At a joint Pre-K 2016 kick-off event on June 7 at Borealis Innovation Headquarters in Linz (Austria), Borealis, Borouge and Nova Chemicals will each provide a taste of what is to follow at the upcoming K Fair 2016 in October.

The three companies are leading providers of chemical and innovative plastics solutions and members of a global family of polyolefins companies. Each of these three companies is legally independent and operates as such, yet all share the strong, stable backing of their owners OMV, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC).

Continuing to enhance its track record in “Value Creation through Innovation”, Borealis is pleased to announce an extension of its Plastomers portfolio, a relatively new pillar of the Borealis Polyolefins business. Following the successful launch of its key product brand Queo in 2013, Borealis is now in the right way to announce three new elastomers grades.

The lower density and increased flexibility of Queo polyolefin elastomers compared to polyolefin plastomers makes these products ideal for applications such as interior and exterior car parts, adhesives and cable compounds. Borealis is also announcing the rebranding of its Compact technology, a Borealis proprietary solution originally developed and marketed by DSM, which will now be known as Borceed. A flexible technology exhibiting both plastic and elastomeric properties, Borceed is the platform behind the Queo products. It complements the proprietary Borealis technologies Borstar and Borlink and can serve similar target markets and customers as these existing technologies, such as automotive, wire and cable, and high-end packaging.

“We are delighted to be able to offer our customers these new Queo elastomers as a product of our Borceed technology. The Borceed platform perfectly incorporates the Borealis value “Exceed” and our mission to constantly exceed customer expectations”, explains Alfred Stern, Borealis executive vice president Polyolefins and Innovation & Technology. “Through developments like this we strive to deepen our collaboration with customers in key industries by helping achieve even greater product differentiation. By working together, we will be able to reach new heights in safety, affordability, adaptability, weight-savings and more”.

Following the successful start-up of the Borouge 3 project in 2015, Borouge’s Ruwais site is now the world’s largest integrated polyolefins complex, with production capacity having doubled to 4.5 million tons.

In addition to expanding its production capacity, Borouge has also achieved a step-change in its innovation capability with the establishment of world-class research and development facilities in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai. This innovation focus is also reflected in Borouge’s newly redesigned marketing structure, with a drive towards greater industry partnership and shifting of focus from conversion technologies towards industry segments in order to address broader needs across the value chain, especially where sustainability gains can be achieved.

“When we invite our customers to “Join Our Journey” we are also urging them to collaborate with us and become partners in innovation”, explains Wim Roels, Borouge Chief Executive Officer. “Borouge continues its commitment to creating value for customers, the industry, and for society as a whole. The establishment of our Innovation Centre in UAE, the expansion of our Application Centre in China, and the realignment of our marketing organisation to be more application-focused are strong examples of our commitment to delivering innovative and sustainable solutions. With the completion of our production expansions in UAE and China, and enhancements to our logistics network, we are well positioned to deliver differentiated polyolefin solutions to our global customers”.

Nova Chemicals’ growth strategy aims to position the company for sustainable leadership. It capitalises on the company’s early access to North American feedstock opportunities and embodies the company’s aim to deliver more value to its customers. In late 2016, Nova Chemicals will start up the first new polyethylene (PE) reactor to be built in the United States or Canada in over a decade, a new world-scale gas-phase linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) line at its Joffre, Alberta site. This new reactor will use leading-edge technology to provide consistent, high-quality LLDPE into key end-use applications such as food packaging, heavy-duty sacks, and collation shrink and stretch wrap films.

Nova Chemicals has also announced the recent grand opening of its expanded Centre for Performance Applications in Calgary, Alberta. The Centre is a hub for PE product and applications development and helps enable customers get to market faster with new and better performing products. Investments include a nine-layer blown film extrusion line, a wide range of converting equipment and lab space, as well as dedicated suites for customers to work jointly with Nova Chemicals’ technical experts. This enhanced facility allows Nova Chemicals to continue to improve collaboration, innovation and the overall customer experience.

“We have a passion to understand our customers’ challenges and needs. We will succeed when they do”, says Chris Bezaire, Nova Chemicals senior vice president, Polyethylene Business. “The “Join our Journey” theme really speaks to how this passion translates into the work we do with our customers to develop the next generation of polyethylene resins, structures and applications. We look forward to continuing this journey at K-2016”.