Trexel employs its proprietary MuCell® technology to deliver a range of lightweighting benefits
  • EverMinds™ in action: reuse and design for recycling are focus of value chain collaboration

Borealis and Trexel, an expert in foaming injection and blow moulded parts, announce that they have co-developed a new plastic bottle based on a grade from the Bornewables™ portfolio of polyolefins made using renewable feedstocks derived 100% from waste and residue streams. The lightweight bottle – which will be showcased at the Borealis stand at the K 2022 (from 19 to 26 October 2022 in Düsseldorf) – is reusable and fully recyclable. It boasts a significantly lower overall CO2 footprint because it is composed of renewably-sourced feedstock and produced in the foaming process.

The Bornewables™ portfolio of circular polyolefins helps reduce the carbon footprint while offering material performance equal to virgin polymers. Using Bornewables grades allows for design freedom and colour flexibility, and helps retain a premium look and feel. The grades – which are commercially available in Europe – help conserve natural resources because they are derived solely from waste and residue streams, for example from used cooking oil. Reusing waste already in circulation instead of fossil fuel-based feedstocks enhances the sustainability of applications made using the Bornewables grades.

The reusable new bottle developed by Borealis and Trexel retains its value over many life cycles thanks to the use of Trexel’s proprietary technology in tandem with Bornewables grades; as a material solution, the new bottle minimises the use of valuable raw materials. Moreover, converters consume less energy in the production process when using the MuCell® technology. The bottle thus helps close the loop on plastics circularity by way of design for recycling, the use of renewable feedstocks, and excellent material performance across multiple life cycles.

Source:

Borealis

24.08.2022

Mikroplastik: weniger schädlich für Fische als befürchtet

Mikroplastik reichert sich aufgrund seiner Langlebigkeit in der Meeresumwelt an. Es gelangt in Nahrungsnetze und ist eine potenzielle Gefahr für Meeresorganismen. Das  Institut für Fischereiökologie hat in Nord- und Ostsee untersucht, in welchem Maße Fische Mikroplastik aufnehmen und im Labor getestet, ob Fische durch Mikroplastikfasern geschädigt werden.

Die Belastung der Meeresumwelt mit Plastikabfällen ist ein vielschichtiges Problem. Kunststoffe sind in der Regel langlebig und werden im Meer nur langsam abgebaut. Allerdings werden sie durch UV-Bestrahlung und Biofouling porös und dann durch mechanische Einwirkung zerkleinert. Dabei entsteht Mikroplastik, was ebenfalls nur langsam weiter zersetzt wird. Mikroplastik kann allerdings auch direkt in die Meere eingetragen werden, z. B. über die Luft oder mit unzureichend geklärten Abwässern. Eine Form von Mikroplastik-Partikeln, die aktuell in der Umwelt am zahlreichsten gefunden werden, sind mikroskopisch kleine Fasern, die bei der Herstellung und dem Waschen von kunststoffhaltigen Textilien in die Umwelt gelangen.

Mikroplastik reichert sich aufgrund seiner Langlebigkeit in der Meeresumwelt an. Es gelangt in Nahrungsnetze und ist eine potenzielle Gefahr für Meeresorganismen. Das  Institut für Fischereiökologie hat in Nord- und Ostsee untersucht, in welchem Maße Fische Mikroplastik aufnehmen und im Labor getestet, ob Fische durch Mikroplastikfasern geschädigt werden.

Die Belastung der Meeresumwelt mit Plastikabfällen ist ein vielschichtiges Problem. Kunststoffe sind in der Regel langlebig und werden im Meer nur langsam abgebaut. Allerdings werden sie durch UV-Bestrahlung und Biofouling porös und dann durch mechanische Einwirkung zerkleinert. Dabei entsteht Mikroplastik, was ebenfalls nur langsam weiter zersetzt wird. Mikroplastik kann allerdings auch direkt in die Meere eingetragen werden, z. B. über die Luft oder mit unzureichend geklärten Abwässern. Eine Form von Mikroplastik-Partikeln, die aktuell in der Umwelt am zahlreichsten gefunden werden, sind mikroskopisch kleine Fasern, die bei der Herstellung und dem Waschen von kunststoffhaltigen Textilien in die Umwelt gelangen.

