With the acquisition, Covestro expands its production footprint for HDI derivatives and reaffirms its commitment in two important regions, while strengthening its ability to serve customers in the coatings and adhesives industry with greater flexibility and reliability.

HDI derivatives are essential building blocks for high-performance polyurethane coatings, adhesives and sealants. They are used in a broad range of applications, including automotive coatings, protective coatings for infrastructure, marine coatings, wood furniture, electronics and other demanding industrial applications.

“By adding these sites in Thailand and the US, we are strengthening our regional production capabilities and improving our ability to supply customers from locations close to them,” said Thomas Roemer, Head of the Business Entity Coatings and Adhesives at Covestro. “Reliable supply, regional availability and technical expertise are critical for our customers, especially in a challenging market environment. This acquisition helps us deliver even better on those needs.”

The two sites complement Covestro’s existing production network for HDI derivatives in major regions including Europe, Asia and North America. The additional capacities will further enhance Covestro’s ability to respond to customer demand and support long-term growth in high-performance and more sustainable coatings and adhesives applications.

“Strong customer relationships are built on trust, reliability and the ability to deliver value over time,” said Monique Buch, Chief Commercial Officer of Covestro. “This acquisition strengthens our position in a business where customers count on us for consistent quality, regional supply and application expertise.”

The acquisition follows Covestro’s earlier acquisition of the Resins & Functional Materials business from DSM and continued investments in organic growth, underlining the company’s commitment to the coatings and adhesives industry.

To address this challenge, FILK Freiberg Institute, an independent research institution with expertise in polymer coatings for textile applications, collaborated with Optotransmitter-Umweltschutz-Technologie (OUT) e.V. The joint project, funded under the German Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF) program of the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE), focused on developing flexible, conductive polymer surfaces for next-generation smart textiles.

The goal was to enable the free distribution of multiple LEDs and sensors across a textile surface by creating a uniform conductive “potential field” within the material. This technology enables greater flexibility compared to conventional conductor tracks.

Creating a flexible conductive PU film using Impranil^®

To achieve the required combination of conductivity, elongation, and flexibility, FILK and OUT e.V. used water-based Impranil^® polyurethane dispersions from Covestro, creating a flexible conductive PU film into which carbon nanotubes were incorporated as electrically conductive additives.

Laser structuring of the conductive polymer surface allowed precise tuning of the electrical properties of the potential field, enabling LEDs and sensors to be distributed freely across the textile surface without traditional wiring. The active control of embedded LEDs through the integrated sensors supports real-time monitoring and bidirectional communication via modulated voltage or Bluetooth, depending on the application.

Dr. Martin Heise, Deputy Head of Department Functional Layer Systems at FILK Freiberg Institute, said: “Our goal was to rethink how electronics are integrated into textiles. By creating a conductive surface instead of fixed wiring using Impranil^® polyurethane dispersions from Covestro, we can distribute sensors and light sources far more freely, enabling new smart textile designs and applications.”

Dr. Iris Vela-Wallenschus, Project Manager at OUT e.V. noted: “Distributed electronics, real-time sensing, and bidirectional communication within a flexible textile substrate represent a meaningful step forward for wearable technology. Working with FILK and Covestro, we've shown that this kind of adaptive functionality is achievable at a level of sophistication that is difficult to achieve with conventional wiring approaches.”

Enabling a new generation of smart textiles

The result is a technology platform that combines conductive polymer materials, sensor integration, and intelligent control. This platform unlocks possibilities for new applications such as sensor-controlled newborn bodysuits for jaundice phototherapy. Current standard treatments for neonatal jaundice rely on blue light at approximately 455 nm in hospital incubators. A flexible bodysuit integrating blue LEDs and sensors directly into the garment could continuously monitor therapy progress and adjust light intensity and distribution in real time. This approach may contribute to the development of more flexible treatment options with the support of midwives.

Beyond this application, Impranil^® PUD-based formulations can be used in applications including heated textiles, pressure sensors, and flexible conductor tracks for wearable electronics. This system can also be adapted for scalable manufacturing processes such as digital printing, supporting broader adoption in industries including sportswear, automotive interiors, protective equipment, and connected IoT devices.

Dr. Torsten Pohl, Global Head of Textile Coatings at Covestro added: “This project highlights how material innovation can unlock new functionality in textiles. Our Impranil^® water-based polyurethane dispersions provided the flexibility, durability, and processability needed to turn a complex concept into a scalable smart textile platform. We're proud to have supported FILK and OUT e.V. in developing a system with real-world impact, from neonatal care through to the broader wearables market.”

To see what this flexible, conductive smart textile system looks like, visit Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt between April 21 and 24. A demonstrator of the sensor-controlled newborn bodysuit for jaundice phototherapy will be on display at the Covestro booth (C79) in hall 11.0.

Marquardt, a leading supplier of smart mechatronic systems for automotive applications, set out to address this challenge with its concept car, “The Centum”. A key objective in The Centum project was to develop a door interior panel that maintained the visual and haptic properties of polyurethane (PU)-coated textile synthetics commonly used in automotive interiors, while enabling a dynamic color-changing responsive display to be invisibly embedded within the surface. This functionality supports emerging trends such as backlit surfaces and integrated control elements.

To realize this vision, Marquardt partnered with E Ink, a leader in advanced display technology known for durability, low energy consumption, and suitability for demanding environments. The challenge was to integrate the functional display into the interior design in a way that preserved the premium appearance and performance of coated synthetic surfaces, while allowing the display’s colors to remain clearly visible.

After evaluating multiple approaches, Marquardt approached Covestro to develop a suitable material solution. Covestro textile coating experts worked closely with both partners to develop a fully transparent film based on INSQIN^® waterborne PU technology, with Impranil^® DLC-F as the foundation. Impranil^® DLC-F is a waterborne polyurethane dispersion widely used in topcoats for automotive interior textile coatings. The result is a transparent coated synthetic that retains the premium texture of automotive textiles while allowing the display’s dynamic colors to be fully visible, fulfilling the demanding performance requirements of automotive interiors.

Felix Hake, Head of Innovation at Marquardt said: “With The Centum, we wanted to demonstrate how intelligent functions can be integrated into interior surfaces without compromising design or quality. Working with E Ink and Covestro allowed us to create a material solution that combines a premium tactile experience with responsive visual effects.”

Dr. Torsten Pohl, Global Head of Textile Coatings at Covestro added: “This project highlights the versatility of INSQIN^® PU technology and Impranil^® DLC-F. By developing a transparent, automotive-grade PU coated synthetic compatible with E Ink displays, we were able to support Marquardt in integrating dynamic functionality into familiar surface materials.”

Pete Valianatos, Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives & FPL Platform Management at E Ink, noted: “Our e-paper display technology is designed to deliver dynamic visual experiences with low power consumption, while maintaining the robustness required for demanding applications. Collaborating with Marquardt and Covestro has enabled us to demonstrate how E Ink displays can be integrated behind coated interior surfaces, allowing automotive designers to introduce adaptive color features without changing the established look and feel of premium materials.”

To see what this responsive functional surface looks like, visit Techtextil 2026, held in Frankfurt between April 21 and 24. A door panel demonstrator will be on display at the Covestro booth C79 in hall 11.0.

Following Covestro’s acquisition of Pontacol, selected thermoplastic adhesive film products will be showcased at the Covestro booth. Fully integrated into the Covestro portfolio, Pontacol^® solutions expand the company’s range of adhesive and functional film offerings for customers across key markets.

