BOREALIS AND BOROUGE SHOWCASE SUSTAINABLE WIRE & CABLE INNOVATIONS AT THE WIRE 2022

• Borlink™ HVDC technology plays a key role in energy transition projects worldwide including the German Corridors project
• Launch of first Borcycle™ M jacketing compound containing up to 50% post-consumer recyclate
• Entire Borealis Wire & Cable portfolio to be ADCA-free by end of 2022

Borealis and Borouge announce their presence at the 2022 WIRE trade show taking place from 20 to 24 June in Düsseldorf, Germany. A wide range of innovative technologies and material solutions for Wire & Cable will be highlighted. These success stories are testimony to how Borealis and Borouge’s polyolefin innovations and customer centricity are helping drive the global transition to an energy future that is more sustainable.

Borealis Borlink™: the essential link in energy transition projects
As leading global innovators, Borealis and Borouge continue to provide customer-driven solutions in the wire and cable industry. The proprietary Borlink™ high voltage direct current (HVDC) technology has enabled the use of extruded cable technology to reach higher voltage and transmission levels than ever before. This increases the capacity, efficiency, and supply security of power networks. Beyond passing pre-qualification up to 640 kilovolts (kV), Borlink delivers superior electrical performance, and provides long-running lengths and a minimum number of joints. What is more, the cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) material offers the additional sustainability benefit of being recyclable.

The Borlink HVDC technology has established an impressive track record. It has been selected for use in numerous projects, including a large-scale offshore wind farm in Jiangsu province of China, and several offshore projects have been energised in the North Sea recently.

More than 8,000 cable kilometres based on Borlink HVDC XLPE technology have been laid with more than 8,000 kilometres in the pipeline.

The largest ongoing Borlink HVDC endeavour at present is the German Corridors project. This series of underground electricity transmission lines will carry power from renewable sources, such as offshore wind farms, over hundreds of kilometres with only minimal losses. Insulated XLPE underground cables made with a fully compounded HVDC cable material based on Borlink technology, at a voltage level of 525 kV, will be used in the majority of this large-scale project, specifically in the “SuedLink” and “SuedOstLink” portions.

The SuedLink has two power cable systems, each with 2 gigawatts (GW), and a cable length of over 2,500 km. The northern stretch of the SuedOstLink corridor has one 2 GW circuit and approximately 500 km of cable. Once completed, the German Corridors will have the capacity to transport 8 GW of green energy from the north to the south of Germany. This is comparable to the amount of power produced by 7-8 nuclear power reactors or as an example roughly twice the power need for Denmark.

Borouge’s High Voltage cable insulation grade secures Pre-Qualification Test Certifications

Another notable milestone, the Borouge-manufactured Borlink™ LS4201S has successfully passed Pre-Qualification Tests from leading test establishments, KEMA Labs and China Electric Power Research Institute (CEPRI). Passing the rigorous standards of KEMA Labs and CEPRI at 220 kV validates Borouge as a reliable supplier for high voltage cables. Intended for power cable applications in high stress HV applications with rated voltage up to 230 kV, Borlink LS4201S will meet the increasing demand for advanced high-quality energy solutions in the global market.

First-ever Borcycle™ M jacketing compound contains up to 50% post-consumer recyclate
Borealis has made great progress towards its goal of ensuring that by 2025, 100% of its consumer products are either recyclable, reusable, or made using materials from renewable sources. With the ongoing development of its first jacketing product, Borcycle™ M ME7153SY, made using material containing up to 50% post-consumer recyclate (PCR), its efforts to promote circularity now extend even deeper into its Wire & Cable business. This more sustainable jacketing innovation has been made possible by the proprietary Borcycle M technology which transforms plastic waste streams into value-added, high-performance solutions. As an ever-advancing and transformational technology for mechanical recycling, Borcycle M gives polyolefin-based, post-consumer waste a new life.

Preparations are currently underway for the first potential Borcycle M jacketing compound product launch in December 2022: Borcycle M ME7153SY is a natural medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), fully formulated jacketing compound. Intended for use in medium and low voltage cables, Borcycle M ME7153SY is easy to colour and offers good processability and smooth surface finishes. Its characteristics include good environmental stress cracking resistance (ESCR), UV resistance, and low water permeability.