Am Thünen-Institut wurden deshalb mögliche Belastungen von Fischen durch Plastikabfälle genauer untersucht. In einem vom BMEL geförderten Projekt (PlasM) wurde erforscht, wieviel Mikroplastik tatsächlich in Wildfischen vorhanden ist. Dazu wurden Fische, insbesondere Klieschen, eine Plattfischart, in der Nord- und Ostsee bei Routinebefischungen beprobt. Aus den Verdauungstrakten der Fische wurden Proben extrahiert und mittels Spektrometrie auf Plastikrückstände untersucht. Tatsächlich ließen sich Mikroplastikpartikel (meist Polypropylen) in Verdauungstrakten der Fische nachweisen. Typische Befunde zeigten allerdings weniger als 10 Mikroplastikpartikel pro Fisch.

Diese Untersuchungen belegen, dass Fische in ihrer marinen Umwelt Mikroplastik aufnehmen. Die relativ niedrige Anzahl von Mikroplastikpartikeln pro Fisch deutet aber darauf hin, dass Mikroplastik nicht im Verdauungstrakt von Fischen angereichert wird und die Partikel ausgeschieden werden.

Um das genauer zu überprüfen, wurde im Laborexperiment Fischfutter mit Mikroplastik-Fasern versetzt und an Dreistachlige Stichlinge verfüttert. Dabei wurden die Mikroplastikfasern in relativ niedrigen und umweltnahen Konzentrationen, zum anderen aber auch in sehr hohen Konzentrationen in das Futter gemischt. So sollte geprüft werden, ob das Wachstum oder die Gesundheit der Fische beeinträchtigt werden könnte, wenn die Belastung der Meere mit Mikroplastik weiter zunimmt. Zum Vergleich wurde außerdem noch Futter mit Zusätzen natürlicher Fasern (Baumwolle) und Futter ganz ohne Faserzusatz verfüttert.

Nach neun Wochen Fütterung wurden die Fische gründlich untersucht. Die inneren Organe wurden gewogen und auf mögliche pathologische Veränderungen hin inspiziert. Zusätzlich wurden den Fischen Immunzellen entnommen, um mögliche Entzündungsreaktionen im Darm feststellen zu können. Interessanterweise zeigten sich bei allen vorgenommenen Untersuchungen keine Unterschiede, unabhängig davon, ob Futter mit wenig oder viel Mikroplastikfasern, mit Naturfasern oder ohne Faserzusatz verwendet wurde. Mikroskopische Kot-Untersuchungen zeigten, dass sowohl die Mikroplastikfasern als auch die Baumwollfasern den Fischdarm passierten und mit dem Kot abgegeben werden. Die fehlenden Effekte auf das Wachstum und die Gesundheit der untersuchten Fische weisen darauf hin, dass die Fische von den hier verwendeten Mikroplastikfasern im Futter nicht beeinträchtigt wurden.

Mikroplastik könnte nicht nur durch die Aufnahme mit der Nahrung, sondern auch durch seine Anwesenheit im Wasser, also von außen, auf Fische wirken. Besonders empfindliche biologische Prozesse wie die Befruchtung der Fischeier und die Entwicklung der Embryonen in den Eiern könnten betroffen sein. Dies wurde in einem weiteren Versuch mit Dreistachligen Stichlingen untersucht. Von laichbereiten Weibchen wurden die Eier abgestreift und anschließend mit Spermien versetzt. Im Wasser findet dann unmittelbar die Befruchtung statt und die Eier beginnen sich zu entwickeln. In dem Experiment wurden bereits während der Befruchtung der Eier Mikroplastikfasern ins Wasser gegeben und die Entwicklung bis zum frühen Larvenstadium nach dem Schlupf beobachtet. Auch bei diesem Experiment zeigten sich keine negativen Effekte. Befruchtungs- und Schlupfraten waren gleich hoch, auch wenn sich Mikroplastikfasern an den Eischalen anhafteten. Auch Messungen der Herzschlagfrequenz der frisch geschlüpften Larven ergaben keine Hinweise auf Wirkungen der Fasern.