Textile Coatings

The Covestro Textile Coatings team will present waterborne, partially bio-based, and mass-balanced polyurethane (PU) technologies for technically demanding coated textile applications. Exhibits include an automotive door panel design for a concept car, developed jointly with Marquardt Group and E Ink, that integrates a responsive color-changing e-paper display behind a see-through PU-coated synthetic surface. Based on waterborne INSQIN^® PU technology from Covestro, the transparent coated film enables vivid display visibility while meeting the performance and haptic requirements of automotive interiors.

The team will also demonstrate how antimicrobial PU-coated textiles, combining INSQIN^® with AGXX technology from Heraeus Precious Metals, can deliver enhanced hygiene and durability in high-contact applications.

Specialty Films

The Covestro Specialty Films team is presenting its high-performance thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film portfolio, specifically engineered to meet demanding technical requirements across diverse industries. Dureflex^® and Platilon^® TPU films deliver exceptional flexibility, durability, and consistent performance in applications ranging from automotive interiors to high-stress sports equipment and innovative cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) systems that enable pipe repair without disruptive excavation.

At the exhibition, visitors can experience smart technology concepts where Covestro's TPU films serve as substrates for flexible printed electronics in protective apparel. The advanced Platilon^® TPU films enable integrated electroluminescent features that significantly enhance visibility and safety in low-light conditions. This concept illustrates Covestro’s commitment to innovation and functional, high-performance solutions.

Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU)

The TPU team will present Desmopan^® AIR, a durable, versatile, and easy-to-recycle material for cushioning applications. Desmopan^® AIR technology introduces a new class of customized TPU-based cushioning solutions. As it can be recycled through simple thermo-mechanical processing, it helps manufacturers develop high-quality cushioning products with improved sustainability. TPU-based cushioning structures can also be combined with other TPU applications, such as TPU nonwoven materials, enabling monomaterial designs.

In addition, the team will present Desmopan^® FLY, an ultra-flexible, low-viscosity TPU solution engineered for Supercritical fluid (SCF) foam injection molding. It enables the production of thin, durable, and highly flexible films and textile applications, combining outstanding wear resistance with reduced material weight.

A shared focus on enabling the textile industry

The company’s presence at Techtextil 2026 emphasizes how raw material innovation can help textile manufacturers meet evolving regulatory, environmental, and market demands, while maintaining efficient production and high product performance.

“We look forward to presenting our material solutions at Techtextil and demonstrating how they can translate into practical progress for the textile industry,” said Dr. Torsten Pohl, Head of Global Textile Coatings at Covestro. “Together with our partners and customers, we will continue to explore applications that support more sustainable products and more efficient manufacturing.”

Techtextil will be held at Messe Frankfurt from April 21–24, 2026. Attendees can find Covestro in Hall 11.0, Booth C79.

Additional information on Covestro’s presence at the Techtextil can be found here.

Covestro's Pingtung site is the only production site within the Covestro Group responsible for global supply of powder coating resins, with major customers in the construction materials, automotive, and electronics industries. Powder coatings already have lower carbon emissions than traditional industrial coatings. Now, with ISCC PLUS certification, the Pingtung site can supply traceable low-carbon powder coating resins containing bio-based, bio-circular, or recycled alternative raw materials, officially becoming an important part of the green supply chain.

"In response to global carbon reduction trends, the Pingtung site has completed internal energy transformation and moved toward environmental-friendly processes in recent years, actively supporting the group's green supply chain initiatives," stated CF Tsai, Pingtung Site Manager. "Obtaining ISCC PLUS certification will enhance the Pingtung plant's value in the sustainable supply chain, facilitate regional production portfolio optimization within the group, and secure more international low-carbon product orders."

"The Pingtung site is the second facility among our Taiwan production bases to receive ISCC PLUS certification, following our TPU-producing Changhua site, and is also the group's first powder resin facility in Asia to receive this certification," stated Annie Chen, Managing Director of Covestro Taiwan. "This milestone not only represents Covestro's sustainability strategy in Taiwan, but also demonstrates to customers that Covestro is a value chain partner that can help customers achieve sustainable transformation and contribute to Scope 3 emissions reduction."

In addition to existing low-carbon product lines such as EasyCure, the Pingtung site has also been producing NIA-PFAS[3] super-durable flexible powder coating resin since earlier this year. With ISCC PLUS certification, the site can now provide traceable powder coating resins containing alternative raw materials, demonstrating more comprehensive influence in the sustainable materials market.
 

[1] Covestro's Pingtung site is a powder resin factory jointly invested by Covestro and Eternal Materials Co., Ltd. The joint venture, Covestro Eternal Resins (Far East) Ltd., is located in Pingtung, Taiwan.

[2] Covestro publishes climate neutrality targets for scope 3 emissions

[3] Covestro Expands Advanced Production technology for NIA-PFAS Super-durable Flexible Powder Coating Resin in APAC

This is important because the conventional vehicle part coating process typically involves multiple steps, each of which adds cost, uses energy, and limits design freedom. Direct Coating from Covestro transfers the molded part to a second cavity and applies a low viscosity 2K PU that cures in the mold. This integrated process requires no conventional coating- or painting lines, accelerates cycle times, streamlines operations, and enables more flexible, scalable production of a range of coating designs, including those featuring haptics and visual effects.

“With a broad network of partners across the entire value chain, we are well-positioned to support the global rollout of Direct Coating,” said Benjamin Herzberg, Technology Expert IMC at Covestro. “We have over two decades of proven experience in the Direct Coating process, with a strong focus on joint projects across the automotive industry. Our application and scale-up expertise is anchored across technical centers worldwide and backed by a strong IP portfolio. Our latest customer support enhancement is a tool that compares cost and CO₂ emissions with the conventional manufacturing process.”

End-to-end solutions and support

Covestro also offers tailored polycarbonate substrates such as Makrolon^® IMC2477. This solution delivers excellent adhesion to polyurethane coatings while maintaining good optical properties in both transparent and colored opaque finishes. Additionally, Covestro has designed dedicated polyurethane coating raw materials for Direct Coating applications. These materials include fast-curing, low-viscosity polyisocyanates and polyols suitable for these applications.

“Customers can accelerate their time-to-market by benefiting from guidance on mold design and process optimization, as well as using our facilities to trial designs and validate parts and production conditions,” added Thomas Baeker, Marketing Manager for Industrial and Automotive Coatings at Covestro.

Since 2021, a leading German automotive manufacturer has used Covestro products for Direct Coating components in both exterior and interior vehicle applications.

More information
Tier suppliers and OEMs interested in evaluating Direct Coating can find out more by visiting the Covestro website.

Additionally, our technical experts can also provide suppliers and OEMs with a bespoke cost calculation tool and access to Covestro technical labs.

The new coatings portfolio targets critical applications in mobility, home & living, infrastructure, renewable energy and printing & packaging. Designed for local markets, these products reflect Covestro’s deep understanding of customer needs and its ability to translate insights into practical, high-performance materials.