Borealis pledges to become ADCA-free by 2022
The chemical compound azodicarbonamide (ADCA) is mainly used as a blowing agent in the production of polyethylene (PE) compounds used in data cables. It is classified as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) by the European Chemicals Agency. Borealis has taken the decision to fully phase out all ADCA-based Wire & Cable products by the end of 2022.

A new ADCA-free high density polyethylene (HDPE) grade for coax cables, Borealis HE1116, will be introduced in 2022. Yet Borealis is already offering three ADCA-free grades to ensure that their customers have innovative and high-performing alternatives: the chemically foamed ADCA-free Borealis HE1355 and Borealis ME1254 grades for data cable production; and the physically foamed ADCA-free Borealis HE4883 for data cables. Borealis is among the first in the Energy industry to commit to phasing out all ADCA-based Wire & Cable products, and intends to do so by the end of 2022.

“A core aspect of our EverMinds™ approach to accelerating action in the circular economy sphere is our commitment to developing more sustainable solutions that not only outperform conventional materials, but also make it possible to operate in a responsible way,” explains Bart Verheule, Borealis Global Commercial Director, Energy. “Our proprietary technologies like Borlink, Borstar®, and Borcycle are building blocks for innovation. We can even envision future Energy grades based on the Bornewables™, our portfolio of premium circular polyolefin products produced with renewable feedstock that is derived 100% from waste and residue streams – with this we’re re-inventing essentials for sustainable living. We are building on our track record of bringing energy all around by offering our customers a well-rounded portfolio of pioneering and high-performance solutions on a truly global scale.”

Palsgaard to showcase full range of plant-based polymer additives at K 2022

Palsgaard, a world leader in plant-based emulsifiers and polymer additives for the global food, packaging and plastics industries, will take the opportunity of K 2022 in Düsseldorf, Germany, to position itself as a preferred supplier to polymer producers, masterbatch manufacturers and compounders seeking to lower their carbon footprint and go renewable. At the world’s largest plastics trade fair in Hall 7, Level 1, Booth D20, Palsgaard will present its complete portfolio of sustainable polymer additives and offer first-hand insight in new developments.

“As the plastics industry is transforming from a linear to a circular economy, there is a fast-growing demand for renewable alternatives to conventional fossil-based formulations,” says Ulrik Aunskjær, Global Business Director, Bio Specialty Additives at Palsgaard. “Beyond the more basic raw materials feedstock, this also applies to functional additives, where common synthetic chemistry is under increasing regulatory pressure while consumers demand more natural, safe and healthy ingredients also in the polymers in which their products are packaged. At Palsgaard, we are addressing these issues with a full range of plant-based, food-grade polymer additives, backed by advanced customer and application support.”

In packaging plastics, Palsgaard’s Einar® additives serve as highly effective anti-fog and anti-static surfactants, dispersing aids, ageing modifiers, EPS coatings and mould release agents. At K 2022, the company will introduce new plant-based innovations in its growing portfolio, developed and optimised at Palsgaard’s Polymer Application Centre in Denmark to help customers stay ahead of increasingly stringent regulations, such as on food-contact, without compromising performance or quality. All of these products provide an excellent drop-in replacement for fossil-based additives in existing polymer formulations and have a perfect fit in new responsible packaging solutions.

Furthermore, Palsgaard will also update K 2022 visitors on significant investments made into the future of its polymer additives business. The expansion of the company’s carbon-neutral production capacity is proceeding as scheduled. After the successful commissioning of a new emulsifier pellet line with a capacity of 10,000 tonnes in 2020, the Juelsminde site will receive a state-of-the art spray tower, which is expected to go on-stream in the fourth quarter of 2023 and add 30,000 tonnes to Palsgaard’s existing spray capacity. This will be complemented by multiple new reaction, distillation and esterification plants, altogether doubling the company’s overall production capacity by 2024.

In addition, new sales offices in Brazil, the United States and China will strengthen the support of customers in these regions, as Palsgaard is delivering on its strategy to develop long-term close partnerships and grow its global service capacities.

Visit Palsgaard at K 2022 in Düsseldorf from October 19 through 26 in Hall 7, Level 1, Booth D20 to meet the company’s product and market specialists and discuss the sustainable benefits and superior performance of the company’s plant-based polymer additives.