In einer Folgestudie wurden am Institut in Filets das Muskelgewebe von Stichlingen untersucht, die zuvor mit Mikroplastik-Partikeln gefüttert wurden. Ein Übergang der Partikel in das Filet konnte nicht nachgewiesen werden. Dies steht in Einklang mit zahlreichen anderen Studien, die zu ähnlichen Ergebnissen kommen. Insgesamt ergaben die Untersuchungen keine Hinweise darauf, dass die Gesundheit von Fischen oder ihr essbarer Anteil durch Mikroplastikpartikel in den gegenwärtig vorhandenen Konzentrationen im Meer beeinträchtigt werden.

Link zur Studie

Source:

Institut für Fischereiökologie, Thünen-Institut

(c) Trützschler Nonwovens & Man-Made Fibers GmbH
14.06.2022

Trützschler Man-Made Fibers presents OPTIMA systems for industrial yarns

Trützschler Man-Made Fibers introduces OPTIMA for IDY and expands the range of the OPTIMA extrusion systems by the industrial yarn (IDY) sector. In addition to OPTIMA for carpet yarns (MO40-C, MO40-E and TO40), variants for manufacturing (semi-)industrial multifilament yarns are now joining the line.

Since 2012, Trützschler has been developing and building high-performance extrusion lines for carpet yarns (BCF - Bulk Continuous Filament) and industrial/technical yarns made of polyester, polyamide and polypropylene. The market launch of the OPTIMA concept for BCF took place in 2019 and has established itself in the markets since then. OPTIMA was designed as a modular platform and now also includes solutions in the IDY (InDustrial Yarn) sector.

OPTIMA systems for industrial yarn (TEC-O40 and TEC-O80) impress with flexibility application and end product diversity. Both concepts offer a wide range of design options and can be tailored precisely to meet end product and the throughput requirements.

Trützschler Man-Made Fibers introduces OPTIMA for IDY and expands the range of the OPTIMA extrusion systems by the industrial yarn (IDY) sector. In addition to OPTIMA for carpet yarns (MO40-C, MO40-E and TO40), variants for manufacturing (semi-)industrial multifilament yarns are now joining the line.

Since 2012, Trützschler has been developing and building high-performance extrusion lines for carpet yarns (BCF - Bulk Continuous Filament) and industrial/technical yarns made of polyester, polyamide and polypropylene. The market launch of the OPTIMA concept for BCF took place in 2019 and has established itself in the markets since then. OPTIMA was designed as a modular platform and now also includes solutions in the IDY (InDustrial Yarn) sector.

OPTIMA systems for industrial yarn (TEC-O40 and TEC-O80) impress with flexibility application and end product diversity. Both concepts offer a wide range of design options and can be tailored precisely to meet end product and the throughput requirements.

OPTIMA enables the production of high-tenacity yarns for shoelaces, ropes and nets as well as low-shrinkage qualities for tire cords, truck tarpaulins and airbags. As the lines are modular, they can be quickly adapted to new market developments and end products.

Source:

Trützschler Nonwovens & Man-Made Fibers GmbH

(c) Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd.
17.05.2022

Cinte Techtextil China to address personal hygiene and sustainability demands

With global consumers becoming more conscious about personal hygiene and environmental protection, exhibitors at Cinte Techtexil China will spotlight materials and technologies for products that respond to these trends. The fair will probe into the associated growth opportunities as the country is one of the leading markets for nonwovens and technical textiles. The event will be held from 6 – 8 September at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

The technical textiles and nonwovens industries, the latter notably, are significantly expanding amid the pandemic. A recent forecast[1] predicts that the global polypropylene nonwoven fabric market will continue to rise at a CAGR of 6.7%, reaching USD 39.23 billion by 2028. The anticipated growth is bolstered by demands in end-use industries such as sanitation, medical, automotive and more. In 2020, Asia Pacific was named the largest regional market in the world and is expected to grow significantly over the forecasted period.

