International news

Specialty chemicals company Lanxess signed a contract to sell its Urethane Systems business to Japanese UBE Corporation. The enterprise value amounts to 460 million euros with expected proceeds of around 500 million euros. With this transaction Lanxess exits the last remaining polymer business...

The plastics and rubber machinery industry continues to experience challenging times, with the latest figures for incoming orders and sales also being in line with the recent slump in demand. "We still have to wait a little longer for the turnaround", explaind Ulrich Reifenhäuser...

The polymer processor Renolit will have a new Chief Executive Officer as of January 1, 2025. After 16 years, Michael Kundel is handing over the chairmanship to Karsten Jänicke. In May 2025, Michael Kundel will take up a seat on the Supervisory Board of Renolit. Torsten Maschke will take over the...

Helmut Bacher, co-founder and former managing partner of Erema, Austrian plastics recycling machine manufacturer, died on 20 September at the age of 81. Together with Georg Wendelin and Helmuth Schulz, with whom he founded Erema in Linz in 1983, Helmut Bacher is regarded as one of the...

Husky announced that longtime company CEO John Galt will transition to the role of chairman and Husky COO Bradley Selleck will become CEO, effective October 1. The transition is the culmination of a carefully orchestrated plan focused on building a world-class management team, fostering and...

As of 30 September, Paolo Bochicchio will take over as managing director of EuPC (European Plastics Convrters), succeeding Bernard Merkx, who has held the position on an interim basis for around two years, after taking over from Alexandre Dangis at the beginning of 2023...

According to the German association of plastics producers, Plastics Europe Deutschland, in the second quarter of 2024 plastics production in Germany rose by 2.2% compared to the previous quarter and was thus above the previous year's level for the first time since the beginning of 2022...

On 2 September 2024, a total of 75 trainees and students from the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) began their professional careers at Arburg. They were welcomed by Steffen Kroner, the new Managing Director Finance, Controlling, IT and HR Management, and by...

For the first time, two powerhouse organizations, Sabic's Functional Forms and Röhm’s Acrylic Products, have joined forces to form Polyvantis. The newly established entity offers comprehensive, multi-material and industry-leading product portfolio, unique technical knowledge, and application-based...

Henning Karbstein will be taking over the management of Kraiburg TPE for the North, Central and South America region as of 1 October 2024. He will be managing the operational business of the global TPE manufacturer from its US location in Buford, Georgia, and has already been receiving extensive training and...

Oerlikon appoints Markus Richter, currently Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of its Surface Solutions division, as the new Group CFO and a member of the Executive Committee, effective 1 October 2024. He will succeed Philipp Mueller. Until the planned separation of the...

As of July 1, Marcel Perrevort has been appointed Chief Sales Officer (CSO) of the Reifenhäuser Group. He succeeds Ulrich Reifenhäuser, who had been in this position for more than 25 years. With this decision, the family-owned machinery and plant manufacturer is consistently continuing the...

Market-leading company for thermoforming and joining technology and a member of the Brückner Group, Kiefel is undergoing a change in management: Matthias Sieverding, previously CEO and President of the Brückner Group’s USA platform company, succeeded Thomas Halletz as CEO of Kiefel on...

On first August the acquisition of Illig by the German financial investor Orlando Capital was completed. Following the signing on July 17, the agreement on the transfer of the company to Illig Packaging Solutions became formally effective on 31 July. The new Illig Packaging Solutions took over all...

Icis announced Thierry Le Henaff, chairman and CEO of France-based Arkema, as the winner of the 2024 Icis CEO of the Year Award for outstanding achievement. The Icis CEO of the Year Award is unique in the chemical industry as the winner is selected based on a vote among industry CEOs in the Icis Top 40 Power Players...

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Prysmian, world leader in the power and telecom cables sector, have signed a new, 450 million euros finance contract to facilitate electricity transmission and distribution in Europe. With a view to meeting the growing demand for renewable energy in general and offshore wind in particular...

Machinery manufacturer Windmöller & Hölscher marked a significant milestone on the last days, with the groundbreaking of a major expansion at its North American headquarters in Lincoln, Rhode Island. “Our investment in this expansion reflects our commitment to enhancing service capabilities and...

Illig, the German specialist for thermoforming and packaging systems, will successfully complete the equity capitalization and restructuring process initiated at the end of 2023 with the entry of the German financial investor Orlando Capital. The experienced German investor, focusing on...

Robert Schad, founder of Husky Injection Molding System, a global manufacturer of injection moulding machines, moulds and hot runner systems, has died in Toronto, Canada, at the age of 95. Born in Germany, he emigrated to Canada in 1951 after studying mechanical engineering and founded Husky in...

Plastics processor Ensinger is expanding its top management. On 1 July, Björn Schneekloth joined the family-owned company as a Managing Director. Together with the two long-standing Managing Directors Roland Reber and Ralph Pernizsak, he will be responsible for both Ensinger and the Ensinger Group...