Plastic Industry Updates & Resources

【LG Chem And TK Chemical Join Hands To Produce Biodegradable Plastic】On September 10, LG Chem and TK Chemical, a subsidiary of SM Group, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the development of eco-friendly biodegradable materials (PBAT) and business cooperation at the LG Twin Towers in Yeouido, Seoul. The two companies plan to sign a formal contract within the year and aim to construct a PBAT production line and commence product manufacturing in South Korea in the second half of 2022. Specific details such as production capacity are undisclosed per the agreement. TK Chemical plans to build the PBAT production line leveraging its stable operational capabilities in PET polyester facilities.

【ExxonMobil Reports Higher Metallocene Prices To China】ExxonMobil’s offers for China’s main ports rose this week: the mainstream duty-free Singapore-origin metallocene grade was quoted at $1,395 per ton for September shipment. Actual transactions are subject to firm deals.

【Key Breakthrough in Recovering Polylactic Acid From Mixed Plastic Waste: TotalEnergies Corbion Participates in Project】On September 1, 2026 (Netherlands time), the EU-funded project ReBioCycle announced its latest findings: polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic can be recovered from mixed plastic waste and reprocessed into recycled PLA of quality equivalent to virgin material. TotalEnergies Corbion, as an industrial partner, participated in the project and was responsible for a key step in the recycling chain—repolymerizing the recovered lactic acid into high-quality PLA. The project confirmed that PLA can be effectively separated from mixed waste streams using existing sorting technologies, then chemically depolymerized back into lactic acid monomers, and finally repolymerized into high-quality PLA with performance identical to that of virgin material.

【Avantium Signs PEF Production Capacity Reservation Agreement With Swiss Polyester Masterbatch Company】On September 1, Avantium N.V. announced that Swiss masterbatch company Sukano AG has signed a capacity reservation agreement for releaf® (PEF). This agreement secures Sukano’s access to PEF production capacity from Avantium’s future industrial-scale plant, marking an escalation of their partnership from joint masterbatch development in 2022 to a formal capacity reservation arrangement.

【格力电器：上半年净利润132.78亿元】 (000651)8月26日披露半年报，2026年上半年，公司实现营业收入893.98亿元，同比下降8.15%;归属于上市公司股东的净利润132.78亿元，同比下降7.87%;基本每股收益2.38元。2026年上半年，受海外销售下滑、原材料价格高企等多重因素影响，公司利润额增长态势受阻。从业务区域来看，上半年公司实现内销主营业务收入725.12亿元，同比增长1.90%，稳中有升，实现外销主营业务收入127.44亿元，同比下降21.98%。