Industry

Luc Messien elected as president of French plastic automotive OEM association GPA

Segment sales exceed EUR 10 bn / Core machinery orders slightly down in 2014 / Positive development for traditional technologies / Chinese processors increasingly buying locally manufactured goods / Positive outlook for 2015

Germany's GKV industry association says plastic processors can apply for specific tariff quotas / Cooperation among European associations / Long-term application process

Tom Debusschere elected new president of EPPA / Pan-European PVC lobbying group

EuPC unveils agenda of “Polymers for Europe Alliance” / Pan-European platform to address recent spate of FMs / Potential legal action against producers / Lobby work against EU import tariffs / Potential group purchasing platforms for imported material

SPI partners engineers for plastics recycling exhibition / SPE to develop content and promote to membership

Germany's Federal Cartel Office imposes EUR 75m fine on five acoustic insulation producers for alleged price fixing

Waste Free Oceans welcomes Dutch government's decision to introduce a reverse vending premium / The Netherlands ward off attempt at abolishing PET bottle deposit scheme

Françoise Andres elected new president of French packaging association Elipso

European Commission fines group of eight plastic tray producers and two distributors EUR 116m for anticompetitive behaviour / Cartels spanned 16 countries / Accused referred to themselves as “Mafia”

Annual meeting highlights circular economy / Study shows recycling can cut emissions / Investment in extra facilities needed to reach 2025 target

Alessandro Grassi elected president of Assocomaplast

Circular Economy Resolution passes European Parliament's Environment Committee / PlasticsEurope welcomes landfill restriction plans but questions eco-design proposals / “Recycling difficult”

World Plastics Council welcomes G7 Marine Litter Pledge / Support for industry's efforts

EU to restrict formamide in Toy Safety Directive update / US toymakers call for uniform rules

Belgium's Federplast industry association sounds the alarm over recent FMs / Future of countless companies and jobs at risk / Calls on suppliers to make “necessary” investments

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

Opportunities for the plastics industry should not be carelessly wasted!

Plastics and rubber industry turnover up 2% to EUR 7.4 bn in 2014 / Sector cautiously optimistic about 2015 / High energy, raw materials and labour costs / Federplast industry association update

New EPA draft assessment finds “no evidence” that fracking harms drinking water / Agency still advises caution / Conclusions are non-binding as states call the tune

“ANTEC” and “PlastiCon” to merge / SPE and GPCA to jointly organise combined event in Dubai in early 2016

Market liberalised in early 2015 / ARA faced rising competitive pressure / ELS Dual launches collection and recycling system for retail packaging / Recycling quota for lightweight packaging up slightly

Polypipe CEO David Hall elected BPF president

China's CPPIA joins “Operation Clean Sweep” / Initiative with goal of zero pellet loss now has 18 signatories

European Composites, Plastics and Polymer Processing Platform ECP4 re-elects key board members / Launch of “Strategic Research Agenda” for the plastics industry