• Mobility: Bayhydrol® A 2670, developed locally for China’s railway sector, supports the shift from solvent-borne to waterborne coating systems. This topcoat solution delivers superior weathering and chemical resistance, helping rolling stock withstand high-speed sand erosion and climate variability while maintaining excellent appearance such as high gloss. Fast drying and easy application enhance manufacturer productivity. The solution also fits particularly well in South Asia’s substantial automotive refinish market, which is similarly transitioning to waterborne systems.
• Home & living: NeoCryl® XK-228, a locally developed waterborne low-hydroxy acrylic emulsion, addresses market needs for color stability, hardness, fast delivery and chemical resistance in industrial wood coatings, floor coatings and wall paints. Its innovative design reduces the minimum film formation temperature to below 10°C, significantly lowering the need for coalescents and VOC emissions while enhancing formulation flexibility.
• Infrastructure: Bayhydrol® UH 2896 and Bayhydrol® UH 2897, developed with proprietary synthesis technology for China’s waterproofing market, serve as standalone resins in 1K waterborne coatings or blending resins to enhance performance. Suitable for construction applications including outdoor roofing and indoor bathrooms, the polyurethane dispersions deliver superior water resistance, long-term durability, low-temperature flexibility and excellent processing performance while providing formulation flexibility for differentiated products.
• Renewable energy: To reduce costs and boost efficiency in photovoltaics, locally developed hardener Desmodur® ultra N 31890 BA features rapid drying speed nearly three times faster than standard hardeners under high temperature bake, substantially boosting production efficiency. Its excellent UV resistance supports over 25 years of service life, while robust hygrothermal aging resistance ensures stable performance across environments. Strong substrate adhesion provides flexibility for diverse applications.
• Printing & packaging: Driven by sustainability trends and growing safety and health concerns—especially among younger generations in leading Asian markets—NeoCryl® A is a new waterborne acrylic emulsion developed for barrier coating of food-contact-grade paper packaging. It delivers excellent water and grease resistance while serving as a sustainable alternative to traditional polyethylene laminating films. The solution supports recycling, with tested pulp recyclability exceeding 90 percent, and safeguards consumer health by avoiding PFAS.

Lab automation: Investing in the future

The Weighing & Mixing Workstation represents a strategic investment in R&D efficiency and will soon begin operation. This automated system handles material weighing and mixing during experiments while securely recording data to the cloud. Capable of continuous operation, it automates repetitive tasks and streamlines workflows, enabling R&D teams to focus on high-value innovation, respond faster to customized market needs and shorten time-to-market, while also reducing raw material waste. Its precision and digital data capture also lay the groundwork for AI-driven insights in materials development.

“With the new workstation we’re building the infrastructure that will enable AI systems to unlock new material insights and accelerate breakthrough discoveries. Together with these locally developed products, we’re making continual investment in innovation which will keep us ahead of market demand and drive customers’ success,” said Anand Khot, Head of Coatings and Adhesives Asia Pacific, Covestro. 

Based on deep industry insights, the two companies will focus on automotive and industrial coatings, covering applications such as automotive OEM coatings, components, refinish paints, as well as coil steel, construction machinery, wind power and photovoltaics. The collaboration will encompass low-carbon material development, technological innovation, energy efficiency improvements and VOC emission reduction to drive sustainable and high-quality industry development through enhanced supply chain coordination.

This agreement, signed at Nippon Paint’s booth during the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE), reflects a shared commitment between Covestro and Nippon Paint to explore new collaborative pathways.

Over the years, both companies have built extensive experience in product development and material innovation. At the 2022 CIIE, Nippon Paint and Covestro unveiled a pioneering bio-based automotive coatings solution that enables matte-finish gradient colors—a technologically challenging feat that addresses the automotive industry’s demand for outstanding performance, distinctive design and sustainability. This latest partnership expands the collaboration from automotive coatings to broader industrial applications, aiming to establish a comprehensive low-carbon coating system covering raw materials to finished products through deeper technical collaboration and resource integration.

“CIIE serves not only as a showcase for global innovations but also as an important platform for fostering supply chain collaboration and building sustainable ecosystems. We’re delighted to leverage CIIE’s momentum once again, continuing our partnership with Covestro to explore innovative breakthroughs in low-carbon materials and green coating technologies. Through this open platform, Nippon Paint will continue deepening local innovation, partnering to bring more valuable and sustainable coating solutions to the Chinese market,” said Bai Yi, Vice President of Nippon Paint China Purchasing Headquarters.

“This strategic partnership will fully unlock the synergistic potential of both companies in technology development and resource integration. We look forward to working with Nippon Paint to advance cutting-edge technology development and implementation, drive green transformation across the industry through innovative material science and circular economy principles, and contribute our technological expertise to China’s dual carbon goals and industrial upgrading,” said Anand Khot, Head of Coatings and Adhesives Asia Pacific, Covestro.

Latest info on Covestro’s K fair presence:

• Experience “The Material Effect” at K 2025 at Covestro | Covestro AG

Additional Press Releases:

• From Materials to Solutions: Covestro Brings "The Material Effect" to K 2025
• Digital Material Twins in Automotive Design: Imagio^® of Covestro Now Integrated into Autodesk VRED
• Covestro deepens collaboration with Ausell to advance end-of-life automotive plastics recycling
• More speed from design to series production
• From old tires to new car parts: Covestro, Neste and Borealis aim at closing loop for automotive industry 
• Covestro and Deloitte jointly develop Monetization Framework for Circular Economy
• Life Cycle Assessments digitalized: boosting transparency

Covestro at a Glance:

Are you looking for more information? Here you could find further facts about Covestro.

Monique Buch, Chief Commercial Officer at Covestro: "The chemical industry and many of its key customer industries face profound transformations – on the path to circular economy, through AI and digitalization, or due to geopolitics and the realignment of global markets. With our expertise in high-performance materials, process and application development, we remain part of the solution and support our customers in achieving their goals."

The solutions presented at "K" are organized across the booth in the areas of Automotive, Electronics, Healthcare, Sports and Leisure, as well as Sustainable Future. They showcase "The Material Effect" in application across various industries and underline the company's long-term vision of a complete alignment with the circular economy. This vision remains the North Star for Covestro and the industry – despite short-term challenges and overlapping crises that require resilience and adaptability.

Materials with Impact: "The Material Effect" in Practice

Jochen Hardt, Booth Manager and Vice President Global Marketing Mobility in the Engineering Plastics business entity at Covestro: "At our booth, visitors can experience first-hand how 'The Material Effect' becomes reality in concrete applications. We deliberately present not only materials and products but showcase well-designed system solutions that offer real added value to our customers. My team and I at Covestro look forward to engaging with visitors throughout the fair!"

Sustainable Future

In the "Sustainable Future" area, Covestro demonstrates its comprehensive commitment to the circular economy. This includes the "CQ" portfolio, which marks products containing at least 25% alternative raw materials. Another example is the technology developed by Covestro and partners for producing plant-based aniline. Also featured are several car-to-car recycling projects that advance circularity in the automotive industry. For example, the NALYSES project, where Covestro works together with partners like HELLA and BMW on the circularity of headlights. Or a pilot program with NIO, VW, and GIZ for recycling polycarbonate parts. For the latter, visitors will find materials labeled "RE", "RP", and "R" at the booth – these are partly made from alternative raw materials.

Automotive

Highlight in the automotive area: The SUE "People Mover" – a prototype vehicle for public transportation. The autonomous e-shuttle was designed and developed by UE | STUDIOS. It features large-scale, curved 3D polycarbonate glazing as well as seamless integration of driver assistance systems and sensors, also using polycarbonate. The lightweight, highly durable monomaterial Arfinio® is used in the interior, along with a recyclable TPU monomaterial seat. The IMAGIO® tool for digital, photorealistic material twins will also be on display. It is now implemented in Autodesk VRED and makes design processes faster and more efficient.

Electronics

In the electronics area, Covestro showcases innovative NIA-PFAS (not intentionally added PFAS) polycarbonates with flame retardancy for laptop covers and IoT device housings. Additionally, a recyclable antenna housing made of Makrolon® monomaterial will be on display, combining optimal signal transmission with weight reduction.

