At K 2025, Taiwan showcased its strength in a distinctive way. Over 130 Taiwanese companies presented solutions in machinery, recycling, materials and automation, making Taiwan one of the most strongly represented non-European countries at the fair.
Interview with Antonello Ciotti, president of Petcore Europe, representing the PET value chain.
By the end of the current month, polypropylene prices are expected to remain stable with a marginal decline. Although increased activity is observed among converters, particularly in PP homopolymer, this is not a broad-based trend.
OQ's Ladayn program in Oman has signed 26 investment agreements exceeding USD 220 million in two years, with nine companies scheduled to start production in 2025. The integrated polymer-to-product ecosystem targets high-value applications relevant to European converters.
Sidel has opened an office in Lagos that will serve as a regional hub for project management, engineering and service for customers in West Africa. The aim is to support the development of sustainable packaging and strengthen the company’s presence in the region.
ENGEL outlines regional demand trends, expects revenue to ease by about 7 percent to 1.4 billion euros this year, and emphasizes customer-focused innovation and its two-brand strategy ahead of K.
At K 2025, Messe Düsseldorf and Riyadh Exhibitions Company reaffirmed their strategic cooperation, marked by a royal visit and an official handshake. The partnership targets expansion of the K, interpack and drupa brands into Saudi Arabia alongside REC’s 2026 plastics and packaging fairs in Riyadh.
Gabriel-Chemie Group has opened an expanded production facility in Nyíregyháza, Hungary, following an investment of approximately €6.5 million. The project increases capacity, modernises infrastructure and adds energy-efficient systems, including a planned 250 kWp photovoltaic installation.
IFR: 542,000 industrial robots were installed worldwide in 2024, with nearly 12% cobots. Poland recorded 2,344 new installations, down 13% y/y, remaining the largest robotics market in CEE.
Polykemi is accelerating its North American expansion, adding sales and support staff while preparing a third extruder in the US that would lift output by about 50 percent by 2027. The plan follows steady demand for customized plastic compounds and early traction in automotive and construction.
Although the October ethylene price was unchanged, HDPE, LLDPE and LDPE prices are expected to fall next week. Weak market conditions and persistently low converter activity are the drivers.
MachinePoint data indicate a volatile secondary market for extrusion-blow molding machines between 2018 and 2025, with demand concentrated on select brands and machine sizes while supply remains fragmented. Regional patterns show Europe as the dominant source and persistent mismatches elsewhere.
