Markets

Ban on landfill for plastics waste takes major step forward / Backing from MEP Gerben-Jan Gerbandy

Brazil imposes anti-dumping duties on imports from the US and China / Finance minister announces measures to ease pressure on industrial sector

2012 likely to see prices continue rising by between 5-20% / Rockwood plans to divest Sachtleben / Supply situation unlikely to improve before 2014-2015

German group confirms plans for new PA 12 plant in Asia / Gregor Hetzke talks to PIE about the recent explosion in Marl and the company's future plans in Asia / Chinaplas exclusive interview

Exclusive European distributor for Shandong Dongchen polyamides as well as Panjin Zhongrun's CoPEEK

Contract to supply Mexican Coca-Cola bottler with 900m bottles per year / Sidel supplies the necessary blow-moulding machinery

US PET water bottle collection rates double over six years / Weights continue to fall / Recycling reaches 680m t in 2010

Spotlight on China's Zhang Mu Tou plastic trading centre in Dongguan / PIE visits regional hub for plastic buying and selling activities / EUR 1.2 bn in annual turnover

Upgrading Geleen's cracker No. 4 / EUR 135m investment

Accelerated Chinese demand spurs new investments / UOP technology selected for two more China propylene projects / Start-ups expected in 2014

French packaging producer acquires Chinese cosmetics activities of TEX R.L.

Completion of Shanghai expansion / South Korea expansion to be ready in 2013 / Full year sales double in Asia

Record number of visitors at Chinaplas 2012 / Rising share in foreign attendees at world's second largest plastics fair / Processing sector focuses on sustainability / Increasingly difficult market environment / Domestic demand needs to grow

Latin America's largest BOPP producer buys new BOPET line purchased from Brückner Machinenbau / Start-up expected in early 2013

Consolidation changes face of European market / Producers react to falling profitability / AMI study

PAFA industry association warns of inflationary pressures linked to high raw material and fuel prices / Cautions that rising costs will have to be passed down

Acquisition of composite materials provider Umeco / Cash deal / Plans to divest Coating Resins business unit

New UK technical centre for PU elastomers and systems / Third recent investment in PU innovation

German environmental group sues supermarket chains for misleading customers on biodegradable plastic bags / Carriers said to be problematic to recycle / Compost producers concerned

New office in Cologne, Germany / First representation outside USA

2-EH capacity expansion in Longview is completed

Merger of key plastics industry groups creates China Synthetic Resin Marketing Association / Tasked with aiding government draw up, implement plastics policies / Resins market continues to grow / PIE exclusive with group head Zheng Kai

Customers said to be broadly supportive of change in polystyrene contract timing

Increase of films prices announced

Construction work begins on China carbon black project