Coperion Recycling Innovation Center – New Construction of State-Of-The-Art Test Lab for Plastics Recycling Applications

Coperion GmbH has initiated the construction of a state-of-the-art recycling test lab at its Niederbiegen/Weingarten, Germany, production facility. The new Coperion Recycling Innovation Center will be built in the immediate vicinity of Coperion’s existing Test Center for Bulk Solids Handling. Driven by rising demands worldwide for a circular plastics economy, a clear trend has taken shape over the last years toward more recycling. Coperion is meeting this trend, not only with its equipment and processes designed for recycling applications, but also with its new Recycling Innovation Center. At the facility, customers will be able to develop and test new, sustainable products and recycling processes together with Coperion’s experts. All essential recycling process stages will be covered within the facility including materials conveying, feeding, extrusion, pelletizing, and materials postprocessing. Inaddition, Coperion will conduct its own research activities on plastics recycling in this new Recycling Innovation Center.

With this new addition, the company will expand its test lab capacities, throughout Germany alone, up to 5,000 m² (53,819 ft²), making it evident that Coperion’s investment for innovation and underscoring its research and development activities, particularly with regard to issues of sustainability is paramount.Markus Parzer, President of the Polymer Division and Managing Director of Coperion GmbH, said: “Worldwide demand for state-of-the-art, efficient plastics recycling solutions will continue to grow in the years to come because of the constantly increasing demands of environmental legislation, such as that within the framework of the European Green New Deal, and due to changing consumer behavior and environmental consciousness. In deciding to create this new Recycling Innovation Center, we have set clear priorities to be an active partner with our
customers by offering our advanced technologies and established expertise, as we work with them along the path toward greater sustainability and a functioning circular economy.”

Added Bernd Neumann, Coperion Weingarten and Niederbiegen Site Manager: “We are confident that, with our new Recycling Innovation Center, equipped with the most modern technology for high-quality and innovative recycling processes, it will be an attractive added value for our customers in the plastics industry. At the same time, the new facility will allow the addition of interesting, long-term career opportunities for those in the region.”

Recycling Plays a Central Role in Sustainability

In the face of changing end-user consumer habits and environmental legislation growing ever stricter worldwide, the plastics industry recognized long ago that more sustainable production is a must. Recycling plays a central role in achieving this goal. Many plastics treatment and processing operations around the world are addressing the question of how recycling can be implemented, practically and at an industrial scale. To answer this question specific to each customer, concrete approaches to solutions for every recycling process stage will be tested and developed, together with customers from all over the world, in the new Coperion Recycling Innovation Center. These solutions can then be efficiently implemented in production from a
single source.

Marina Matta, Team Leader of Process Technology Engineering Plastics at Coperion, had this to say about the new Recycling Innovation Center: “With this state-of-the-art test lab, we are offering our customers a top-tier solution for developing their processes and products. Along with processing and product solutions for the mechanical recycling of industrial and household waste, together with our customers we can also develop and test innovative solutions for every other current recycling process. Moreover, the Recycling Innovation Center offers Coperion ideal conditions to drive our research and development activities forward for more efficiency and expanded feasibility in plastics recycling.”

Covestro, SK geo centric and Neste cooperate to create value chain for renewable attributed MDI in APAC

Covestro, South Korean petrochemical company SK geo centric and Neste are cooperating to enable the production of a major polyurethane raw material based on renewable raw materials via mass balance. The cooperation will see Neste provide SK geo centric with renewable Neste RETM, an ISCC certified feedstock for polymers and chemicals made from 100 percent renewable raw materials such as waste and residue oil and fats.

SK geo centric will process this feedstock into benzene at the company’s facilities in South Korea and supply it to Covestro to use as raw material for methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) at its site in Shanghai, China. MDI is a key raw material for the manufacture of rigid polyurethane foam, which is a well-proven insulating material for buildings and used in the cold chain helping to save CO2 emissions and reduce energy consumption during its product life.

The cooperation marks the start of possible future collaborations between the three companies, aiming at replacing fossil feedstocks by more sustainable ones in the production of polymers and chemicals in the APAC region and beyond.

