Monday, September 16, 2019 - Akron, OH – Smithers announced the launch of a single brand identity, refreshed logo, new tagline and a streamlined web presence at www.smithers.com. Smithers commemorates its nearly 100-year commitment to helping their clients bring great products to market with a new tagline: Innovate with Confidence. “By uniting all our member companies under a single brand, we are working together to connect our clients with Smithers experts,” said Michael Hochschwender, CEO and president, Smithers. “The power of our connected enterprise supports our clients throughout their product development process.” In striving to streamline the client experience and strengthen its global brand presence, Smithers is bidding farewell to its legacy brands (Smithers Apex, Smithers Avanza, Smithers Pira, Smithers Quality Assessments, Smithers Rapra and Smithers Viscient). This shift to a single brand will make it easier for clients in any industry worldwide to discover the full breadth of services Smithers has to offer throughout the entire product development process. Smithers has grown by investing in new technology in response to customer needs, and has laboratories and operations in North America, Europe and Asia. “We’re preserving the best of our history, while fortifying our footprint as a global brand,” said Glenn Goldney, vice president of sales and marketing, Smithers. “As we look toward the future, we are more committed than ever to delivering accurate data, on time, with high touch.”

Monday, September 16, 2019 - Brussels, Belgium - ExxonMobil will demonstrate sustainable solutions at its K 2019 pavilion. By working together and utilizing combined expertise, customers across the value chain can create differentiated sustainable solutions for a range of applications, including packaging, automotive, consumer products, agriculture, building and construction, hygiene and personal care, and lubricants. “ExxonMobil continues to innovate through our technology advancements, while working with customers to help them create sustainable solutions to meet value chain needs,” said David Hergenrether, ExxonMobil Chemical vice president, Polyethylene. “At K, visitors can discuss their challenges and innovation ideas with us to discover the benefits of working together to develop sustainable solutions.” Key highlights of ExxonMobil’s presence at K 2019 are said to include: New full PE laminated packaging solutions, containing Exceed XP, Exceed and Enable performance PE polymers, which help overcome the recycling issues typically associated with conventional laminated structures. These new full PE laminated solutions can easily be recycled where programs and facilities to collect and recycle plastic films exist, while delivering the performance properties needed for high-quality packaging; new technological advancements using recycled polyethylene (PE) in combination with performance PE polymers to produce a range of sustainable flexible film applications; Rethink Recycle with Vistamaxx performance polymers which allow low-cost recycled content utilization while targeting high-value applications; game-changing film technology that combines Exceed XP with ExxonMobil PP to deliver heavy-duty sack films with extreme performance and high-heat resistance; and new developments in coloring Exxtral performance polyolefins used for vehicle interiors beyond the dark/black and neutral colors that are currently available. A new PP color spectrum is inspiring the creation of original design solutions for interior car parts, while maintaining the performance benefits. “At a time of increasing demand worldwide, there is a need for both investment in new capacity and the development of solutions that use less resources,” said Bhaskar Venkatraman, ExxonMobil vice president, Polypropylene, Vistamaxx and Adhesion. “While ExxonMobil expects to grow chemicals manufacturing capacity globally by about 40 percent, we are also introducing several technology advancements at K which will help customers develop new solutions for recycling and sustainable products.” Additionally, many of ExxonMobil’s polymer and application advancements will be demonstrated through collaborations with leading machine manufacturers or presented in a series of TechTalks at the pavilion. At machine manufacturer booths, visitors will be able to see packaging films, automotive parts and consumer goods being produced using polymers from ExxonMobil, and can discuss these applications with industry experts. During TechTalks the latest advancements will be presented: Creating recycled solutions together; Flexible food packaging: Sustainability made easy; Rethink Recycle with Vistamaxx performance polymers; Extreme performance heavy duty sacks: Redefining the future; The higher road: Gigher performance films for load stability; Agriculture films: Plasticulture solutions for tomorrow; Color your car: Exciting polypropylene color spectrum for trendy interior designs; Challenge reality of product appeal with Achieve Advanced PP; Oppera modifiers: Fresh thinking, fresh possibilities; and Shaping the future with Santoprene thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs).

Monday, September 16, 2019 - Pawcatuck, CT – Davis-Standard will be among more than 200 companies at the upcoming International Elastomer Conference, October 7-10, in Cleveland, Ohio. Davis-Standard, Booth #1210, will promote extrusion equipment, feedscrews and controls, as well as the company’s DSREV extruder, Model 3000 crosshead and Uth Roll-Ex 70 gear pump/strainer system with two-roll feeder (TRF). An aftermarket representative will be available to discuss feedscrew services, spare parts, extruder rebuilds, process control upgrades and other options for improved processing. In addition, Davis-Standard will discuss the technical cell at its facility in Pawcatuck to support research and development for hose, automotive seals and architectural applications, as well as processes requiring in-line straining and pressure stabilization. The DSREV extruder is Davis-Standard’s flagship design. It is a preconfigured machine with feedscrew and head zone direct-injection temperature control units, a compact base, and simplified cooling and wiring systems. Other advantages include touch-screen controls, process data acquisition and easily accessible machine components. The Model 3000 hydraulic crosshead reduces scrap and enables faster start-up times. This crosshead offers preferred features such as a tapered mandrel and highly engineered flow paths to ensure consistent flow through all speed ranges, as well as a thrust bearing on pin adjustment to adjust wall thickness without interruption. When this technology is coupled with the Uth gear pump, processors can isolate high pressure and achieve pressure stabilization. The gear pump is equipped with an Uth two-roll feeder (TRF) to be used as a stand-alone device for fine mesh straining or for cold feeding. Other advantages include improved filtration, reduced material retention time and a small footprint for easy integration into existing lines.

