NEWS


Astra Polymer teams up with UK graphene start-up


Saudi Arabia-based master- batch manufacturer Astra Polymers has joined forces with UK climate tech start-up Levidian to explore the development of graphene- enhanced products for the automotive industry and other growing sectors. The agreement aims to


facilitate the market adop- tion of graphene, bringing together Levidian’s produc- tion capabilities with Astra Polymers’ growing portfolio to develop the next genera- tion of more sustainable, higher performing plastic products. Colin Elcoate, MENA Managing Director for Levidian, said: “The shift to electric vehicles is an essential part of the Middle East’s decarbonisation journey and offers huge


IN BRIEF...


Yehia El-Azab (left), CEO of Astra Polymers, and Colin Elocate, MENA Managing Director of Levidian


potential for low carbon growth. Our partnership with Astra Polymers is a powerful example of how localising advanced, and sustainable materials can unlock regional supply chains, create high-value jobs, and position the UAE as a key player in the global EV ecosystem.” The EV market in the Gulf


Arab states is growing rapidly.


Levidian’s patented


LOOP technology captures carbon from methane in solid form, producing high purity graphene and hydrogen. The companies are already collaborating on masterbatch trials, with work underway to integrate graphene produced from Levidian’s LOOP unit in Abu Dhabi into HDPE.  www.astra-polymers.com  www.levidian.com


New Albis subsidiary in Israel


German distributor Albis is continuing its international growth with a subsidiary in Tel Aviv, Israel, to be led by Maayan Afar. “The launch of our subsidiary in Israel is a


significant milestone in our global growth strategy,” said Horst Klink, CEO of Albis. “Israel offers a robust and dynamic economic environ- ment with a strong industrial sector. We are excited to


bring our expertise and high-quality solutions to this market.”


Albis will distribute its


portfolio of products from long-standing partners.  www.albis.com


Chevron Phillips Chemical has announced that the shareholders of Chevron Phillips Singapore Chemi- cals have agreed to sell 100% of their shares to Aster Chemicals and Energy. CPChem’s Asia headquarters, which is responsible for sales and marketing throughout the region, will remain in Singapore. www.cpchem.com www.aster.com.sg


During the first quarter of 2025, US recycler Pure- Cycle says it received revenue of approximately $1.6m and continues to make progress on both the commercial and opera- tional fronts. This is the first reported revenue in the company’s history. www.purecycle.com


In a major trial, 9.5 tonnes of plastic pyrolysis oil produced by Alterra from end-of-life plastics at its facility in Akron, Ohio, US was processed at Viva Energy’s Geelong Refinery in Australia, demonstrating its technical compatibility with existing refining infrastructure. www.alterra360.com www.vivaenergy.com.au


Borealis invests in HMS PP line in Germany


Borealis is investing over €100m in a new high melt strength polypropylene (HMS PP) line at its facility in Burghaus- en, Germany, to expand production capacity for its Daploy foam materials. The investment will triple Borealis’ supply capability for fully recyclable HMS PP and addresses growing global


10 COMPOUNDING WORLD | June 2025


demand for recyclable, high-perfor- mance foam solutions. This expansion enables the transition to more circular and recyclable material solutions for customers in the consumer products, automotive, and building and con- struction industries. The new line is scheduled to start up in the second


half of 2026. Daploy HMS PP was developed at


Borealis’ Innovation Headquarters in Linz, Austria. In the automotive industry, Daploy is used for ultra-light- weight foamed interior and under-the- hood components.  www.borealisgroup.com


www.compoundingworld.com


IMAGE: LEVIDIAN


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