“With renewable solutions available, we are now entering the phase of scaling up their usage in the chemical industry,” says Mercedes Alonso, Executive Vice President Renewable Polymers and Chemicals at Neste. “This will be crucial in replacing the vast amounts of fossil resources the industry is currently depending on. To make this ramp-up a success, we’ll need to establish collaborations along the value chain – and this one between three sustainability-minded partners is a prime example of how the industry can do just that.”

Replacing the common crude oil-based fossil feedstock with Neste RE provides a significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, thereby improving the carbon footprint of the polyurethane raw materials produced by Covestro and of downstream industries. Neste RE is produced with renewable raw materials such as waste and residue oils and fats.

“I am much pleased that through this collaboration we continue to ramp up the market for sustainable alternative materials. This enables us to supply our customers in Asia-Pacific with more sustainable MDI based on mass-balanced raw materials,” says Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer of Covestro. “Using such materials is attractive because it will also help them achieve their climate goals. Another core benefit of this line of products is that it is a technical drop-in solution that our customers can use immediately without a major changeover in their plants.”

“We are delighted to ship and export our first renewable Benzene produced with 100 percent renewable Neste RE feedstock,” says Woohyuk-Choi, Vice President of SK geo centric’s Aromatic Business Unit. “SK geo centric will actively work with Covestro and Neste as we mark the first collaboration of this kind in the Asia-Pacific region. We remain committed to expanding this cooperation.”

Under the strategy of “Green for Better Life”, SK geo centric announced its ambitious target to become “Net-Zero” before 2050. To fulfill its responsibility, the company will drive its business transformation by expanding its high-quality renewable products portfolio. SK geo centric will respond to increasing global demands in the market by leveraging the strong synergies between collaboration partners.

European plastics and rubber machinery industry fall shy of global production growth

• Significant increase in global production in 2021
• Europe’s share of world production showing slight shrinkage
• China is world export leader for the first time
• OPC UA as world machine language – showcase at K 2022

Based on estimates, the global production of plastics and rubber machinery grew by 13 percent in 2021 and reached a new record level of 38.6 billion euros. China in particular stood out as a driver here, increasing its production by an above-average 15 percent. European plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers achieved a slightly below-average increase of 11 percent, and now account for 40 percent of global production. Although this means they continue to hold the lion’s share of global production, the figures also make it clear that the global plastics and rubber machinery sector has undergone a couple of shifts in recent years. In the past, the European share still accounted for almost 45 per cent.

The fact that China exported the most plastics and rubber machinery for the first time last year also fits this picture. The People’s Republic increased its exports by an impressive 28.2 percent to 5.7 billion euros, thus relegating Germany to second place, and resulting in it having to relinquish its title of world export leader, with 5.2 billion euros (plus 9.4 percent).

“In the medium term, companies in Europe will have to prepare themselves for a significantly higher price level, as raw materials and energy in particular, have become much more expensive. At the same time, the situation in the supplier is causing problems, plus, due to the increased uncertainty resulting from the war in Ukraine, processors are holding back on investments and therefore on new orders for machine manufacturers” stated Luciano Anceschi, President of the European umbrella organization of the most important national plastics and rubber machine manufacturers(EUROMAP), summing up the difficult situation.

“We have benefited from Covid, but now we have to brace ourselves for the fact that a saturation effect has occurred in large parts of our customer industries,and further growth will be difficult to achieve this year under the current conditions,” Anceschi continues. The European plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers are looking forwardto the K trade fair in October, in order to be able to present the performance of their machines and their technical innovations to their customers, with a view to circular economy and digitalisation.

OPC UA as a world machine language – showcase at K 2022

At K 2022, EUROMAP will demonstrate the OPC UA technology and the specifications for digital interfaces already available for plastics and rubbermachinery in action. Live data from connected machines can be accessed via an online dashboard by any trade fair visitor using a smartphone. Machine manufacturers worldwide can participate. This is aimed at making the great potential of platform-independent and manufacturer-independent machine-to- machine communication both visible and tangible.

Interoperability in production, i.e. the networking of all components within the production line, is considered a prerequisite for Industry 4.0. This gives machine operators the necessary access to production data, which allows them to monitor and control the processes for greater efficiency, traceability, condition monitoring through to machine learning, and artificial intelligence – and that in turn renders decisive competitive advantages for them.

