• FORVIA reported H1 2026 sales of €10.51 billion, down 4.3% year-on-year and 1.9% organically. • Operating income increased by 1.6% to €632 million, while the operating margin improved from 5.7% to 6.0%. • Performance varied sharply between business groups: Electronics and Clarion grew strongly, while Seating and Lighting recorded significant declines. • China remained particularly challenging, with FORVIA sales in the country falling 20.1% on a reported basis.
• Leuna Polyamid will continue production until the end of September, followed by a controlled shutdown of its facilities. • The search for an investor has ended without a viable offer. • The company points to difficult market conditions, high energy costs and pressure from Chinese imports. • Around 400–440 employees are affected, while the shutdown could also have consequences for other companies within the Leuna chemical site.
• Türkiye’s total polymer imports fell below 500,000 tonnes in July 2026, reaching their lowest monthly level since November 2025. • Import volumes declined by 12% compared with June and by 18% year on year. • The total value of polymer imports dropped to USD 707 million. • In value terms, imports decreased by 9% month on month and 11% compared with July 225. • The figures provide another important signal of weaker activity in one of Europe’s neighbouring major polymer markets.
• European natural gas prices have returned to levels not seen since the 2022–2023 energy crisis. • Dutch TTF futures climbed above €75/MWh in early September, while Northeast Asian spot LNG reached its highest level since December 2022. • Disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz and restricted LNG flows are intensifying competition between European and Asian buyers. • Europe enters the approach to winter with relatively low gas inventories, increasing its exposure to prolonged high energy prices. • The situation could create renewed cost pressure across the European petrochemical, plastics processing and recycling industries.
• Dacia has invested approximately EUR 4 billion in Romania, but the company’s management is warning about deteriorating conditions for industrial competitiveness. • Energy costs and the lack of a concrete strategy to reduce them are highlighted among the major challenges facing Romania’s automotive industry. • The issue is no longer only whether Mioveni can attract new models: Dacia management says it cannot currently confirm that the next generation of the Duster will continue to be produced in Romania. • The warning is relevant to the entire industrial ecosystem surrounding the plant, including suppliers of plastic components, compounds, masterbatch, moulds and industrial services.
• Antolin has entered into a temporary standstill agreement with a group of holders of its notes due in 2028 and 2030. • The initial agreement runs for two weeks and can be extended, giving the parties additional time to negotiate a consensual recapitalisation. • Certain related legal actions and proceedings in Spain, the United States and the United Kingdom have been temporarily suspended or postponed. • Antolin has not entered Chapter 11 proceedings in the US. Chapter 15 is being used to seek recognition of the Spanish restructuring proceedings. • The financial restructuring includes extending debt maturities and providing a long-term working-capital facility of up to EUR 220 million. • The development is particularly relevant to the plastics industry because of Antolin's position as a major global Tier 1 supplier specialising in automotive interior solutions.
• German plastics processor HESS plastics has entered insolvency proceedings. • The company processes more than 6,000 tonnes of plastics annually and employs around 550 people internationally. • Approximately 75% of HESS plastics' business is linked to the automotive industry. • The company points to declining customer volumes and high energy and raw material costs as key factors behind its financial difficulties. • Production and deliveries are continuing while a structured investor search is underway.
• EREMA Group reportedly recorded revenue of EUR 235 million, down around 28% year-on-year. • Despite the significant decline in sales, the Austrian recycling technology specialist remained profitable. • The results provide another indication of weaker investment activity in the plastics recycling equipment market. • EREMA had already reported a 13% decline in sales in the previous financial year, reflecting a prolonged period of uncertainty across the recycling industry. • For the European recycling sector, weaker machinery orders could signal continued caution towards investments in new or expanded recycling capacity.
• MOL continues major repair works at its industrial facilities in Hungary following incidents that affected both refining and petrochemical operations. • The Olefin-1 unit at MOL Petrochemicals in Tiszaújváros was seriously damaged by an explosion during a restart in May 2026. • Restoration of the olefins unit requires extensive inspection and replacement of damaged equipment, pipelines and structural components. • Prolonged disruption could affect the availability of petrochemical feedstocks and, indirectly, polyolefins in Central and Eastern Europe.
• OMV has reported solid performance from its polyolefins activities, highlighting the contribution of its joint venture structure. • Borouge International, jointly controlled by OMV and XRG, has created a major global platform combining Borealis, Borouge and NOVA Chemicals. • The group has a geographically diversified production footprint across Europe, the Middle East and North America. • The development is particularly relevant for the European polyethylene and polypropylene markets, where producers continue to operate in a challenging competitive environment.
• Swedish polymer group HEXPOL is acquiring Italian compounder Vipa, further expanding its European thermoplastics business. • Vipa specialises in PVC and other thermoplastic compounds, with a strong position in applications including the wire and cable industry. • The acquisition strengthens HEXPOL's manufacturing and technical capabilities in Southern Europe and broadens its portfolio of specialty compounds. • The transaction is another sign of the ongoing consolidation of the fragmented European thermoplastics compounding market.
• PreZero Portugal has completed the acquisition of industrial waste recycler TRATRIS. • TRATRIS recycles approximately 11,000 tonnes of recoverable industrial materials annually. • The transaction strengthens PreZero's operational presence in central Portugal. • All TRATRIS employees will be integrated into the PreZero Group. • The acquisition is expected to improve logistics, operational efficiency and recycling capacity for industrial customers.
