International news

EUPC (European Plastics Converters) has expressed concern over the energy crisis and the geopolitical tensions that are putting pressure on the European plastics supply chain. In a statement, the European association of plastics converters pointed out that the current escalation of geopolitical tensions in...

The Plastics Industry Association has released the Committee on Equipment Statistics (CES) report for the fourth quarter of 2025, which finds shipments of primary plastics machinery in North America rose for the third consecutive quarter, reaching an estimated 327 million dollars, up 7.8% from the...

Two Arburg products and two projects in which Arburg was involved with partners received awards in the prestigious “Product of the Year 2026” competition organised by the German trade magazines PolyFormNEXT and Industrial Production: The Allrounder Trend electric injection moulding machine, the Gestica lite control system and...

As of 1 January 2026, HB-Therm has appointed Arburg as a second distributor for its entire product range in Spain. With the headquarters of the Spanish subsidiary in Arganda del Rey, south-east of Madrid, and a further location in Montcada i Reixach (Barcelona), Arburg will further strengthen HB-Therm’s market presence in Spain...

Sabic announced the retirement of its CEO and Executive Member of the Board, Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, who has been an instrumental figure in guiding the company through a crucial period of strategic optimization designed to ensure its long-term success and reinforce its role at the forefront of the...

At the meeting of the Executive Board of the VDMA Plastics and Rubber Machinery held on 5 March in Osterburken, two prominent figures who have shaped the committee for decades bid farewell: Ulrich Reifenhäuser, former CSO of Reifenhäuser and Rainer Zimmermann, CEO of AZO...

According to Cefic’s latest report on chemical industry trends in the fourth quarter of 2025, the sector’s competitiveness in Europe remains well below pre-crisis levels (the 2014-2019 average), driven by a combination of weak demand, global trade pressures and uncompetitive energy prices. This is particularly problematic for...

GPGI announced the appointment of 30-year company veteran Robert Domodossola as President and Chief Executive Officer of Husky Technologies, effective immediately. This strategic selection positions a proven leader to accelerate the company’s global growth and enhance operational excellence through...

In the 2025 business year, the Basf Group faced an uncertain and very volatile global market environment with considerable headwinds. “We therefore mainly focused on the things we can control within the framework of our “Winning Ways” strategy,” said Basf CEO Markus Kamieth presenting the...

In the 2025 fiscal year, Covestro achieved its Ebitda target despite a persistently challenging market environment. Volatile geopolitical dynamics, sustained weak global demand coupled with intense competitive pressure, and the impact of the fire at the Dormagen Chempark weighed heavily on the...

Following the retirement of long-standing Managing Director Colin Tirel, Steve Thomson took over the management of the British Arburg subsidiary in Warwick. The highly experienced professional was Sales Manager for Arburg since September 2024 and is committed to serving customers in...

Germany’s rubber industry is struggling to reverse course. In 2025, sector output and employment fell for the fourth and fifth consecutive year, respectively. This is the picture emerging from figures released by WDK, the German Rubber Industry Association, which show that total industry output...

Missile strikes carried out by Israel and the United States against Iran from 28 February have triggered a cycle of retaliatory action across the Arab Gulf, fuelling fears of escalation into a wider regional conflict. With tensions centred on the Strait of Hormuz – a strategic hub and the world’s most critical energy...

Jörg Stech, who has played a decisive role in shaping the company's development since 2023 as Chairman of the Board of KraussMaffei Technologies and also as global head of the technology divisions of injection molding, automation, and additive manufacturing, is stepping down at his own request on...

Following a successful audit in December 2025, REP – present in Italy through its RPM subsidiary – has recently obtained ISO 14001 certification, the internationally recognised benchmark for environmental management. The certification also responds to the expectations of...

GPGI announced executive leadership transitions at its segment, Husky Technologies. Husky Chief Executive Officer, Bradley Selleck, and Chief Financial Officer, John Linker, will depart the company in April and March, 2026, respectively. Both executives are leaving the company for...

Kiefel is strengthening its process engineering as well as its technology and development expertise with a new engineering office in Heilbronn (Germany). The site expands Kiefel's global network of expertise with additional process engineering and application-oriented expertise...

Joe Read has been appointed Managing Director of Biesterfeld in United Kingdom and Ireland, effective March 1, 2026. He will succeed Guy Payne, who will step into the role of a long-term advisor. Biesterfeld is the holding company of the Biesterfeld Group, one of the international...

Covestro’s CEO, Markus Steilemann, has recently informed the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the German multinational that he will not be available for a further term and intends to step down from his role on 31 May 2028, upon the expiry of his current mandate...

The revenues of the German plastics processing industry decreased by a further 1.8% in 2025 compared to the previous year. This is the preliminary figure revealed during the annual press conference of GKV, the industry association for plastics processors in Germany, held in Frankfurt on Ash Wednesday...