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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.


Henkel Acquires Stahl for €2.1 Billion to Strengthen Specialty Coatings and Sustainability Portfolio
Henkel has acquired Dutch specialty coatings company Stahl Group for €2.1 billion (US$2.5 billion) from French investment firm Wendel SE, reinforcing its Adhesive Technologies business unit and expanding its presence in high-performance specialty coatings.
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Feb 241 min read


Givaudan Announces Major Investment in ‘Campus 52’ Centre of Excellence
Swiss fragrance and flavour company Givaudan has announced a major investment of CHF 55 million to build Campus 52, a new centre of excellence in Grasse, France, dedicated to its House of Naturals organisation, underlining its strategic focus on natural fragrance ingredient innovation and sustainable growth.
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Feb 241 min read


Global Trends in Polyurethane Insulation Additives
The total additives market for blowing agents and flame retardants was estimated at around ~1.6 million tonnes in 2025
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Feb 245 min read


Canéza sells a perfume every 60 seconds around the globe
Canéza, the UAE-born digital-first fragrance brand, has reached AED 10 million in global sales just days after its formal launch, highlighting a broader shift in how today's fragrance customers define value, loyalty, and luxury.
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Feb 223 min read


Blended expertise strengthens medium-sized food and beverage manufacturers
Blended expertise strengthens medium-sized food and beverage manufacturers
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Feb 172 min read


Austrotherm: Recycling plant for EPS and XPS insulation materials in Purbach now fully operational
Austrotherm has commissioned a recycling plant for EPS and XPS insulation materials at its Purbach site. The facility is unique in Austria and marks a further step in strengthening the company’s circular economy strategy.
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Jan 291 min read


APAC Accelerates, EMEA Stabilizes: The Global PUD Market in Transition
Regional Trend Comparison: Polyurethane Dispersions (PUDs) in EMEA and APAC Regions
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Jan 223 min read


Henkel Unveils Next-Generation Polyurethane Potting Compound to Boost Industrial and Power Electronics Reliability
Henkel has launched Loctite STYCAST US 8000 A/B, a next-generation two-component polyurethane potting compound designed to enhance the reliability and service life of industrial and power electronics operating in harsh environments.
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Jan 221 min read


ASTech and dsm-firmenich Forge Strategic Partnership to Strengthen Global UV Filter Market Presence
ASTech, a specialist in UV filter ingredients for sun protection, and dsm-firmenich, a global leader in nutrition, health and beauty, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and completed an associated investment process to establish a strategic business partnership aimed at strengthening their competitiveness in the global sunscreen market.
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Jan 191 min read


PARFEX Breaks Ground on Major Sustainable Expansion at Grasse Industrial Site
On 8 January 2026, PARFEX laid the foundation stone for the extension and renovation of its industrial site at the Bois de Grasse Business Park, marking a major milestone in the French fragrance house’s long-term growth and sustainability strategy.
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Jan 131 min read


Pflaumer Introduces TERACURE® HP 47: Aliphatic Crosslinker for High-Performance Waterborne PU Coatings
Pflaumer Brothers has unveiled TERACURE® HP 47, a next-generation aliphatic polyisocyanate crosslinking agent designed to elevate the performance of two-component (2K) waterborne polyurethane coatings across demanding sectors such as automotive, aerospace, construction, flooring, wood finishing, OEM production, and industrial applications.
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Jan 51 min read


Azerbaijan Expands Stone Wool Production Capacity with New AZWOOL Facility
President Ilham Aliyev inaugurated the AZWOOL mineral rock wool plant, a major addition to Azerbaijan’s construction materials industry and the latest development from Matanat-A, a company operating since 2000 with diversified operations in dry construction mixtures, gypsum-based products, lime production and machine-building.
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Jan 51 min read


NOVEX Advances Sustainable Polyurethane Solutions for Construction under ZIRCON Project
The NOVEX Technology Centre, within the framework of Spain’s Science and Innovation Missions Programme (CDTI) and in collaboration with Ensatec laboratories and Geopannel, is completing the final stage of the ZIRCON project, focused on developing and validating sustainable polyurethane materials for the construction industry.
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Jan 51 min read


INEOS Styrolution to Close Polystyrene Production in Wingles, France
INEOS Styrolution has announced its decision to permanently close its polystyrene (PS) production operations in Wingles, France, as part of a wider strategy to align its European footprint with evolving market conditions and strengthen long-term competitiveness. The company will consolidate polystyrene production for its European customer base at its advanced Antwerp site in Belgium, which offers a strong strategic location near major suppliers and customers, as well as enhan
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Nov 18, 20251 min read


GEA builds a large-scale mixing plant for taste creation at the Symrise location in Holzminden
GEA builds a large-scale mixing plant for taste creation at the Symrise location
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Nov 17, 20252 min read


Vranjes Firenze completes acquisition of 51% share in Integra Fragrances
Vranjes Firenze completes acquisition of 51% share in Integra Fragrances
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Nov 16, 20252 min read


Holcim Polska Acquires Wykroty Stone Wool Plant Following Sanctions-Linked Sale of Boerner Insulation Asset
Holcim Polska has acquired the Wykroty stone wool insulation plant from Boerner Insulation in a government-ordered sale earlier in 2025, following allegations that Boerner had circumvented Polish sanctions on Russia. The Polish authorities placed the plant under compulsory administration in July 2024, triggering a competitive bidding process that attracted offers from 20 companies. The facility, originally established in 2021 by Russia-based TechnoNICOL, was among the country
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Nov 13, 20251 min read


IFF Pioneers Green Hydrogen Production for Sustainable Fragrance Manufacturing in Spain
IFF has inaugurated a pioneering nature-based hydrogen production facility at its Scent R&D and fragrance ingredients manufacturing site in Benicarló, Spain, marking a major milestone in sustainable fragrance production. In partnership with Iberdrola, one of the world’s leading renewable energy producers, IFF has become the first company in the fragrance industry to utilise renewable electricity for hydrogenation reactions essential to the creation of key fragrance ingredient
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Nov 13, 20251 min read


PAYAN BERTRAND Advances Growth with New Fragrance Production Site in Grasse
PAYAN BERTRAND, the family-owned aromatic products and fragrance specialist founded in 1854, is embarking on a major new chapter with the construction of a dedicated industrial site for fragrance compounding in Le Plan-de-Grasse, scheduled to open at the end of 2026. Representing a €12 million investment, this state-of-the-art and sustainably designed facility reflects the company’s long-term ambitions and follows over fifteen years of land research in the Grasse region. The
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Nov 13, 20251 min read


Radnor Hills offers new carbonated soft drink line, Radnor Spring
Radnor Hills offers new carbonated soft drink line, Radnor Spring
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Nov 11, 20251 min read
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