Incredible India, one of the fastest growing economies is pushing efforts to improve the supply of food and other consumer goods which in turn are main drivers within the packaging industry. “Infinite Opportunities”, this year’s slogan of the PlastIndia has been the leading motto for the Brückner Group’s attendance presenting its innovative solutions for the plastic processing industry, held at New Delhi from Feb. 1st to Feb 6th, 2012 and it has been established as the most important fair for many suppliers within the plastic community at the subcontinent

French automotive plastics component producer Mecaplast says it can make significant weight reductions in injection moulded TPO parts by partially replacing talc filler with Hyperform® HPR-803i high performance reinforcing agent from Milliken. As proof, Mecaplast has used a TPO compound containing a mix of talc and Hyperform HPR-803i (total additive content around 10% by weight) to mould prototype B-pillar covers that it normally supplies in a conventional 20% talc-filled TPO (elastomer-modified polypropylene)

In a strategic move to anticipate customer needs quicker around the globe, DSM Engineering Plastics has shifted global headquarters to Singapore. The Company, which has development, sales and manufacturing facilities located in The Netherlands, USA, Japan, China, Taiwan, India, Belgium and Russia has moved a number of its key functions to Asia in order to underline its commitment to the Asian market which is expected to represent the major share of the company’s growth in the coming years. According to Roelof Westerbeek, President DSM Engineering Plastics, the move – which was pre-announced in 2010 – is making good progress and will be completed in 2012: “This is a significant step as it puts us right at the heart of the fast-growing Asian marketplace.

Artenius, the PET resins division of LSB has developed a new PET packaging material that combines virgin PET resin and post-consumer recycled PET as feedstock in the resin production process. The result is Artenius Elite, a remarkably pure, energy-efficient packaging resin.

As one of the premium brands of all electrical injection molding machines, Zhafir Plastics Machinery has founded its subsidiary in India — Plastics Machinery India Private Limited Founded in 2005 in Germany, the Zhafir Group with its present two manufacturing and technology facilities in Ebermannsdorf/Germany and in Ningbo/China and the now newly founded sales and service center in Mumbai/India represents the premium brand of Haitian International — the world’s largest manufacturer of injection molding machines. In 2010, all together approx. 30,000 machines were delivered to customers and in the first half year of 2011 this figure could be repeated with more than 15,000 machines sold despite a difficult market environment

A cost-effective and environmentally responsible way to improve the UV protection of injection molded or extruded polycarbonate parts is being offered by AURAT infusion technology, developed by Bayer MaterialScience LLC. The company has licensed the technology exclusively to Radco Infusion Technologies LLC, for worldwide use. Because ultraviolet (UV) light attacks polycarbonate at the surface, UV protection is most effective when concentrated there

Siam Cement Group (SCG), Thai Plastic and Chemicals, QPI Vietnam (a subsidiary of Qatar Petroleum International), PetroVietnam and Vinachem have signed a joint venture agreement to invest in Vietnam’s first petrochemicals complex. SCG announced the signing in a statement to the Stock Exchange of Thailand. As per GTForum, a final investment decision is expected in 2013 and commercial operation of the US$4.5 bln project is expected within 4-5 years after the start of construction.

China has surpassed North America and Europe as the largest consumer of petrochemicals in the world, creating opportunities for joint ventures with US and European companies, a report by GlobalData has found. China has established itself as the frontrunner in the global petrochemicals market, largely due to impressive demand from its large population

The flexible packaging market in Europe is valued at around 20 billion Euros by Andrew Reynolds, the Research Director at Applied Market Information. There is room for growth to replace rigid packaging and reduce weight, as per the new YES pack from Kraft, which is replacing a bottle. There is increasing globalisation in this market as both food and packaging companies expand their geographical footprint

BASF, the world’s leading chemical company, exhibited, for the first time in India, the i-flow, a one-of-a-kind concept car based on a unique collaboration between BASF and Hyundai Motor Group. The breathtaking design of the i-flow is coupled with a wide range of innovative features, which are beneficial to the environment as well as eye-opening to many carmaker and car lovers.