With global consumers becoming more conscious about personal hygiene and environmental protection, exhibitors at Cinte Techtexil China will spotlight materials and technologies for products that respond to these trends. The fair will probe into the associated growth opportunities as the country is one of the leading markets for nonwovens and technical textiles. The event will be held from 6 – 8 September at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

The technical textiles and nonwovens industries, the latter notably, are significantly expanding amid the pandemic. A recent forecast[1] predicts that the global polypropylene nonwoven fabric market will continue to rise at a CAGR of 6.7%, reaching USD 39.23 billion by 2028. The anticipated growth is bolstered by demands in end-use industries such as sanitation, medical, automotive and more. In 2020, Asia Pacific was named the largest regional market in the world and is expected to grow significantly over the forecasted period.

The prediction reaffirms the growth prospects of nonwovens. In this regard, industry players expressed much optimism about associated future opportunities during Cinte Techtextil China last year. “The field of nonwovens is poised for a positive growth as the awareness of personal hygiene and pandemic prevention sustains in the domestic market,” commented Mr James Gao, Head of Marketing and Textile Technologies, Uster Technologies (China) Co Ltd. He added: “We decided to join the fair and showcase our new launches as we remain confident in the future development of the industry, especially since China is dominating the global scene.”

Going green is the way forward
Turning to yarns and fibres, the sector is shifting to greener and smarter production that echoes the trend towards sustainability that is gaining considerable traction across the globe. Meanwhile in China, this movement was observed by many exhibitors at the 2021 edition, including Mr Roberto Galante, Plant Manager of FMMG Technical Textiles (Suzhou) Co Ltd, the Chinese subsidiary of the Fil Man Made Group. He mentioned: “The market is paying more attention to environmental protection, and we receive enquiries about special yarns for this every day. We focus on technical yarns for filtration as well as anti-bacterial properties, which are very important for the environment. The potential here in China is incredible and this is a big opportunity for everybody.”

Cinte Techtextil China’s product categories cover 12 application areas, which comprehensively span across a full range of potential uses in modern technical textiles and nonwovens. These categories also cover the entire industry, from upstream technology and raw material providers to finished fabrics, chemicals and other solutions. This scope of product groups and application areas ensures that the fair is an effective business platform for the entire industry.

18.01.2022

Indorama Ventures’ Hygiene Division achieves ISCC Plus Certification

The Hygiene Division of Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) is pleased to announce that two of its manufacturing sites have achieved International Sustainability Carbon Certification Plus Certification.

FiberVisions’ Varde site in Denmark, a polypropylene fiber producer, and Avgol’s Uzlovaya site in Russia, a spunlaid nonwovens producer, satisfied audits related to traceability and the reasonable use of biomaterials.

Shachar Rachim, CEO, IVL Hygiene Division, part of IVL’s Fibers business segment, said: “This accreditation underscores our commitment to support our customers to achieve their carbon dioxide reduction targets through using carbon neutral fibers. The certification is assurance that our nonwoven fabrics and fibers meet all the ISCC’s demanding standards for recycled-renewable materials. Our certified facilities can trace the product’s composition through the supply chain, without needing to requalify the materials.”

The Hygiene Division of Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) is pleased to announce that two of its manufacturing sites have achieved International Sustainability Carbon Certification Plus Certification.

FiberVisions’ Varde site in Denmark, a polypropylene fiber producer, and Avgol’s Uzlovaya site in Russia, a spunlaid nonwovens producer, satisfied audits related to traceability and the reasonable use of biomaterials.

Shachar Rachim, CEO, IVL Hygiene Division, part of IVL’s Fibers business segment, said: “This accreditation underscores our commitment to support our customers to achieve their carbon dioxide reduction targets through using carbon neutral fibers. The certification is assurance that our nonwoven fabrics and fibers meet all the ISCC’s demanding standards for recycled-renewable materials. Our certified facilities can trace the product’s composition through the supply chain, without needing to requalify the materials.”