• Romania's leading plastics processor reports a stronger second quarter, supported by seasonal recovery and improving construction activity • TeraPlast significantly reduced the net loss recorded in the first quarter of 2026. • Business activity improved during the second quarter as construction projects resumed. • Management expects stronger performance in the second half of the year. • Despite ongoing market challenges, the Group remains focused on profitability and operational efficiency. • The results indicate a gradual recovery for Romania's construction materials and plastics processing markets.
Europe's market for technical recyclates remains under significant pressure. According to the latest Plastics Information Europe (PIE) market report, trading activity in July has been subdued, with only marginal price movements across most grades. Weak demand, abundant supply and lower virgin polymer prices continue to challenge recyclers, while an increasing number of plastics processors are reconsidering the use of virgin materials in applications where recycled content is not mandatory.
Germany's chemical and pharmaceutical industry has yet to show clear signs of recovery. According to the latest half-year report published by the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), production in the first half of 2026 was approximately 3% lower than in the same period of 2025, while sales declined by 1% to €106 billion. Investments in production assets have fallen for the third consecutive year, and industry representatives warn that without structural reforms Germany risks losing further industrial competitiveness.
• First Graphene has announced the acquisition of a company specializing in advanced graphene technologies. • The objective is to accelerate the commercialization of graphene applications across several industrial sectors, including plastics. • Graphene is increasingly used to enhance the mechanical, electrical and thermal performance of polymer compounds. • The development confirms the growing interest in high-performance functional additives for next-generation plastics.
• Plastics Recyclers Europe warns that the European plastics recycling industry is still facing a structural crisis. • The recent increase in oil prices has temporarily improved the competitiveness of recycled plastics, but it does not solve the sector’s underlying problems. • From 21 November 2026, exports of plastic waste to non-OECD countries will be banned, putting additional pressure on Europe's recycling infrastructure. • The industry is calling for urgent measures to stimulate demand for recycled plastics produced in Europe and to accelerate investments in collection, sorting and recycling capacities. • Plastics Recyclers Europe warns that, without immediate action, Europe risks losing even more recycling capacity before new recycled-content requirements come into force.
• Around 25% of European automotive suppliers expect to report losses in 2026. • High costs, global competition and the transition to e-mobility are putting increasing pressure on the entire supply chain. • Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers are among the most exposed companies. • The European automotive industry is facing one of its most challenging periods in recent years. • The impact is also being felt across the plastics, technical components and recycling sectors.
Italy has requested a temporary suspension of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), arguing that price volatility is increasingly affecting industrial competitiveness. The move comes at a critical moment, ahead of a major revision of the mechanism at EU level.
Polish group Orlen is close to finalizing the acquisition of GA Polyolefins (former BASF–INEOS joint venture), a major polyethylene producer based in Antwerp. The deal could significantly impact raw material supply for processors across Central and Eastern Europe.
German chemical group BASF is accelerating the development of its ChemCycling program, integrating feedstock derived from chemical recycling into polymer production.
United Nations has introduced the first comprehensive global trade database covering plastics and related products. The system maps approximately USD 390 billion in annual trade flows and more than 100 million tonnes of plastic materials exchanged worldwide. The tool is expected to significantly influence negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty.
The latest edition of “Plastics – The Fast Facts 2025”, published by PlasticsEurope, confirms a major structural shift in the global plastics industry: Asia now accounts for more than half of global production, while Europe’s share continues to decline.
• Achieving cost parity between recycled plastics and virgin materials in Europe may take decades, according to recent market analysis. • High energy prices, regulatory costs and limited scale continue to disadvantage recyclers compared to virgin polymer producers. • Without structural support, recycled plastics risk remaining economically uncompetitive despite policy targets.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, OMV’s CEO warned that excessively rigid plastic recycling regulations risk slowing down innovation and industrial investment if they are not supported by proper infrastructure and economic incentives.
Europe’s plastics industry is facing a rapid loss of global competitiveness, driven by high costs, regulatory pressure and increasingly aggressive global markets.
The report “Plastics the Fast Facts 2025”, published by PlasticsEurope in October 2025, shows that the European plastics industry continues to face significant structural pressure, despite a modest stabilisation in production following the sharp downturn in 2023.
The European Union is preparing to introduce stricter controls on imported plastics in 2026 to help its struggling recycling industry, amid record recycling capacity losses and competitive pressures from low-cost imports of virgin plastics.
Europe’s plastics recycling sector is experiencing its sharpest downturn in recent years, with capacity losses and plant closures continuing into 2025, according to industry data.
The European plastics sector is warning that a lack of timely EU action on recycling and competitiveness could lead to a wave of factory closures across the continent.
The European Commission is discussing a new industrial support plan for compounders, aiming to stabilize the polymer supply chain and boost competitiveness amid rising energy and raw material costs.
Europe’s plastics producers warn of a deepening competitiveness crisis, as energy prices, regulatory complexity, and investment flight threaten the sector’s survival.
Italian recycling companies warn that the crisis in plastic recycling is uneven across Europe, calling for a permanent institutional forum and urgent industrial policy measures to stabilize the sector.
The global POM market is expected to grow steadily, driven by the automotive and E&E sectors, with increasing attention to recycled and special grades.
The global recycled HDPE market is projected to expand by 7% each year until 2030.
The American energy and petrochemical giant highlights significant progress in advanced recycling and the use of alternative feedstocks.