Monday, September 16, 2019 - Uniontown, OH - ChemSpec, Ltd., announces an exclusive distribution agreement with Himadri Specialty Chemical. ChemSpec will distribute Himadri’s ASTM and specialty carbon black products into the U.S. and Canadian tire markets, and the U.S. rubber market. Himadri, headquartered in Kolkata, India, is the only integrated carbon black producer, giving it highly consistent feedstock for its range of ASTM and specialty carbon blacks. Himadri offers a full portfolio of quality carbon blacks, including its Klarex “clean” specialty carbon blacks designed for more demanding rubber applications. This portfolio will be supported by Himadri’s announced expansion that will add an additional 60,000 metric tons of capacity. Further, Himadri said to ensure overall sustainability, health and safety, and environmental protection as key priorities in its production processes. It is both ISO 9001 and 14001 certified and is already approved as a supplier to many international elastomer and tire producers. Tushar Choudhary, president, operations, Himadri, commented, "We are excited to partner with ChemSpec to provide U.S. and Canadian customers a new option for meeting their needs for high quality, consistent carbon blacks. Our upcoming expansion will expand our product portfolio, providing a compelling value proposition for North American elastomer and tire producers. We expect our exclusive partnership with ChemSpec will be a long and successful one." Dave Moreland, ChemSpec’s president, had this to say about this new relationship: "Partnering with Himadri is a natural progression in our rubber market growth plan, as we continue to strive towards becoming a supplier our customers can rely upon to source all of their ingredient needs. We’re excited because we know Himadri to be a socially aware, technologically advanced, quality carbon black producer. The company has also shown commitment to the North American market, in that it has invested in human resources here in the U.S., directly hiring sophisticated commercial and technical employees to support the supply chain."

Monday, September 16, 2019 - Midland, MI - Dow Chemical Co. has been selected for the 2019 Change the World list, organized by Fortune magazine. For this year’s edition, the Change the World list has selected 52 companies that have made a major positive impact on society or the environment by way of their profit-earning strategies and businesses. Dow Chemical was selected as number 26 on the list, earning praise for a trial program that makes use of recycled plastic in road surfaces. The program comes as an effort to cut down on plastic waste, and has been implemented by the company as part of a long-term initiative to pursue sustainable solutions. Working in collaboration with value chain partners, Dow Chemical has so far used recycled plastic in building approximately 100 kilometers of asphalt-based road surfaces across Asia, Europe and the Americas. With the project also making partial use of Dow’s Elvaloy Ret asphalt modifier technology, it has allowed for around 200 tons of plastic, equivalent to 50 million soft plastic packaging pouches, to be used for these roads rather than going to landfill. On top of this benefit, the resulting roads are more durable than conventional alternatives. This allows them to help prevent dangerous potholes and, in turn, aid also in preventing traffic congestion.

Monday, September 16, 2019 - Gothenberg, Sweden - Scandinavian Enviro Systems is developing a public, international corporate bond to finance the company's ownership of forthcoming recycling plants for end-of-life vehicle tires. The work to develop the bond is being carried out in collaboration with the London-based finance financial adviser, Zenzic Partners. The bond solution is expected to be able to finance an amount in the approximate range of $35-45 million regarding the potential recovery plant project in Buffalo, NY. Details and conditions will be made public when all final conditions are finally negotiated. As previously communicated, Enviro recently signed two-term sheets with the American TreadCraft Carbon LLC regarding both the establishment of a tire recycling facility, as well as the terms for license revenue giving the right to use Enviro’s technology in Buffalo, NY. The signed term sheet attests to the parties’ agreement to the main and central conditions for a facility business, licenses, including construction cost, the scope of delivery, payment and delivery terms, etc. The parties are now negotiating the final terms and conditions for a complete facility. These negotiations are conditional on financing. “After having evaluated a range of types of financing solutions, we are focusing on this kind of bond arrangement,” says Thomas Sörensson, CEO of Enviro. “This bond concept could also be used to finance the previously communicated projects in Denmark and Texas.” Zenzic Partners, in the capacity as a financial adviser, is assisting Enviro in developing the bond arrangement, sees good business opportunities for the Enviro technology. ”Enviro is in possession of technology that has reached technical maturity and has proven the business benefits it is able to produce with well-known end customers such as Volvo Cars, Trelleborg and Elastomeric,” says Robert Ainscow, head of capital markets at Zenzic. “They have attained a leading position in a growth sector within green technology and resource management, and are adding significant value to underlying industries such as the tire industry by offering a sustainable alternative to virgin carbon black.” The background to this project is a restructuring of the strategy that Enviro has implemented over the past year, which means that the company is actively working towards becoming a part-owner of plants for the recycling of end-of-life vehicle tires. Plants based on Enviro's world-leading tire recycling technology generate revenue streams through a recycling of strategic and finite resources, such as carbon black, steel and oil. Carbon black is a key component in the manufacture of tires and other rubber components, while steel and oil may be sold for use in other industrial processes. The recycling of old rubber tires using Enviro’s world-leading technology offers significant environmental benefits in the form of reduced carbon dioxide emissions and reduced use of strategic and finite resources. A life cycle analysis conducted by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute shows that rubber production with carbon black that has been recycled using the Enviro methodology leads to 79-84 percent lower emissions of the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide compared with the production and use of virgin carbon black. “Global interest in sustainability and recycling is steadily increasing, and so is the interest in our plants,” says Thomas Sörensson, Enviro CEO.