[Weekly New Materials Plastics Delivery] Chinese-Funded Largest PVC Plant Worldwide Set to Start Construction! Low-Cost Catalyst Achieves Efficient PET Decomposition

On October 29, 2025, the new materials company Shangwei New Materials officially announced that Zhiyuan Robotics, through a series of agreement transfers and a tender offer, has ultimately acquired 63.62% of the shares of Shangwei New Materials. This acquisition, which was first announced in July of this year, has finally come to a conclusion, with Zhiyuan's founder, chairman, and CEO Deng Taihua becoming the actual controller of Shangwei New Materials.

Borouge announced today the launch of the UAE's first locally produced medical-grade low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The additive-free product, Bormed LE6607-PH, is based on Borealis' established Bormed technology and is specifically designed for pharmaceutical and medical packaging applications, including blow-fill-seal bottles, ampoules, and other medical packaging. The company made this announcement at ADIPEC 2025 held this week in Abu Dhabi.

On November 3rd, in Haicang, Xiamen, the commissioning ceremony for Zhonglun New Materials' new energy film project was held at the Xiamen base. During the ceremony, a BOPP capacitor film product named "Changsu High-Function Capacitor Film" was launched globally, attracting attention from the new energy industry.

The world-class BOPP production line launched this time has a width of 6.4 meters, making it the largest width BOPP production line in the field of ultra-thin capacitor films for new energy. The commissioning of this new energy membrane material project also enables Zhonglun New Materials to achieve a strategic leap from a "single champion" to an "all-round champion."

Recently, LG Chem signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Judu Sheng Polymer Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Judu Sheng Polymer") to develop high-performance environmentally friendly flame-retardant cables, aiming to jointly explore the market for environmentally friendly flame-retardant materials in China. Han Dong-ye, head of LG Chem's PVC/Plasticizer Division, and Ke Kairen, general manager of Judu Sheng Polymer, attended the signing ceremony.

LG Electronics is planning to relocate some of its production facilities, including displays and electronic components, to India. The company plans to expand its production base and R&D center in India based on the growth of the Indian electronics manufacturing market. According to media reports, LG places great importance on the growth potential of India's electronics manufacturing industry and is exploring the expansion of its factory automation facilities as well as its display and component supply chain in India. LG Group, the holding company of LG Electronics, plans to invest 1 billion rupees in Noida, India, to establish a global R&D center, which is expected to create approximately 500 new jobs.

According to Chemweek, INEOS Group Holdings is in discussions with Sinopec to fully or partially exit their petrochemical joint venture in Tianjin, China. INEOS stated that this move is due to the ongoing weak market conditions.

INEOS Group Limited is the parent company of INEOS Group Holdings Limited, which is responsible for operating the group's global olefins, polymers, and chemical intermediates businesses.

When asked whether the company is evaluating other joint ventures in China, Longden responded in an email: "This evaluation only involves our stake in the Tianjin joint venture. Our other joint ventures in China, including Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical Company Limited and Sinopec YPC BASF New Materials (Ningbo) Co., Ltd., are operating normally and continue to be important components of our business in the region."

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal cited by Specialized Plastics World, Husky Technologies will be acquired by CompoSecure, a company backed by former Honeywell International CEO David Cote, for approximately $5 billion. Husky is headquartered in Bolton, Ontario, Canada, and is a manufacturer of injection molding machines and related equipment, as well as aftermarket services.

ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods stated that if the European Union does not significantly relax its penalties for companies that violate the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), ExxonMobil will be forced to exit its business in Europe.

Last year, the EU officially adopted the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). These new EU-wide rules stipulate the obligations of large companies regarding the adverse impacts of their activities on human rights and environmental protection. The EU directive aims to align companies trading with it to achieve the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

Currently, the debottlenecking and energy efficiency improvement project of Fushun Petrochemical Company's 800,000-ton-per-year ethylene plant is in full swing. As of now, the overall project progress is 64.4% completed, and the construction progress is 60% completed.

In the prefabrication yard, the crane smoothly lifted the convection module of the No. 9 cracking furnace and installed it precisely. Unlike conventional projects, the new ethylene cracking furnace adopts a "building block" construction model, where all modules are assembled in a dedicated prefabrication yard and then moved as a whole to the production area, seamlessly integrating with the existing equipment, allowing for modifications without affecting the operation of the current facilities.

In early November, at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, Ta'ziz awarded China National Chemical Engineering No. 7 Construction Co., Ltd. a $1.99 billion infrastructure contract for the construction of the UAE's first integrated single-site polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production complex. The project is expected to be completed and put into operation in the fourth quarter of 2028.