Healthcare

In the healthcare booth area, Covestro presents material solutions that combine sustainability with performance and reliability: From medication delivery with particularly thin-walled, more easily recyclable monomaterial injectors to resistant housings for diagnostic devices that withstand disinfectants. Such devices can furthermore be made with NIA-PFAS material types for flame retardancy, and support the seamless integration of functionality such as touch operation and signaling in an attractive design.

Sports and Leisure

In the sports and leisure area, visitors will find applications such as the e-surfboard by Awake. Covestro materials can be found, for example, in the easily and quickly replaceable battery, with thermally conductive and flame-retardant polycarbonate for improved battery performance. Durable TPU-based materials on the grip of the replaceable battery additionally provide pleasant haptics and comfort.

Press Tour for Media Representatives

Media representatives are cordially invited to experience Covestro's exhibition booth at K 2025 in person. A press tour will take place on the first day of the fair, October 8, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. at booth A75 in Hall 6.

The tour offers a comprehensive overview of all focus areas as well as the opportunity for discussions with technical experts about "The Material Effect" and the implementation of the circular economy strategy in concrete applications. There will also be opportunities for individual interviews.

For more information about Covestro at K 2025, please visit Experience “The Material Effect” at K 2025 at Covestro | Covestro AG

At the same time, according to the review process of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), conventional antimicrobial silver technologies face the challenge of meeting the requirements of the BPR due to concerns over potential harm to human, animal, and ecological health. Many are now set to be phased out in the years ahead.

To address the demand for more sustainable antimicrobial surface coatings, Heraeus Precious Metals created AGXX: a system that eliminates a wide range of bacteria, fungi, and viruses without releasing harmful silver-ion components. AGXX works due to a catalytic reaction of two precious metals that converts oxygen into reactive oxygen species (ROS) using moisture derived from air humidity. These ROS eliminate microbes by disrupting their outer cell membranes, organelles, and DNA.

Martin Danz, Global Head of Antimicrobial Technologies at Heraeus Precious Metals said: “AGXX is skin-friendly,* BPR-compliant, and suitable for a wide range of applications. Results from our joint tests with Covestro now show that AGXX can be combined with Impranil^® PU dispersions to add long-lasting antimicrobial properties to textile coatings for synthetic materials.”

Tests also revealed that incorporating AGXX with INSQIN^® textile coatings technology from Covestro does not impact manufacturing processes. “We found that AGXX could be mixed with our Impranil^® products without dulling the performance or properties of either solution or requiring any changes to manufacturing processes for coated textiles,” said Dr. Torsten Pohl, Global Head of Textile Coatings at Covestro. “When combined with AGXX, our INSQIN^® technology maintains its cleanability, flexibility, and ability to withstand usage over long periods. For textile coating manufacturers, this tried-and-tested guide formulation offers a fast and effective way to infuse their coatings with safer and more sustainable antimicrobial properties and still gain the sustainability improvements of our low-VOC waterborne PU dispersions.”

With demand for hygienic, reliable, BPR-regulation-compliant, and safer textile coatings expected to increase, the combination of AGXX and INSQIN^® technology will enable textile manufacturers to quickly adapt to the rapidly evolving needs of the sharing economy.

To see how the combined guide formulation works in real-world applications, visit Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt from April 21 to 24, 2026. Items coated with AGXX and Impranil^® will be on display at the Covestro booth.

*Tested by bio compatibility test according to ISO 10993-5

About Heraeus Precious Metals
Heraeus Precious Metals is globally leading in the precious metals industry. The company is part of the Heraeus Group and covers the value chain from trading to precious metals products to refining and recycling. It has extensive expertise in all platinum group metals as well as gold and silver.

With more than 3,000 employees at 16 sites worldwide, Heraeus Precious Metals offers a broad portfolio of products that are essential for many industries such as the automotive, chemicals, semiconductor, pharmaceutical, hydrogen and jewelry industry. Find more information on the Heraeus Precious Metals website. www.heraeus-precious-metals.com

"International regulations continue to drive the transformation of industrial materials," said Tina Jin, Business Director of Powder Coating Resins Asia at Covestro. "Covestro is committed to developing next-generation coating resins that combine environmental sustainability with high performance, actively addressing industry innovations alongside our customers. This leading solution has been produced and promoted in Europe since 2023, and we are pleased to see the Asia-Pacific region now offering customer-centric services with both reliable local supply and sustainable value."

"The Pingtung site's vacuum process, after six months of equipment upgrades, now meets the stringent quality requirements for this product," said CF Tsai, Covestro’s Pingtung Site Manager. "As the first production site in Asia-Pacific to supply this product, we will build on our foundation in Taiwan to serve the Asia-Pacific region, while also supporting North American market demands. "

Covestro's next-generation outdoor powder coating solution - Uralac® Premium P 8000 and P 9000, as NIA-PFAS coating polyesters, can replace fluorocarbon systems (PVDF/FEVE) for weather-resistant resins. Combining the advantages of amorphous super-durable polyester P 8000 and crystalline polyester P 9000, this solution overcomes the challenge of balancing flexibility and mechanical strength that conventional super-durable polyester resins struggle with. Laboratory testing confirms its excellent outdoor durability, flow properties, gloss retention, flexibility, as well as good powder storage stability and water spotting resistance. The solution is currently undergoing internationally recognized Florida outdoor exposure testing, with long-term performance expected to surpass existing super-durable coating systems.

The high flexibility of the Uralac® Premium P 8000 and P 9000 solution significantly enhances coating impact resistance by more than 100%, providing outstanding and long-lasting protection for super-durable building materials, agricultural machinery, and other large outdoor equipment, thereby reducing long-term maintenance costs. Beyond its exceptional performance, the solution offers processing advantages as well, with production possible under curing conditions of 180°C/15 minutes, compatible with standard powder coating lines without requiring additional equipment investment.

Covestro also provides optimized processing technology and formulation to ensure that the combination of amorphous and crystalline resins achieves excellent performance in the final coating.

Under its Sustainable Future strategy, Covestro is actively enhancing supply chain reliability and continuously developing innovative products that address international sustainability trends, while contributing to the Group's Scope 1, 2, and 3 emission reduction targets and timelines, gradually realizing its vision of "Fully Circular".
 

[1] PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) are a class of fluorinated chemicals widely used in industrial and consumer products due to their heat resistance, chemical resistance, and water-repellent properties. As products without PFAS components are more environmentally friendly and better for human health, NIA-PFAS alternatives have become a global development trend across various industries.

[2] Covestro's Pingtung plant is a powder resin factory jointly invested by Covestro and Eternal Materials Co., Ltd. The joint venture, Covestro Eternal Resins (Far East) Ltd., is located in Pingtung, Taiwan.

[3] GSB Premium is a professional quality certification standard for aluminum surface treatment established by GSB International. It is specifically designed for aluminum products used in building exteriors and is applicable to outdoor applications requiring extremely high weather resistance.

In qualifying, the Covestro Æthon secured pole position with a time of 1:52.50 minutes, setting a new team record. Never before has a Team Sonnenwagen solar race car been faster on the circuit in Darwin. After five days of racing, the new Sonnenwagen Covestro Æthon finished in fourth place – a world-class performance in a strong field of 37 teams from 18 countries, made possible in part by Covestro products.

“Regardless of the outcome of the race, Team Sonnenwagen has done a great job in my opinion,” says Dr. Thorsten Dreier, Chief Technology Officer at Covestro. “What these students from Aachen have achieved with the design of their solar car is a demonstration of innovative strength, team spirit, and determination. They deserve nothing but congratulations. And I am always delighted that we are able to support this extraordinary team with our innovative and sustainable technologies and our expertise.”

