#Recycling / Circular Economy

2023-10-19

Covestro launches mechanical recycling polycarbonate compounding line in China

At a customer event, Sucheta Govil, Covestro's Chief Commerical Officer (3rd from left), Lily Wang, head of the Engineering Plastics business unit (4th from left), and Dr. Nicolas Stoeckel, head of operations at Engineering Plastics (far right), celebrate the startup of the new MCR plant. © Covestro

Covestro has commenced operations at its first dedicated mechanical recycling (MCR) compounding line for polycarbonates at its integrated site in Shanghai, China. This line is set to produce over 25,000 tons of premium-quality polycarbonates and blends containing mechanically recycled materials annually, in response to the growing demand for post-consumer-recycled (PCR) plastics, particularly in applications within the electrical and electronic products, automotive, and consumer goods sectors.

Shanghai facility is the inaugural dedicated line of its kind of Covestro with an annual capacity of 25,000 tons

Committed to supplying 60,000 tons of recycled-content polycarbonates annually in Asia Pacific by 2026

Expansive range of premium recycled polycarbonates facilitating diverse applications

Yearly polycarbonate production capacity in Asia-Pacific grows by more than 100,000 tons

"The launch of our MCR production line marks another significant stride in our journey towards achieving a circular economy and operational climate neutrality by 2035," said Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer of Covestro. "Plastic waste recycling is pivotal in realizing this vision, and through the expansion of our recycled plastics production capacity, we aim to lead the way in driving sustainability across diverse industries."

Covestro is committed to supplying over 60,000 tons of recycled-content polycarbonates annually in the Asia Pacific region by 2026, in response to robust market demand. Recently, the company also transformed an existing compounding line at its Map Ta Phut site in Thailand for mechanically recycled polycarbonate.

"These investments enable us to meet the rising demand for PCR polycarbonates, enhancing our capacity and efficiency. With new or repurposed capacity now operational, we are better positioned to assist our downstream customers in their journey towards more sustainable products, expediting the transformation of industries towards a circular and climate-neutral future," said Lily Wang, Head of Covestro’s Business Entity Engineering Plastics.

A broad range of PCR portfolio

The demand for such materials is surging on a global scale, driven by regulatory initiatives like the European Union’s proposed Directive on end-of-life vehicles (ELV Directive), which sets strict benchmarks for the utilization of recycled plastics. Furthermore, industries like consumer electronics are poised for increased demand for recycled materials, especially those with a substantial recycled content.

These market dynamics underscore the significance of Covestro’s recent developments in providing PCR polycarbonates. Earlier this year, the company unveiled a polycarbonate boasting 90 percent recycled content. This grade not only attains outstanding whiteness and highly saturated colors but also touts a sustainable feature – a 70 percent reduction in carbon footprint compared to its fossil-based virgin plastic counterpart. Achieving this remarkable accomplishment requires a meticulous selection of high-quality recycled materials and precise optimization of material composition during the compounding process.

Furthermore, Covestro is actively engaged in pioneering the chemical recycling of polycarbonates. Having successfully developed an innovative process within the laboratory, the company is now embarking on the technical implementation of this breakthrough at a pilot scale.

Expansion of polycarbonate production capacity in Asia Pacific

After debottlenecking multiple production lines at the Map Ta Phut site in Thailand, Covestro is nearing the final stages of a program to enhance polycarbonate production capacity and capabilities across the Asia-Pacific region. This program also includes the addition of new production lines at sites in Shanghai and Guangzhou, China, as well as Greater Noida, India, in recent times. The combined additional capacity now exceeds 100,000 metric tons annually. These strategic projects, aimed at optimizing the regional production network, have been supported by using digital tools, which also reduced investment costs.

View of the new production facility for compounding mechanically recycled polycarbonate in Shanghai. © Covestro

"In this way, we aim not only to meet the growing demand for polycarbonate in Asia, but also to offer our customers there an improved product quality," says Dr. Nicolas Stoeckel, Head of Operations in the Business Entity Engineering Plastics. "Depending on demand, the upgrades can be used for compounding recycled or conventionally produced polycarbonate." Therefore, both projects are also about improving Covestro´s ability to produce more plastics with higher recycled content.

Covestro, FILK Freiberg, and OUT e.V. develop flexible, conductive polymer smart textile system

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Covestro to exhibit solutions for a more sustainable and productive textile industry at Techtextil 2026

Covestro will present a broad portfolio of material innovations for textile coatings, adhesive films and thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) at Techtextil 2026 (Hall 11.0, Booth C79). The exhibits will demonstrate how advanced solutions can enhance durability, recyclability and manufacturing efficiency across applications such as automotive, infrastructure, protective apparel and sportswear. A particular focus will be on more sustainable coating technologies, including antimicrobial systems based on INSQIN® in combination with AGXX from Heraeus Precious Metals, as well as the integration of Pontacol® thermoplastic adhesive films into Covestro’s offering.

Covestro showcases monomaterial concept in autonomous SUE People Mover

UE | STUDIOS has unveiled the fully autonomous electric minibus “Self-driving Urban E-Shuttle” (SUE), placing strong emphasis on sustainable material design. Developed within a project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and the European Union, the vehicle will begin public road testing this year. At the core of the concept is the consistent use of recyclable monomaterials to improve circularity at end of life.

Covestro and Heraeus Precious Metals collaborate to enable safer, more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings

Laboratory tests reveal that AGXX antimicrobial surface technology from Heraeus Precious Metals is fully compatible with Impranil® PU dispersions which are part of the waterborne INSQIN® textile coating technology from Covestro, paving the way for more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings. This discovery comes at a key moment for the textile coatings industry. As the sharing economy continues to grow, more people are coming into regular contact with high-use surfaces, creating ideal conditions for bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms to thrive.

Reju opens its first R&D Center in the U.S. in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

Reju, the company specializing in textile regeneration, today announced the opening of a Research and Development (R&D) Center in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, the company's first proprietary research center in North America. Located within Technip Energies' existing Advanced Materials and Catalysts research center, the lab will allow Reju to accelerate the rollout of its recycling technologies and develop its next-generation circular solutions.

New skills for a circular textile economy

Based on the results of a comprehensive analysis, the Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity is developing three practical training modules covering recycling technologies, eco-design for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. The content of the first module, Recycling Technologies, has now been developed and validated together with industry representatives. The module provides participants with knowledge of regulatory requirements, material sorting and the preparation of textile waste for recycling.

Itema reaffirms its commitment to the Syrian textile industry at NasTex 2026

From July 18th to 21st, Itema will exhibit at NasTex at the Damascus Fairground (Hall 11 – Stand C02), marking its return to one of the Middle East’s historically significant textile markets. Itema will showcase advanced weaving technology designed to support the competitiveness and technological evolution of Syrian manufacturers and announces a new partnership with Growfast Agency as the sole agent of Itema in Syria.

KARL MAYER's HKS 2-SE Expands Possibilities for Premium Stretch WARP KNITS

Warp knitted fabrics with a woven look are more in demand than ever in the fashion and apparel industries. Stretch WARP KNITS, in particular, impress with their freedom of movement, breathability, and virtually wrinkle-free wear – thereby opening up new style worlds such as smart casual or business casual. When it comes to the highly efficient production of premium-quality stretch WARP KNITS, the HKS 2-SE has long been the machine of choice. KARL MAYER’s best-selling tricot machine produces standard elastic fabrics characterized by high gauges, smooth, delicate surfaces, and a soft hand feel.