The complex is planned to have an annual production capacity of up to 1.9 million tons, with products including polyvinyl chloride (PVC), dichloroethane, vinyl chloride monomer, and caustic soda. Once completed, its scale will make it one of the three largest PVC manufacturing centers in the world. The factory's annual PVC output will be sufficient to meet the water pipe manufacturing needs of 10 million households.

On November 4, 2025, Cangzhou Mingzhu Plastic Co., Ltd. (stock code: 002108, referred to as "Cangzhou Mingzhu") announced that several production lines of its core products, BOPA (biaxially oriented polyamide) film and lithium-ion battery separators, have completed debugging and officially commenced production. The new annual production capacity includes 38,000 tons of BOPA film and 300 million square meters of lithium battery separators, which will further strengthen the company's market competitiveness in the relevant fields and inject new momentum into performance growth.

Sugar giant Balrampur Chini Mills plans to commission India’s first large-scale polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastics factory in October 2026, with an annual production capacity of 80,000 tons of bioplastics. This marks a significant step forward in the development of green manufacturing in India.

Recently, Executive Director Avantika Saraogi revealed that the project, costing 28.5 billion rupees, is progressing smoothly and is expected to begin operations in October 2026. "Production will start in November," she said, adding that the plant will help the company transition to sustainable materials and create a new growth engine. Polylactic acid (PLA) is a bio-based compostable plastic made from renewable resources such as sugarcane. Saraogi explained, "Polylactic acid is produced by fermenting sugars to generate lactic acid, then purifying the lactic acid to produce lactide, and finally polymerizing it. It is completely similar to regular plastics, and due to its shorter carbon cycle and biodegradability, it can be used to replace many single-use plastics."

On November 5th, the first batch of products from BASF's integrated base in Zhanjiang, South China, successfully commenced production. This marks another important milestone for the company's largest single investment project to date.

Dr. Markus Kamieth, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF Group, stated: "The significant progress made at the Zhanjiang Verbund site is an important step in BASF's strategy of 'producing locally to serve local markets.' In the medium to long term, the Zhanjiang Verbund site will play a crucial role in strengthening BASF's core businesses and promoting sustainable growth in key markets."

American scientists have successfully used a simple and inexpensive catalyst along with air to break down plastic. This development holds promise for overcoming the issues present in current plastic recycling methods, which often use expensive catalysts, operate under harsh conditions, and produce toxic byproducts.

Compared to traditional methods, the new process can convert polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics into monomer building blocks, which can be recycled to make new PET products or upgraded to create higher-value materials. Experiments show that the new method can recover 94% of the monomers from PET in just 4 hours, without any harmful byproducts.

SI Group, a global leader in the research and manufacturing of performance additives, process solutions, and chemical intermediates, has officially launched its European Innovation Center (EIC) in Four Ashes, UK.

This initiative marks a significant expansion of SI Group's global innovation network. The EIC, focusing on the development and analytical characterization of plastics and rubber applications, will serve as a collaborative center to work with customers and industry leaders to address technical challenges and drive sustainable innovation.

As the EU formulates regulations regarding end-of-life vehicles, policymakers need to consider the most efficient and environmentally friendly methods for disposing of automotive materials. A new study conducted by ETH Zurich in collaboration with BASF explores an alternative approach to handling mixed plastic waste from end-of-life vehicles—recycling it together with biomass.

McDonald's Japan announced that from November 19, it will gradually stop using paper straws and switch to a new design with a drinking spout directly on the beverage cup lid. The lid material is made from recycled plastic bottles. Materials: made from 100% recycled PET plastic (sourced from discarded plastic bottles). The lid comes with a drinking spout for direct consumption, reducing the risk of spills, and is optimized with an anti-splash structure especially for carbonated drinks. Environmental goal: This measure is part of McDonald's 2022-2025 sustainability plan, expected to reduce the use of approximately 6,600 tons of virgin plastic annually.

Toray Industries, Inc. (referred to as "Toray") announced that the company has successfully developed a new recycling technology capable of decomposing various carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) made from thermosetting resin, while maintaining the strength and surface quality of the fibers. Utilizing this technology, the company has successfully manufactured non-woven fabric using recycled carbon fibers.

Toray has begun providing prototype samples to customers to assist in the development of high-performance and decorative materials for various applications, including automotive, construction, electrical and electronics, and daily goods. The company will actively promote technical evaluations that meet customer needs.