NEWS
New FR factory in China
Chinese flame retardant manufacturer Zhejiang Wansheng has opened a new 400,000 m² factory in Shandong province and launched WSFR3104, its first solid halogen free flame retardant for use in polyamides. The company says that when used in 30% glass fibre filled PA66, the new additive shows improved flame retardant efficiency and better mechanical properties compared to competitive products. Compounds with WSFR3104 were capable of reaching GWIT 775°C in combination with UL94-V0 at 0.8 mm thickness at addition levels consider- ably lower than combina- tions of ADP, melamine polyphosphate, and zinc borate. After recycling three times in a twin-screw extruder, all properties remained intact. Full-scale production of the FR additive is expected to begin in 2026. �
http://ws-chem.com
Ratcliffe warns of EU chemicals ‘extinction’
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman and CEO of Ineos, has written a strongly worded open letter to European politicians. His intervention follows the EU announcing its Clean Industrial Deal outlining plans for jointly pursuing competitiveness and decarbonisation. In the letter, Ratcliffe claims the chemical industry has been hugely important to the success of the European economy over the last century, but now faces “extinction” due to convo- luted government policies which have resulted in very high energy prices and carbon tax bills for Europe- based operations. The letter states: “Ineos
operates one of the largest and most advanced, integrated petrochemical facilities in Europe in Cologne… The gas bill is €100m higher than its US equivalent. The electricity bill is €40m higher than in the US. The carbon tax bill is rising towards a shocking €100m. The industry is in
behind in their dust.” Plastics Europe said in a
statement that “the Clean Industrial Deal lacks the urgency needed to restore the competitiveness of EU plastics manufacturing and get its transition toward net zero and circularity back on track”. Virginia Janssens, Manag-
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman and CEO of Ineos
crisis with such huge disadvantages. Instead of investing in growth for the future, it is fighting for survival.” The letter goes on to
express Ratcliffe’s fear that government policies will eventually shut all petrochem- icals in Europe, necessitating imports of raw materials from the US and China. A more viable solution would be to mirror the US approach by banning carbon tax, provid- ing competitive energy for industry, and incentivising growth and clean technology. The letter ends by claiming the US is “leaving Europe
ing Director of Plastics Europe, said that while the EU is showing ambitious political leadership, “policymakers cannot afford to continually overlook the essential contribution plastics make to the EU economy, providing essential inputs to strategic EU sectors like automotive, net-zero technologies, healthcare, construction and defence, or the role they are playing in the transition of these industries”. She added: “Sadly, there
is a real danger that the competitiveness benefits the Clean Industrial Deal delivers will be realised far too late. Time is not on our side.” �
www.ineos.com �
https://plasticseurope.org
Notpla’s bio-based rollout is complete
The Wales versus Ireland Six Nations rugby union match at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on 22 February marked the completion of Notpla’s rollout across Welsh stadiums, replacing 750,000 single-use plastic packaging items with seaweed-based plastic. The switch to Notpla packaging is expected to prevent 1.4 tonnes of plastic per
year from entering the waste stream, and reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 14.2 tonnes annually, supporting Wales’ net-zero ambitions. Pierre Paslier, Co-CEO and Co-Founder at Notpla, said: “We’re demonstrating that
IMAGE: NOTPLA 6
eliminating plastic in stadium foodservice is both scalable and commercially viable [and] can’t wait to see this example inspiring further action across the UK and beyond.” �
https://notpla.com
COMPOUNDING WORLD | March 2025
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: INEOS
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