“We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved,” says Leonie Brandt, Chair of Team Sonnenwagen Aachen. “Just finishing this race is an enormous achievement – and with Æthon, we made it into the ranks of the world’s best teams. Our vehicle proved itself under extreme conditions, and we are taking away many important insights.”

Covestro has been supporting Team Sonnenwagen since its founding in 2017 and has been its main sponsor and technology partner since 2018. The company is convinced that more sustainable high-performance plastics are key to climate-neutral and circular mobility. Together with customers and partners, Covestro is continuously developing new material solutions and recycling technologies for this purpose.

As with previous vehicles, the Æthon also relied on more sustainable high-performance plastics from Covestro – this time even more than ever before: over ten different materials from the company were used in the car.

One example of the application of our raw materials is chemically recycled car seat foam, which offers comfort while conserving resources. Sustainable mass-balanced Vulkollan^®, a particularly resilient elastomer that absorbs shocks between the battery and the chassis, was also used to protect the structure. For the cell holders, the team used Makrolon^® TC, a thermally conductive polycarbonate that helps to reduce the temperature during battery charging and discharging, thereby increasing the battery's service life. The coating cures at room temperature and contains a binder with a high proportion of sustainable Covestro raw materials. In addition, other Covestro raw materials were used as materials in the cockpit hood, outer shell, headlights, seat, and steering wheel, for example.

The lab, part of Covestro’s Asia-Pacific Innovation Center, now spans over 3,000 square meters—an increase of about 20 percent—and features cutting-edge equipment such as a new synthesis unit for waterborne polyurethane dispersions—a class of polymers key in enabling low-VOC coatings and adhesives. The unit enhances efficiency in scale-up simulations, troubleshooting and customer sampling.

The facility now supports a broader portfolio of raw materials including polyurethanes, acrylics, polyesters and sustainable alternatives. It enables faster formulation, testing and adaption to customer requirements across multiple industries—from automotive and renewable energy to construction, printing and packaging, and beyond.

The lab has integrated AI-driven formulation tools, simulation and robotics to automate and digitize development processes. These enhancements boost speed, precision and consistency while reducing material waste and carbon footprint—further accelerating the development of new products and formulations for customers in the region.

“This expansion is a significant step forward in strengthening our formulation capabilities and supporting our customers’ innovation needs more closely and quickly. It reinforces our strategy of investing in high-growth markets and sustainable solutions,” said Anand Khot, Head of Coatings and Adhesives Asia Pacific, Covestro.

“The lab also enhances cross-functional collaboration within our regional innovation center, leveraging shared technical and digital infrastructure to drive innovation efficiency. It’s a key milestone in delivering local-for-local solutions with global impact,” said Dr. André Rittermeier, Head of Group Innovation and Sustainability Asia Pacific at Covestro, who also leads the Asia-Pacific Innovation Center.

The more than 20 innovation stories that Covestro presents at its booth are closely linked to this guiding idea and the company's long-term vision of becoming fully circular. This vision is gaining additional importance under the current circumstances – short-term challenges and overlapping crises that require resilience and adaptability.

Covestro’s CEO Markus Steilemann emphasized this at the traditional K pre-press conference: "The world seems to have gone off track, and the chemical industry is feeling the full force of the current multiple crises. At the same time, the future will be ever greener and smarter. At Covestro, we are paving the way for that for many sectors with our recyclable, climate-neutral high-performance plastics – whether in e-mobility and autonomous driving, efficient buildings, or digitalization. We are excited to showcase the diverse and beneficial effects of our materials for our customers and partners at this year's K trade fair."

Covestro's Guiding Idea: "The Material Effect"

At booth A75 in Hall 6, Covestro will place special emphasis on progress and innovations in the areas of Sustainable Future, Automotive, Electronics, Healthcare, and Sports & Leisure. Among the highlights at the booth will be a new concept vehicle for public transportation: The SUE "People Mover". The self-driving urban e-shuttle has been developed by UE | STUDIOS. It features full polycarbonate glazing, polycarbonate for lidar sensors, as well as the lightweight and highly durable mono-material Arfinio^® and TPU. Also among the exhibits is the digital sampling tool IMAGIO^®, which enables realistic digital visualization of product designs, thereby replacing physical samples with digital material twins in early development phases.

With these and many other stories and exhibits at the booth, Covestro demonstrates under this year's guiding idea "The Material Effect" what role high-performance materials play in a sustainable world. "The Material Effect" combines best in class materials with process and innovation expertise, enabling the leap from laboratory to industry. "It is precisely this unique combination of material science, process- and application development that makes the decisive difference," said Jochen Hardt, K 2025 project lead and Vice President Global Marketing Mobility in the Engineering Plastics business entity at Covestro, at the press conference. “'The Material Effect' enables our customers and partners to achieve more – in terms of sustainability, circularity, and performance of their products.”

Progress Towards Corporate Vision and Strategy

Covestro pursues a clear strategic vision: to become fully circular and make the circular economy a global guiding principle. This includes the use of alternative raw materials, switching to green energy, and developing advanced recycling technologies. The company has set a goal to become climate-neutral in its own operations (Scope 1 and 2) by 2035 and to achieve complete climate neutrality along the entire value chain (Scope 1-3) by 2050. To this end, Covestro has already signed eleven power purchase agreements (PPAs) and now covers around 16 percent of its global electricity needs from renewable sources.

Furthermore, Covestro is consistently expanding the use of alternative raw materials – with the goal of largely avoiding the use of fossil primary raw materials in the long term. The company is to that end currently developing and testing novel recycling technologies for polyurethanes, polycarbonates, and elastomers.

The commitment to the circular economy is furthermore reflected in the product portfolio: Products with the brand suffix "CQ" – which stands for Circular Intelligence – contain at least 25 percent alternative raw materials. For polycarbonates, Covestro differentiates its offering with specific labels: "RE" stands for products based on renewable raw materials and produced with renewable electricity.^* "RP" identifies products with chemically recycled post-consumer waste.^* "R" designates products with mechanically recycled material content.

Such products aFor more information about the trade fair presence, visit:

For more information about the trade fair presence, visit:
Experience “The Material Effect” at K 2025 at Covestro | Covestro AG

_{* attributed via mass balancing}

Latest info on Covestro’s K fair presence:

• Experience “The Material Effect” at K 2025 at Covestro | Covestro AG

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Covestro at a Glance:

Are you looking for more information? Here you could find further facts about Covestro.

Just last week, Team Sonnenwagen unveiled their new solar car, the Aethon, which they will take to this year’s race. However, for the team to secure victory, several factors must align. In addition to the car itself, the team requires suitable apparel. To meet this need, Huafeng, a Chinese textile technology company, will supply Team Sonnenwagen with high-performance sports shoes, shorts, and trousers that offer a reduced CO₂ footprint compared to conventional sportswear.**

Reflecting on the longstanding partnership between Huafeng, Cyclone, and Covestro, Dr. Torsten Pohl, Head of Global Textile Coatings at Covestro, said: “The new sports kit looks fantastic! By incorporating our partially bio-based Impranil^® CQ PU dispersion into its textile coatings and using recycled yarns from Cyclone, Huafeng has successfully achieved an excellent balance of high performance, aesthetic appeal, and low environmental impact. This collaboration demonstrates that manufacturers can meet the increasing demand for more sustainable sportswear without compromising durability, style, or performance.”

