Interviews

PIE talks to Ulf Kelterborn, head of German plastic packaging industry association IK, about the economic situation, feedstocks and the Renewable Energy Act

PIE talks to Philippe Hanck, head of DuPont Performance Materials' Asia Pacific business / Group's largest compounding plant to start up in China at the end of June / Strong start to 2016

PlasticsEurope president Patrick Thomas: Plastics industry needs to be at the forefront of combating problems like marine litter / Lessons from "PolyTalk" to be applied at global level / Europe is the source of the solution

NPC manager Reza Mohtashami talks about polyolefins production, exports and development perspectives in Iran

Ton Emans, president of Plastics Recyclers Europe: Reduction in waste exports to China benefits European recyclers / Recycling is the solution to efficient waste management and marine litter

Tom Crotty, group director at Ineos: UK test drills could begin this year / Despite low oil price, fracking still economically viable / Mulling new cracker in Norway / Offshore North Sea assets: Ineos enters the oil business

PIE talks to European Commission spokesperson Enrico Brivio about the latest Circular Economy Package / Landfill goal "very ambitious" / Marine litter to be addressed in 2017 plastic strategy / "Innovative plastic should come from the EU"

PIE speaks to EPDA president David Ladyman / Macro-economy has forced semi-finished plastics parts distributors to become more cost-effective / Europe's skills set will ensure its future competitiveness

“Our industry needs reliable suppliers!” / IK president Roland Roth on the situation on the polyolefin market / Need for more choice / US processors could become a threat

PIE talks to Ron Marsh, head of the Polymers for Europe Alliance, about the goals of the plastics processors‘ initiative / "Best European Polymer Producer" award

Michael Effing talks to PIE / “Hybrid moulding, SMC and high-pressure RTM will come out on top” / Composites Germany chairman believes composites applications still have huge potential

PIE talks to Stanley Chu, chairman of "Chinaplas" organiser Adsale / Key challenge for mega-fair is to maintain healthy growth amid economic slowdown / Revamping show's image for next year's 30th anniversary / Market sentiment generally optimistic

PIE talks to BASF vice president Performance Materials Asia Pacific Andy Postlethwaite / “Automotive will remain our biggest market in China“ / Attention shifts from engineers to designers

"Plethora of FM announcements difficult to comprehend" / IK general manager Ulf Kelterborn on the current situation

PIE speaks to PlasticsEurope's president Patrick Thomas / Fracking is an important energy source / Industry needs leadership and brokerage from Brussels / TTIP likely to bring gas prices down

PIE speaks to ECPI's sector group manager Stéphane Content about the European plasticisers market / Media wrongly group all phthalates together as harmful / Sustainability a key focus / REACH implementation should be balanced and pragmatic

PIE speaks to Ineos chairman Jim Ratcliffe / “Clearly the vast majority of our investment today is going to be in the USA” / Manufacturers have no chance in Europe / Shale exploration could restore competitiveness

PIE speaks to Klaus Ries, business manager Styrenic Foams & Styrene Monomers at BASF / EPS market expected to continue consolidating / New impulses brought by PolyFR flame retardant

PIE speaks to EuPC's new president Michael Kundel / Need for deregulation at the EU level / Energy remains a key problem / Converters need to innovate and create added value to survive / Product recyclability increasingly important

PIE talks to IK general manager Ulf Kelterborn / Strong economic boost for packaging industry continues / German EEG subsidies must be drastically reduced

"Chinaplas" exclusive: PIE speaks to Sibur managing director and head of Basic Polymers Sergey Komyshan / Sell-and-build strategy / Focus on integrated sites / Export share expected to rise / Ukraine crisis has no significant impact on operations

"Chinaplas" exclusive: PIE speaks to Holly Lei, vice president Commercial Operations China Polycarbonates Bayer MaterialScience / PC and sustainability / Sponsoring “The City of Tomorrow” / Integrated Site Shanghai capacity expansion on track

Bayer MaterialScience: Polycarbonate industry in China still developing / Capacity expansion in Shanghai in 2015 / Automotive glazing meets Chinese market needs / Michelle Jou, head of Commercial Operations PC in Asia, talks to PIE

Borealis' executive vice president Polyolefins Alfred Stern talks to PIE about the global and European market situation and the company's experiences with “Borstar”

Roland Roth, president of the German packaging producers' association, talks to PIE about the state of Germany's plastics packaging sector