Today's News
Lanxess named best-in-class by Dow Jones
LANXESS remains one of the most sustainable companies in the chemical industry. In the latest Dow Jones Best-in-Class Index, the specialty chemicals company ranks first in Europe in the “Chemicals” category and fifth worldwide. LANXESS achieved particularly strong results in the areas of climate strategy, water, human rights, and product stewardship.
Avient launches Cesa Tough additive for recycling
Avient Corporation announced the launch of Cesa™ Tough™ A4R (additive for recycling), a new polyolefin additive technology, at this year’s Plastics Recycling Show Europe (PRSE) in Amsterdam, where it has earned recognition as a finalist in the Product Innovation category. This performance-enhancing additive addresses one of the plastics recycling industry’s most critical challenges: significantly improving Environmental Stress Crack Resistance (ESCR) in recycled high-density polyethylene (r-HDPE) while maintaining material recyclability.
Apollo Tyres introduces Apterra HT5
Apollo Tyres has introduced Apterra HT5, a premium highway terrain tire designed specifically for the core SUV segment, where urban sophistication meets highway dominance.
Built for India’s diverse SUVs like Fortuner, Endeavour and Scorpio, Apollo Apterra HT5 delivers strong grip, long life, comfort and durability — performing reliably on highways and in demanding driving conditions.
RPM adds Thomas Gentile to board of directors
RPM International Inc. announced the appointment of Thomas C. Gentile, III to its board of directors, effective immediately. This appointment expands the board to 13 members and reflects RPM’s ongoing commitment to expanding the expertise and leadership capabilities of its board as the company continues to drive long-term growth and shareholder value.
Royal Purple Industrial welcomes Tony Springer as sales director
Royal Purple Industrial announced that Tony Springer has joined the company as Sales Director – Distribution, effective Feb. 9, 2026. In this role, Springer is responsible for overseeing and driving growth for the Royal Purple Industrial (RPI) product line in partnership with the Distribution Sales Team across the United States and Canada.
Avient reports positive first quarter
Avient Corporation announced its first quarter results for 2026. First quarter GAAP earnings per share (EPS) were $0.61 compared to ($0.22) in the prior year quarter. The company noted that first quarter 2026 GAAP EPS includes special items of $0.06 and intangible amortization expense of $0.16.
First quarter 2026 adjusted EPS was $0.83 compared to $0.76 in the prior year quarter, reflecting 9% growth in adjusted EPS.
Featured
Mixing
Understanding the difference between high and low shear
Industrial mixing is a crucial process in various industries, including production of rubber formulations, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, personal care products and many others. It is also integral to continuous process industries including waste water treatment, fuel and energy production, and mining of metals and minerals.
Chemicals and Materials
Freudenberg introduces solvent-free bonding process for elastomers to metal
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has introduced a new adhesive bonding process that eliminates the need for wet-chemical treatments, aiming to reduce environmental impact and improve manufacturing efficiency.
Extrusion
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies unveils new extrusion process using molten salt
The specific properties of vulcanized materials make them essential for many areas of application. In industries such as aerospace, food and beverages and the energy sector, components must meet the highest standards of abrasion and chemical resistance, elasticity, and durability. Delivering top-quality solutions in these areas requires excellent materials expertise, and at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies this goes hand in hand with state-of-the-art production technologies: With LCM (Liquid Curing Method), the company is now commissioning an advanced vulcanizing extrusion line. This is a process in which the fluid used for vulcanization consists of molten salt, heated to around 200 degrees Celsius and filled with vulcanizing salt. The entire line operates in a closed loop, in which the salt is continuously recycled, fed back into the process and reused.
Silicone & Medical
Guill introduces reciprocating head for medical tubing
Guill Tool has released its new reciprocating head. The traditional tip and die assembly is replaced with a linear reciprocating assembly that changes the tube’s profile within a given length. This process is repeated throughout a single extrusion run without interruptions. Cutting capability, in association with the extrusion speed, cuts the finished product to length.
Oil, Gas & Energy
Penn State researchers develop high temperature polymer capacitor
In the race to lighter, safer and more efficient electronics — from electric vehicles to transcontinental energy grids — one component literally holds the power: the polymer capacitor. Seen in such applications as medical defibrillators, polymer capacitors are responsible for quick bursts of energy and stabilizing power rather than holding large amounts of energy, as opposed to the slower, steadier energy of a battery. However, current state-of-the-art polymer capacitors cannot survive beyond 212 degrees Fahrenheit (F), which the air around a typical car engine can hit during summer months and an overworked data center can surpass on any given day.
Testing & Instruments
Wire cord measurement sensor for tire calenders
Wire cord measurement sensors provide a highly reliable, high-resolution method for evaluating the geometry of steel reinforced rubber sheets in real time.
Molding
Electrically conductive silicones for enclosure-level EMI shielding
By Dominic Testo, Specialty Silicone Products – Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a naturally occurring orhuman caused phenomenon that degrades or
Thermoplastic Elastomers & Urethanes
Fraunhofer scientists develop safer method to produce polyurethane without toxic isocyanates
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research (IAP) have developed a new method for producing polyurethane without the use of toxic isocyanates, a key ingredient traditionally required in the manufacture of the widely used polymer.
Latex and Natural Rubber
Sustainable materials for rubber and allied industries
Sustainability is no longer a new concept; it has become a global priority. While quality was the focus of the 1980s, globalization defined the 1990s, and the internet revolutionized the 2000s. The 2010s and after have been dominated by the idea of sustainability. Human survival depends on integrating sustainable practices into every aspect of life. The world is already witnessing alarming environmental changes: rising greenhouse gas emissions, depletion of non-renewable resources and widespread deforestation.
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