Huafeng created Team Sonnenwagen’s 2025 sports kit using yarns supplied by Cyclone, a yarn manufacturing partner. Cyclone produced these yarns from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) from plastic bottles collected in Fujian Province, China. Additionally, Cyclone employs a dope-dyeing technique for its yarns, which uses 57% less energy, 77% less water, and generates 51% lower CO₂ emissions than traditional dyeing techniques.* The dyed fabric is then finished with Huafeng’s HAPTIC^® ink, which contains a partially bio-based PU dispersion supplied by Covestro, Team Sonnenwagen’s core sponsor and supporter since 2017.

To help Team Sonnenwagen stand out on the racetrack, Huafeng embellished its shorts, sports shoes, and trousers with screen-printed designs created using its HAPTIC^® ink. Huafeng can create stunning three-dimensional design effects using this ink while reducing environmental impact. This is because Huafeng developed its HAPTIC^® textile coating system using the partly bio-based Impranil^® CQ DLS/1 resin from Covestro, which has a 38% lower carbon footprint than standard grade Impranil^®.** For Team Sonnenwagen, this won’t be the first time it has encountered Covestro products; partly bio-based PU dispersions from Covestro are also used in the textile material that covers the steering wheel in the team’s solar car.

Dr. Thomas Schmidt, Director of Innovation & Creation at Huafeng, commented on the recent collaboration: "By using partly bio-based Impranil^® CQ solutions from Covestro, we’re pioneering sustainable textiles with innovations such as HAPTIC^® Art ink. This ink formulation delivers a reduced CO₂ footprint**, offers extensive customizability, and can be used in high-performance textiles like sportswear.”

The collaboration between Huafeng, Cyclone, and Covestro demonstrates that combining innovative manufacturing with partly recycled fabrics and partly bio-based textile coatings helps manufacturers create more sustainable sportswear while ensuring performance, durability, comfort, and style. With the right equipment and support, Team Sonnenwagen is well prepared to take the pole position in the race this August. 

*SGS report from 2021 (Cyclone). 
**According to internal calculations.

"What the students from Team Sonnenwagen have achieved here, alongside their regular studies and exams, is really impressive," said Dr. Thorsten Dreier, Chief Technology Officer at Covestro, during the unveiling. "The collaboration between our experts and the students has been and continues to be a great inspiration. Together with all the other strong partners, we're demonstrating what tomorrow's mobility can look like. We’re proud that we can contribute innovative materials and know-how to help shape a more sustainable future."

"Æthon" is the result of twelve months of intensive development. Over 40 students from RWTH and FH Aachen designed, tested, and built the vehicle alongside their studies – supported by Covestro as main sponsor and technology partner. The Leverkusen-based materials manufacturer contributes more expertise than ever: More than ten different Covestro materials have been incorporated into the vehicle – a record in the project's history. The solar car thus provides the company with the additional opportunity to test materials for series vehicle production under extreme conditions.

"We are very proud of Æthon. The entire team has put their heart and soul into this project," explains Leonie Brandt, Chair of Team Sonnenwagen. “The same goes for our partners, especially Covestro, who have been involved in the project for so long. Without this expertise and support, there would be no Sonnenwagen, and we wouldn't have been as successful as we've been. This year, we want to repay everyone involved with a victory in Australia. We're looking forward to it!”

Material Solutions for Future Mobility

Like its predecessors, the new Sonnenwagen relies on sustainable and innovative materials. The highlights: chemically recycled foam in the driver's seat – proving that comfort and circular economy can go hand in hand. Chemically recycled Vulkollan®, an extremely durable elastomer, is also used. It dampens impacts between battery and body, contributing to the structure's longevity. Covestro materials are also used in the battery cell holders, aerodynamic outer shell, interior trim, headlights and turn signals, as well as in the coating.

New Rules, New Challenges – New Opportunities

Such high-tech materials are more important than ever this year, as new rules apply at the World Solar Challenge: The allowed battery capacity has been halved, and the development time shortened by two months. At the same time, cars are allowed to be longer – an opportunity Team Sonnenwagen consistently utilizes with "Æthon": At 5.80 meters, it's longer and features six square meters of solar cells – a full two square meters more than its predecessor "Covestro Adelie." Additionally, the racing calendar brings a new challenge: This year, the race takes place at the end of the Australian winter - and thus earlier than usual. For the team, this meant less time for development and testing.

The official unveiling of Æthon marks the beginning of the intensive testing phase. In July, Team Sonnenwagen will depart from Aachen to Australia to compete against over 50 teams from 24 countries – including numerous leading international universities. Covestro continues to support the project on its journey – with the shared goal of advancing sustainable mobility and bringing the world championship title to Aachen with the power of the sun.

"With our automated laboratory, we can work together with our customers on the future of coatings and adhesives. Because it operates almost completely autonomously and learns from our existing knowledge and data lake as well as newly generated data, it makes the process of optimizing and developing formulations many times more efficient and precise. This allows us to optimize existing formulations faster or even develop completely new formulations for and together with our customers. We can say: We are reaching a new level of modern research," says Thomas Büsgen, head of the laboratory.

Testing Formulations with Covestro Binders and Crosslinkers 

Specifically, the new laboratory will test formulations with Covestro binders and crosslinkers for coatings and adhesives. Their clever selection ensures properties such as hardness, adhesion, opacity, gloss, or durability. Such formulations typically consist of seven to 15 components, whose combination determines the properties of the final product. The resulting high number of possible combinations means that standard formulations are usually used. The new laboratory now enables more extensive test series, also thanks to the computer-aided design of test series and the use of automation.

"Our new automated laboratory gives us more possibilities for testing formulations. It relieves our specialized laboratories of their standard tasks and can analyze samples more systematically. This allows us to focus our expertise and experience even more on customer-specific topics or try approaches we couldn't have implemented otherwise," says Martin Merkens, Head of Sales & Market Development EMLA in Covestro's Coatings and Adhesives business entity. “This will particularly help us in the area of circular economy: Alternative raw materials, for example bio-based or recycled materials, can be tested faster and evaluated for their properties in the final product.”

Facility to Run Tens of Thousands of Tests Annually 

The new facility can operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The goal is to run tens of thousands of tests annually. This sets a new standard in terms of number, variety, precision, and testing speed. Another advantage: The automated laboratory generates a large amount of structured data. The knowledge about formulation possibilities and influencing factors thus will grow rapidly. The collected data, combined with measurement data from existing studies, is evaluated using special machine learning algorithms to further improve formulations. Artificial intelligence is also used to predict new experiments based on property goals and simultaneously verify them in the automated laboratory – creating a self-learning system.

In addition to formulating water- and solvent-based 1K and 2K systems, the automated laboratory also performs numerous material tests on the raw materials themselves, their formulations, and applied films. Application can even take place in different climates in the lab to simulate product use under application conditions. The progressing laboratory digitalization across Covestro also enables easy forwarding of generated samples to more specialized testing laboratories. This makes it possible to supplement the datasets with market-specific test results and identify relevant dependencies more quickly.

Covestro at European Coatings Show 2025 in Nuremberg 

At the European Coatings Show from March 25-27 in Nuremberg, experts from application development and segments such as automotive, printing & packaging, or construction & architecture will be present to discuss new, joint approaches made possible by the laboratory with customers. Visit the company's booth in Hall 4A, Stand 438. There you can learn more about the laboratory and other innovative material solutions and technical developments for the coatings and adhesives industry.

Follow further updates on this topic here. 

Special focus is placed on technologies that increase productivity while promoting circular economy. These include an automated laboratory for formulation development, material screening, and polymer analytics; an innovative Direct Coating process for the automotive industry, and a TÜV-certified, cloud-based solution for product-specific lifecycle analyses (LCA).