IVL expects that the ISCC Plus certification of these two sites will be followed by similar certifications at other manufacturing plants. A broad portfolio of technologies is being developed to address how component materials interact with the environment to improve recyclability, reduce raw material consumption, and minimize the impact of fugitive wastes.

Source:

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited

(c) Abu Dhabi Government Media Office
15.11.2021

Partnership between ADNOC and Borealis to expand Borouge Facility

  • ADNOC and Borealis confirm final investment agreement to build Borouge 4 in Ruwais, United Arab Emirates (UAE), which will produce 1.4 million tons of polyethylene per annum
  • Expansion project includes construction of a 1.5 million tonnes ethane cracker, two state-of-the-art Borstar® polyethylene plants and a cross-linked polyethylene plant
  • Borouge 4 will meet growing customer demand across the Middle East, Africa and Asia with differentiated polyolefin solutions in energy, infrastructure, and advanced packaging
  • New facility will benefit from industry-leading technologies to significantly improve energy efficiency and lower emissions, with carbon capture study underway
  • Upon expansion, Borouge will be the world's largest single-site polyolefin complex and will supply feedstock to TA'ZIZ Industrial Chemicals Zone Body

ADNOC and Borealis AG signed an USD 6.2 billion investment agreement to build the fourth Borouge facility – Borouge 4 – at the polyolefin manufacturing complex in Ruwais, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

  • ADNOC and Borealis confirm final investment agreement to build Borouge 4 in Ruwais, United Arab Emirates (UAE), which will produce 1.4 million tons of polyethylene per annum
  • Expansion project includes construction of a 1.5 million tonnes ethane cracker, two state-of-the-art Borstar® polyethylene plants and a cross-linked polyethylene plant
  • Borouge 4 will meet growing customer demand across the Middle East, Africa and Asia with differentiated polyolefin solutions in energy, infrastructure, and advanced packaging
  • New facility will benefit from industry-leading technologies to significantly improve energy efficiency and lower emissions, with carbon capture study underway
  • Upon expansion, Borouge will be the world's largest single-site polyolefin complex and will supply feedstock to TA'ZIZ Industrial Chemicals Zone Body

ADNOC and Borealis AG signed an USD 6.2 billion investment agreement to build the fourth Borouge facility – Borouge 4 – at the polyolefin manufacturing complex in Ruwais, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The world-scale expansion confirms both partners’ commitment to the growth of Borouge and to support chemical production, and advanced manufacturing and industry in Ruwais, a key pillar of Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s technology, innovation and industrial development strategy. Borouge produces crucial industrial raw materials, which are exported to customers globally and used by local companies, boosting local industrial supply chains and enhancing In-Country Value.

Borouge 4 will capitalize on the projected growth in customer demand for polyolefins, driven by their use in manufactured products in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The facility will also enable the next phase of growth at the Ruwais Industrial Complex by supplying feedstock to the TA’ZIZ Industrial Chemicals Zone.

Borouge 4 will have an industry-leading focus on sustainability leveraging the capabilities of both shareholders. The facility will utilize Borealis’ proprietary Borstar technology, to produce a product portfolio focused on durable applications for energy, infrastructure, advanced packaging, and agriculture sectors. This unique technology, in combination with hexene co-monomer, will enable the production of advanced packaging grades with up to 50% recycled polyethylene content.

Subject to an in-depth study, a Carbon Capture unit that would reduce CO2 emissions by 80% could also be operational in time for Borouge 4’s start-up. The facility is also designed to capitalize on ADNOC’s recent initiatives on clean energy, decarbonizing its power supply through access to Abu Dhabi’s clean power sources. These initiatives are aligned with the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.