The prerequisite for convenient “plug-and-play” networking is globally recognised, uniform standards for data exchange. The OPC UA standard as a global machine language is the perfect basis for the development of technical specifications for individual machines and components. After being initiated by VDMA and EUROMAP, the development of specifications is now taking place at a global level, together with the OPC Foundation and international partner associations.

Flourish: The e-commerce platform aims to bring producer stories and products to conscious consumers worldwide

With a conscious curation of ethically sourced, eco-friendly, and handmade products, Flourish is driven to impact artisan livelihoods at scale while being mindful of the planet.

The recently launched global e-commerce platform Flourish, is a brand that is not only fulfilling the needs of the conscious consumers but is also creating a sustainable
impact on the livelihood of the artisans who have created these products. The platform is curated with ethically sourced environment-friendly products across categories like apparel, jewelry, home
decor, toys, and accessories. Flourish aims to impact producer livelihoods by bringing their stories and products to conscious consumers worldwide. By ensuring the products are responsibly made
using natural raw materials that are good for the planet, Flourish is committed to being environmentally friendly. The Flourish framework is designed to make the consumer aware of where
the products come from, how they're made, and their impact on creating sustainable livelihoods for the producers and creators.

Co-created and co-convened by Industree Foundation, Flourish is visualized as a 100% producer- owned platform, where producers and producer groups are curated not only by their products but
also by their intentions and ability to pay fair wages all along the value chain. In addition to fair wages, producers and producer groups on the platform will also receive dividends when the
platform starts making profits. Flourish is also building a strong board of governance to involve thought leaders and well-wishers of India’s estimated 200 million artisans and the globe’s 1 Billion.

A landmark platform consciously curated with natural and ethically sourced products, it is aimed at the economic transformation of the millions of Indian and global artisans, paving the path for the
next Regenerative Economy. So far, brands like Anantaya, Sasha, Rangasutra, Khamir, Kaarigar Clinic, Avani, Kadam Haat, Iro Iro, Paiwand, Reva, and many more from various parts of India have been listed on the platform.

Cosmo Ferrites announces Vikas Puri as Business Head

for India operations

With 29 years of experience, Vikas will be responsible for devising strategies for effective day-to-day operations

a leading manufacturer and exporter of Soft Ferrites and an emerging player in wire wound magnetic components, today announced the appointment of Mr. Vikas Puri as Business Head for their operations in India. In his new role, Vikas will be responsible for devising strategical solutions to everyday operations and will be expected to strengthen Cosmo Ferrites’ presence in the fast-growing ferrites market space.

A seasoned business leader with above 29 years of experience, Vikas holds laurels of working in diverse areas of EMS, Automotive and Power Electronics. In his past tenures, he has served in a number of leadership roles, including Business Head (India) of Varroc Lighting Systems, Managing Director of Marquardt India Pvt. Ltd., SBU Head of Minda Stoneridge Instruments Ltd., and Director Operations of General Electric. Throughout his career, he has been driven by a passion to leverage innovation in product management to better enable providers to deliver best of the services.

Welcoming him, Mr. Pankaj Poddar, Group CEO, Cosmo Films and Cosmo Ferrites said, “I am delighted to welcome Vikas as our new Business Head for Ferrites operations in India. He has a sharp business acumen with a knowledge of diverse sectors. His experience in building effective portfolios and achieving market leadership through winning teams make him a great asset at Cosmo Ferrites. We look forward to working with him and welcome his inputs in attaining our strategic goals.”

Commenting on his new role, Mr. Vikas Puri, Business Head, Cosmo Ferrites Limited said, “I am honoured to take up this responsibility that the company has entrusted me with. With Cosmo Ferrites operating at record levels and with a deep and talented leadership bench in place, it is now time for me to add value from my role. I will be exploring uncharted avenues to grow our business through various initiatives. I am obsessed with enhancing business practices with innovation, and I will ensure Cosmo Ferrites continues to be at the forefront of ferrites industry.”

Vikas has done his Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics & Communication from SDM College of engineering and is an alumnus of National Institute of Labour Education Madras.