"Our customers' and partners' challenges are becoming increasingly complex. Be it accelerated development cycles, ever-higher product requirements, or circularity and recyclability. We offer innovative solutions that not only convince technologically but also make an important contribution to greater sustainability," explains Martin Merkens, Head of Sales & Market Development EMLA in Covestro's Coatings and Adhesives business entity. "At ECS 2025, we demonstrate how we make customers and partners successful and can accompany them every step of the way. We look forward to personal meetings and discussions!"

Automated Laboratory Revolutionizes Application Development

At ECS, the company will announce an automated laboratory for optimizing formulations with Covestro's binders and crosslinkers for coatings and adhesives. With this, Covestro sets new standards in the productivity of its application development. The new facility can operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The goal is to conduct tens of thousands of tests annually. This sets a new benchmark in terms of quantity, variety, precision, and testing speed. Another advantage: The automated laboratory generates a large amount of structured data. The knowledge about formulation possibilities and influencing factors thus will grow rapidly. The collected data, combined with measurement data from existing trials, is evaluated using special machine learning algorithms to further improve formulations. Application development experts and specialists from segments such as automotive, printing & packaging, or construction & architecture will be present at ECS to discuss new collaborative approaches now made possible by the laboratory.

Digitalized Lifecycle Analyses for Greater Transparency

As a pioneer in the digital transformation of the chemical industry, Covestro announced in January the use of a new cloud-based solution for product-specific lifecycle analyses (LCA). The TÜV Rheinland-certified software solution not only enables significantly faster and more precise calculation of a products' environmental footprint but also identifies concrete approaches to reducing the CO₂ footprint, thus supporting Covestro's customers in their sustainable transformation.

Direct Coating: Solutions for the Automotive Industry

With the innovative Direct Coating technology, Covestro presents a pioneering solution for the automotive industry that fundamentally simplifies the coating process while making it more sustainable. This technology enables direct coating of plastic components in the injection molding machine without pretreatment or separate painting and drying. At ECS, Covestro will display products that were manufactured using this process.

Focus on Sustainability

Covestro aims to fully align itself with the circular economy. This includes using alternative raw materials, transitioning to green energy, and developing recycling technologies and recyclable products. To make sustainable products more easily identifiable, the company has introduced the "CQ" label, which stands for "Circular Intelligence." Products labeled this way contain at least 25% alternative raw materials. Several examples used in coatings and adhesives will be exhibited at ECS. For example, food packaging coated with fully recyclable, partially bio-based resins, or water-based polyurethane dispersions for textile printing.

Additional information on Covestro’s presence at the ECS can be found at: https://solutions.covestro.com/en/digital-event-space/ecs or on the LinkedIn-channel of the business entity Coatings and Adhesives.

Desmophen^® CQ NH polyaspartics contain at least 25 percent bio-based content, contributing to a lower carbon footprint, and maintain the high performance of their fossil-based predecessors. These resins offer excellent chemical and weather resistance, ensuring long-lasting stability and protection across diverse environments. With rapid curing properties, they enhance construction efficiency for a quicker return to operations. Additionally, they are formulated to minimize VOC and odor emissions, supporting a reduced environmental impact. Key applications include wind turbine coatings, flooring coatings and grouts.

Notably, the Foshan site is entirely powered by renewable energy sourced from offshore wind farms in southern China, further reducing the cradle-to-gate carbon footprint of Desmophen^® CQ NH.

“Covestro is dedicated to promoting a circular economy, which includes expanding the use of alternative raw materials and transitioning to renewable energy in production,” said Anand Khot, Senior Vice President of Coatings and Adhesives for Asia Pacific at Covestro. “Our local production of partially bio-based Desmophen^® CQ NH demonstrates our commitment to building a stable and efficient supply network in Asia Pacific that quickly adapts to market needs, supporting our customers’ and end-users’ requirements for increased circularity.”  

Desmophen^® CQ NH is part of Covestro’s Pasquick^® fast-curing coating technology and can also be paired with other partially bio-based products, such as Desmodur^® CQ aliphatic polyisocyanates, within the Pasquick^® technology portfolio.

Currently, Covestro locally produces about 75 percent of its products sold in the coatings and adhesives industry across Asia Pacific, reinforcing the company’s commitment to strengthening manufacturing in the region.

Beyond Leather’s approach captures the value of apple waste – of which around 4 million tons is produced every year – by upcycling it into a high-performance and more sustainable alternative to conventional leather made with animal skin. With a high content of short fibers and polymers, apple waste (including cores, seeds, and stems) can be activated to give a strength and suppleness to the final material, recreating the functional and aesthetic properties that make leather so desirable. To produce LEAP^®, the apple-waste blend is applied to a TENCEL^TM textile backing and finished with the protective coating containing INSQIN^® PU.

Inspirational leather-look products; aspirational performance

For brand customers and end consumers looking for leather alternatives, the launch of LEAP^® stands as a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration.

“With around 25% of an apple discarded after pressing, we wanted to capture this waste’s value in premium applications. We believe that looking into waste streams and using upcycling is crucial to reduce emissions. It is our mission to show how much value there is in waste and, ultimately, make waste beautiful,” says Mikael Eydt, Co-Founder & CEO, Beyond Leather Materials.

“Covestro is delighted to have contributed to the development of this leather alternative made with apple waste, which has significant potential to improve textile sustainability in a wide range of industries,” says Dr. Torsten Pohl, Head of Global Textile Coatings Covestro. “Our low-VOC, low-emission, waterborne, and partly-bio-based INSQIN^® coating technology is the perfect fit for LEAP^®, enabling the premium durability, flexibility and perceptual quality needed in today’s market while offering a more sustainable solution for partners like Beyond Leather. We look forward to continuing our collaboration in applications spanning everything from small goods typically made of leather such as wallets, purses, and key cases, to automotive interiors.”

Under this partnership, one of Covestro’s key roles is to provide more sustainable plastic solutions along with their carbon footprint data. Alibaba Cloud’s Energy Expert, an AI-driven sustainability platform, plays a crucial role in realizing the whole life cycle emission accounting from recycled materials to final consumer products leveraging digital technology such as blockchain. It also provides an end-to-end solution for industrial companies to measure and optimize their carbon footprint across their production lifecycle.

“As a materials manufacturer with a high focus on sustainable material innovation, Covestro is committed to driving circularity and climate neutrality. Our collaboration with Alibaba Cloud marks a significant milestone in our journey towards a circular and climate-neutral future,” says Lily Wang, Global Head of the Engineering Plastics Business Entity, at Covestro. “With our joint solutions, we are supporting our customers to improve their supply chain transparency while building trust among environmentally conscious consumers, thereby driving industries towards a greener future.”

“We are proud to partner with Covestro in pioneering sustainable solutions that drive positive environmental impact,” says William Xiong, Vice President of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence. “By leveraging our advanced cloud infrastructure and expertise in sustainability technology, we are enabling value chain partners to trace materials with enhanced transparency and efficiency as well as to optimize their carbon footprint to achieve their sustainability target. This partnership exemplifies the transformative power of technology in creating a more sustainable future.”

The joint solutions offered by the two parties have already been implemented in the consumer goods sector. For example, Covestro collaborated with China’s leading beverage maker Nongfu Spring to recycle its 19-litre water barrels into post-consumer recycled polycarbonate. The material was then used by KACO, a niche stationary brand in China, to produce gel pens. Through Alibaba Cloud Energy Expert’s carbon emission accounting and digital tools, consumers can scan a QR code on the packaging of the pens to trace the origin of the material, see a detailed breakdown of the carbon footprint at each stage in the production chain and the number of carbon emission slashed compared to the virgin materials.