The first Borouge facility, producing 450,000 tons of polyethylene per annum was commissioned in 2001. Borouge 2 and Borouge 3 took capacity to 2 million tons and 4.5 million tons of polyethylene and polypropylene per annum in 2010 and 2014 respectively.  Borouge 4 will boost the company’s annual polyolefin production to 6.4 million tons, making Borouge one of the world’s largest single-site polyolefin facilities.

The new Borouge 4 facility will comprise:

  • An ethane cracker, with 1.5 million tons ethylene output per annum, which will be the fourth cracker in Borouge’s integrated petrochemical complex in Ruwais
  • Two additional Borstar® polyethylene (PE) plants, each with 700 thousand tons per annum capacity, using state-of-the-art Borealis Borstar third generation (3G) technology
  • A cross-linked PE (XLPE) plant of 100 thousand tons per annum capacity.
  • A hexene-1 unit, which will produce co-monomers for certain grades of polyethylene.
Source:

Borealis

18.10.2021

SABIC presents new Portfolio for Nonwovens at INDEX

SABIC has announced that the newly formed Hygiene & Healthcare segment of its Petrochemicals business will showcase its extensive portfolio of SABIC PURECARES™ polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) polymers for high-purity nonwovens and hygiene films at the upcoming INDEX™ Expo in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 19 through 22, 2021. The company will also present enabling solutions developed with partners to address the issue of plastic waste and support the transformation of the industry towards a circular economy with closed-loop initiatives and certified circular polymers under its TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio and services.

SABIC has announced that the newly formed Hygiene & Healthcare segment of its Petrochemicals business will showcase its extensive portfolio of SABIC PURECARES™ polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) polymers for high-purity nonwovens and hygiene films at the upcoming INDEX™ Expo in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 19 through 22, 2021. The company will also present enabling solutions developed with partners to address the issue of plastic waste and support the transformation of the industry towards a circular economy with closed-loop initiatives and certified circular polymers under its TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio and services.

During INDEX, SABIC will exhibit a wide range of PP polymers targeted at these needs. Highlights on display will include dedicated PP and PE grades for lightweight nonwoven fabrics using the latest spunbond and meltblown processes, and a new ultra-high melt flow PP product engineered for meltblown fibers in nonwoven fabrics. The nonwoven focus will be complemented by industry proven polyolefins for cast and blown film applications in hygiene webs and laminates, providing desirable back and top sheet properties such as water tightness, breathability and elasticity.

In addition, SABIC will also present ISCC Plus certified fiber and film polymers based on circular and renewable PP and PE polymer technology as part of the company’s TRUCIRCLE portfolio for advancing the transformation of the plastics industry from a linear to a truly circular economy. Examples of this comprehensive initiative include collaborations with various market leaders in the field. Together with Fibertex Personal Care, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of spunbond nonwovens for the hygiene industry, SABIC is creating a range of high-purity nonwovens for the hygiene market using ISCC PLUS certified circular PP polymer derived from post-consumer plastic waste. In another project, Fraunhofer Institute, SABIC and Procter & Gamble (P&G) joined forces to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of an advanced close-loop recycling process for used nonwoven facemasks.

Source:

SABIC / Marketing Solutions NV

18.10.2021

RadiciGroup at INDEX with new nonwovens

RadiciGroup's nonwoven innovations are on display at the INDEX trade fair, to be held from 19 to 22 October 2021 in Geneva, Switzerland. Active in the spunbond production business for more than 30 years with the dylar® product line, the Group is introducing Respunsible®, a reduced environmental impact spunbond made from recycled polypropylene, and radimelt™, the brand name for the Group’s line of meltblown nonwovens and composite materials (e.g., SMS).

Respunsible® is a spunbond made from recycled polypropylene, a material appreciated for its chemical properties and its versatility. Its high technical performance makes it suitable for any application, even the most demanding ones in terms of resistance and duration.

Radimelt™ is the brand name identifying the Group’s meltblown nonwovens, materials used for the manufacture of protective face masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE). This nonwoven fabric has excellent filtration performance even for microscopic particles, such as viruses, and ensures breathability and protection.

