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Latest News from IAL and the Global Chemicals Industry
Stay informed regarding IAL's latest publications and industry news covering the markets for Polyurethanes, Flavours & Fragrances and Thermal Insulation.


Symrise Expands Holzminden Logistics Hub with €25 Million Investment
Symrise has commenced the second phase of construction for its logistics centre in Holzminden, Germany, marking another significant milestone in the company’s long-term infrastructure and growth strategy.
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9 hours ago1 min read


Covestro Strengthens Asia-Pacific TPU Innovation Network with New Guangzhou Development Centre
Covestro has officially opened a new Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) Application Development Centre in Guangzhou, China, reinforcing the company’s strategy of bringing innovation and technical collaboration closer to customers across the Asia-Pacific region.
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9 hours ago1 min read


Polyurethane in Cold Chain Appliances: Insulating the Future
Polyurethane is a versatile polymer that plays an important role in cold chain appliances. It helps to keep products safe and fresh and to conserve energy during storage and transportation.
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9 hours ago3 min read


Hyosung TNC Commits US$1 Billion to Expand Sustainable Bio-Based Materials Business
Hyosung TNC has announced plans to invest US$1 billion in its future bio-based materials business, marking a major step in the company’s long-term sustainability strategy. The investment will support the construction of multiple Bio-BDO production plants in Vietnam with a combined annual capacity of 200,000 tonnes.
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4 days ago1 min read


PCL Construction and ROCKWOOL Break Ground on New Washington Manufacturing Facility
PCL Construction has officially commenced construction of a new stone wool insulation manufacturing facility for Rockwool North America in Wallula, Washington, marking a significant investment in sustainable building materials and advanced manufacturing in the western United States.
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4 days ago1 min read


Symrise Strengthens Food & Beverage Operations in Barcelona
Symrise has strengthened its Food & Beverage capabilities in Southern Europe through the expansion and modernisation of its site in Parets del Vallès near Barcelona, reinforcing its regional presence and improving service proximity for customers across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
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4 days ago1 min read


BASF Opens New Refinery Catalyst R&D Center in Georgia
The new center is expected to accelerate innovation cycles and enhance production testing capabilities, enabling the refinery catalysts team to bring advanced catalyst solutions to market more efficiently. It also serves as a central hub for operational and analytical excellence, supported by modern quality assurance and quality control laboratories.
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5 days ago2 min read


dsm-firmenich Agrees Sale of Action Pin Business to AP Marensin
DSM-Firmenich as announced the sale of its Action Pin business, part of the company’s Perfumery & Beauty division under the “Agro Ingredients” segment, to AP Marensin S.A.S.U., an investor consortium established by FeBe Vermögensverwaltung GmbH and supported by Berlin-based family office Econa and French private equity fund Ouest Croissance.
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5 days ago1 min read


DöhlerGroup Buys Remaining Shares in Treatt
Döhler formed an agreement to acquire the remaining shares in British flavour house Treatt for £183 million, thereby assuming full ownership of the company. The agreement was announced on 29th April 2026, following a previously established agreement between the two businesses in January. German ingredients manufacturer Döhler already held a 28% stake in the flavour house, increased from 10% in late 2025. Under the terms of the acquisition, Treatt’s shareholders will be entitl
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6 days ago2 min read


Covestro Launches Major Energy Efficiency Project at Dormagen Site
Covestro has announced its largest energy efficiency project to date, aimed at significantly reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions at its Dormagen facility in Germany.
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6 days ago1 min read


Stepan has announced a price increase for its polyol products in the North African market.
Polyol Price Increase
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6 days ago1 min read


Kimpur, a polyurethane system manufacturer, has formed a partnership with Kobe Polyurethane.
Kimpur, the region’s leading polyurethane systems house by production capacity and sales, has made a strategic investment to support its growth. It has formed an 80% affiliated partnership with Kobe Polyurethane, enabling it to expand into new specialised product segments.
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6 days ago1 min read


Omya Performance Polymer Distribution expands BASF Elastollan TPU partnership.
Omya Performance Polymer Distribution has been appointed the mutually exclusive distribution partner for Elastollan thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) by BASF across France, Switzerland, North Africa, Israel and the Middle East, effective July 1, 2026.
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6 days ago1 min read


Trinseo Moves to Reinforce Balance Sheet Through Major Financial Restructuring
Trinseo has announced a significant restructuring initiative aimed at strengthening its financial foundation and supporting long-term sustainable growth amid continued pressure on the global chemicals market.
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May 181 min read


PepsiCo Leads Cross-Industry Renewable Energy Partnership to Accelerate European Decarbonisation
PepsiCo, Givaudan, Smurfit Westrock and Statkraft have signed a 10-year Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) aimed at advancing renewable energy adoption and reducing value chain emissions across Europe.
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May 181 min read


Global Market Trends for Aliphatic and Aromatic Polyols
Polyester polyols account for just under one third of global polyol consumption. The segment’s mix remains stable, with aliphatic polyester polyols holding about 70% share and aromatic polyester polyols the remaining 30%, supported by steady demand from rigid foam and construction applications. Overall, shifts in consumption are incremental, driven by evolving performance needs rather than any structural market change.
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May 173 min read


Henkel launches upgraded Packaging Competence Center to drive next-generation packaging solutions
Henkel Opens Upgraded Packaging Competence Center to Advance Future-Ready Packaging Solutions
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May 173 min read


dsm-firmenich Expands South American Pet Nutrition Network with New Brazil Premix Facility
dsm-firmenich has expanded its global pet nutrition operations with the opening of NextGen Itatiba, a dedicated pet nutrition premix facility located in Itatiba, São Paulo, Brazil.
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May 151 min read


Henkel has introduced a new heat-conductive adhesive designed to enhance thermal management in electric vehicle batteries.
Henkel's Loctite TLB 9270APS is a two-part polyurethane-based adhesive with thermal conductivity of around 2 W/m·K, strong bonding performance, and reliable electrical insulation. It is particularly effective for use with aluminium and PET film materials. The product is designed to support efficient manufacturing and allows for quick The product offers thermal conductivity of approximately 2 W/m·K, strong bonding performance, and reliable electrical insulation. It works espec
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May 151 min read


ROCKWOOL Expands Central European Footprint with Acquisition of Hungarian Stone Wool Factory
ROCKWOOL has announced an agreement to acquire a stone wool insulation factory in Hungary from Ravago Building Solutions, strengthening its manufacturing presence in Central and Eastern Europe.
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May 151 min read


Jayant Agro-Organics to Acquire Additional Stake in Vithal Castor Polyols
Jayant Agro-Organics has announced the acquisition of additional equity and preference shares in Vithal Castor Polyols Private Limited (VCPL), strengthening its position in the bio-polyols segment.
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May 151 min read


Low-VOC Polyurethane Coatings: Regulatory Drivers in Asia-Pacific Markets
Low-VOC polyurethane coatings are gaining momentum across Asia-Pacific region, propelled by tightening environmental regulations and evolving market structures.
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May 132 min read


WACKER announces price increase for resins, dispersions, and dispersible polymer powders
WACKER announces price increase for resins, dispersions, and dispersible polymer powders
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May 131 min read


BASF Launches ReducedPCF Elastollan® TPU Portfolio in Asia Pacific
BASF has introduced its new Reduced Product Carbon Footprint (ReducedPCF) Elastollan® thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) portfolio in the Asia Pacific region, aimed at helping customers lower the carbon footprint of their products without sacrificing material performance.
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May 121 min read
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