RadiciGroup's nonwoven innovations are on display at the INDEX trade fair, to be held from 19 to 22 October 2021 in Geneva, Switzerland. Active in the spunbond production business for more than 30 years with the dylar® product line, the Group is introducing Respunsible®, a reduced environmental impact spunbond made from recycled polypropylene, and radimelt™, the brand name for the Group’s line of meltblown nonwovens and composite materials (e.g., SMS).

Respunsible® is a spunbond made from recycled polypropylene, a material appreciated for its chemical properties and its versatility. Its high technical performance makes it suitable for any application, even the most demanding ones in terms of resistance and duration.

Radimelt™ is the brand name identifying the Group’s meltblown nonwovens, materials used for the manufacture of protective face masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE). This nonwoven fabric has excellent filtration performance even for microscopic particles, such as viruses, and ensures breathability and protection.

13.10.2021

RadiciGroup at INDEX with sustainable spunbond

RadiciGroup presents their vision on sustainability at INDEX on the 20th of October at 4pm.

RadiciGroup has been manufacturing polypropylene spunbond for almost 30 years with its well-known brand dylar®. Today the Group adds to its offer Respunsible®, a new sustainable spunbond obtained from recycled polypropylene and RadimeltTM, the brand for meltblown nonwovens and composite nonwovens.

RadiciGroup presents their vision on sustainability at INDEX on the 20th of October at 4pm.

RadiciGroup has been manufacturing polypropylene spunbond for almost 30 years with its well-known brand dylar®. Today the Group adds to its offer Respunsible®, a new sustainable spunbond obtained from recycled polypropylene and RadimeltTM, the brand for meltblown nonwovens and composite nonwovens.

Source:

RadiciGroup

Beaulieu Fibres International: Fibresand and Fibre Reinforced Rootzones (c) Nottingham Forest Football Club
Beaulieu Straight Fibres - Nottingham Forest natural grass reinforced rootzones
04.06.2021

Beaulieu Fibres International: Fibresand and Fibre Reinforced Rootzones

Mansfield Sand Limited’s sports sand and rootzones are reinforced with polypropylene straight fibres from Beaulieu Fibres International.

  • PP straight fibres manufactured in Belgium by Beaulieu Fibres International
  • Fibres distributed in the UK by James Robinson Fibres
  • Product developed and manufactured by Mansfield Sand.
  • The technology increases pitch stability and resilience even with frequent and intensive use.

Fibresand and Reinforced Rootzones are manufactured in the UK by Mansfield Sand, one of the the leading suppliers of the product. Fibresand and Reinforced Rootzones are a natural sports product reinforced with Beaulieu’s PP Straight Fibre, distributed in the UK by James Robinson Fibres. Used in the top 100mm within the pitch construction profile, it enhances the natural grass root structure while giving the pitches increased stability and resilience.

Many Premiership, EFL and Scottish clubs are choosing Fibresand and Fibre Reinforced Rootzone.

Mansfield Sand Limited’s sports sand and rootzones are reinforced with polypropylene straight fibres from Beaulieu Fibres International.

  • PP straight fibres manufactured in Belgium by Beaulieu Fibres International
  • Fibres distributed in the UK by James Robinson Fibres
  • Product developed and manufactured by Mansfield Sand.
  • The technology increases pitch stability and resilience even with frequent and intensive use.

Fibresand and Reinforced Rootzones are manufactured in the UK by Mansfield Sand, one of the the leading suppliers of the product. Fibresand and Reinforced Rootzones are a natural sports product reinforced with Beaulieu’s PP Straight Fibre, distributed in the UK by James Robinson Fibres. Used in the top 100mm within the pitch construction profile, it enhances the natural grass root structure while giving the pitches increased stability and resilience.

Many Premiership, EFL and Scottish clubs are choosing Fibresand and Fibre Reinforced Rootzone.

Beyond football, Mansfield Sand Fibresand products are being used in a variety of winter sports pitches, the equine market and are increasingly being specified for urban public green space and landscape projects to reinforce natural grass areas and maintain aesthetics even when suffering from heavy traffic burden.