The automotive supplier Webasto has developed the prototype of a Roof Sensor Module (RSM) in an elegant design. It is equipped with a polycarbonate panel for aesthetic and seamless integration of sensors for automated and autonomous driving. For the module’s bezel, Covestro supported with its injection molding expertise at the technical center at its Headquarters in Leverkusen.

The bezel is produced on Covestro's 2300-ton injection molding machine. The first shot is made of the transparent polycarbonate Makrolon^® AG, which is highly permeable to various sensor signals. For the second shot, the black, mineral-reinforced PC-ABS Bayblend^® T95 MF is used. Thanks to the combination of both materials, the roof module meets high mechanical requirements while offering an attractive design with glass-like surfaces and transparent sensor windows.

Integration of components and coating

In addition, the combination of these materials provides the necessary design freedom for the integration of all relevant electronic and mechanical components. Many of such parts are furthermore attached by elements that are formed in the second shot. Suitable potential coating systems for the RSM are polysiloxane coatings, which are sprayed via a high-speed rotary bell to ensure homogeneous layer thicknesses over the entire component surface.

In use, radar and lidar sensors, as well as cameras, measure the distance and speed of objects in front of and next to the vehicle and also reliably detect traffic lights, traffic signs and road markings. In order to function optimally, the temperature of the electronics must be regulated. This is ensured by an integrated thermal management system. The high heat deflection resistance of polycarbonate ensures that the roof module remains in shape even at high outside temperatures and strong sunlight and that the functionality of the sensors is not impaired.

The Makrofol^® ST polycarbonate film, which is introduced in specific sections and is characterized by a defined transmission spectrum in the visible and infrared range, enables a seamless design with high transparency for LiDAR signals. In addition, the film serves as a carrier for Canatu's transparent heating system. This de-icing function as well as the specially developed cleaning system ensure flawless operation even under adverse weather conditions.

All in all, this development offers not only a portfolio of engineering solutions, but also concepts for developers of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) who need reliable and cost-effective bezels for their 3D imaging systems.

At the international VDI Congress PIAE on June 19 and 20, 2024 in Mannheim, Germany, Covestro expert Christoph Klinkenberg and Head of Research and Development Magnus Sviberg from Webasto Roof & Components SE will give a presentation on this development on June 19 from 12:15 p.m. The co-author is Rainer Hagen from Covestro. The company will also be exhibiting at the accompanying exhibition.

Textile coatings

From more sustainable raw materials to textile recycling technologies, Covestro is supporting the coated textiles value chain in its sustainability transformation thanks to its waterborne INSQIN^® technology. Exhibits on show at Techtextil include a new concept for automotive interior door panels, breathable vegan coatings for functional textiles, and a next-generation, partly biobased leather alternative made using apple waste.

Modern coatings

Covestro’s Desmomelt^® U range of thermoplastic resins is a new class of aliphatic, non-yellowing polyurethane (PU) powders for adhesives, ideal for processing into filament or foil for digital printing applications. Desmomelt^® U will be showcased in an automated 2D-printed hot melt application for shoe uppers, where it can significantly reduce the number of processing steps in footwear production and make end-of-life disassembly of shoes easier.

Specialty films

With its Platilon^® and Dureflex^® film solutions, Covestro helps makers of sportswear and outdoor gear overcome the challenge of balancing processing efficiency, high performance, and consumer safety. The team will showcase the combined power of these thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) films in inflatable surfing kites and wings, enabling reliably excellent performance in this demanding application while meeting production requirements, sustainability needs and safety certification standards.

Thermoplastic polyurethane

Durable, versatile, soft touch, and more sustainable, Covestro’s recyclable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) Desmopan^® is an innovative mono-material solution that brings strong mechanical and sustainability properties to a diverse array of applications. Techtextil visitors will discover the benefits of Desmopan^® solutions in more circular truck tarps, attractive artificial leather, and high-performance yarns that help meet the demands of the fashion industry.

"With our wide-ranging selection of high-performance solutions, Covestro’s booth will be an essential destination for Techtextil visitors," says Thomas Michaelis, Head of Textile Coating in the Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America (EMLA) region at Covestro. "We’re excited to showcase our latest textile innovations in different markets and applications, and to connect with other industry players who share our ambition of enabling a more efficient, more sustainable textile value chain."

Techtextil will be held at Messe Frankfurt from April 23 to 26, 2024. Attendees can find Covestro in Hall 11.0, Booth E76.

The wire and cable industry plays a central role in the global networking of society, especially in the transmission of energy and data. Reliability and efficiency are of paramount importance for these products. That is why Covestro supports its customers with durable, high-performance and more sustainable material solutions.

The materials presented include:

• Coatings, inks and matrix: Covestro's innovative coatings, inks and matrix materials are designed to provide exceptional protection and performance in various applications in the energy and telecommunications industries. With more than 40 years of industry experience in fiber and cable materials, Covestro offers improved design capability, field deployability, reliable performance, ultra-fast curing and excellent protection against attenuation and micro-bending.
• Polycarbonates: Covestro's polycarbonate materials are characterized by excellent strength, transparency and versatility, making them well-suited for a wide range of energy and telecommunications applications. From optical fibers to electrical housings, Covestro's polycarbonates ensure dimensional stability and impact resistance over a wide temperature range.
• Thermoplastic polyurethanes: Covestro's thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) solutions combine flexibility, toughness and chemical resistance, making them ideal for the protection of flame-retardant cables in various energy and telecommunications applications.
• Elastomers: Covestro's elastomer materials are tailored for exceptional durability and strong resistance against wave and tidal action for energy subsea applications. They offer thermal stability, impact resistance and reliable protection against flex fatigue and hydrolysis. They are durable and reduce maintenance in the offshore wind industry.

Visit Covestro at booth H51 in hall 10 of wire fair to learn more about its innovative materials for the energy and telecom value chain. Further information: https://solutions.covestro.com/en/digital-event-space/wire

"The vegan idea fits perfectly into the overall concept of AQUAIR^® and is a logical further development for us," says Matthias Krings, Managing Director of Trans-Textil GmbH. Performance and responsible product design in all steps form the basis of the highly breathable overall system. The starting point is the synthetic layer, which can be individually designed in terms of color and grain.

"The microporous PU system is based on our aqueous and more sustainable INSQIN^® technology, with which the production of coated textiles also requires up to 95 percent less water and 50 percent less energy compared to conventional production processes," explains Dr. Torsten Pohl, Head of Global Textile Coatings at Covestro. In combination with the technologies from Trans-Textil, this results in unique properties with a wearing comfort and functionalities that raise the standard of synthetics to a new level and are now also verifiably vegan according to the PFI standard.

In addition to textile substrates, the test seal also included waterproof, breathable Topaz membrane systems based on polyurethane (PU) and polyester (PES), so that there is a great deal of creative freedom in product design with regard to structure, coloring and technical properties. The PU hotmelt systems used to manufacture the multi-layer composite products, which are applied at Trans-Textil using the high-quality and durable Point-in-Point^® lamination technology, have also been vegan tested. Water-repellent properties are already integrated in AQUAIR^® and no additives need to be added which are currently often viewed critically. All components and process steps are also tested according to Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX^® for processing without harmful ingredients.

In a regional and responsibly designed supply chain, breathable synthetic products "Made in Germany" are created with AQUAIR^® for the design of shoe components, leisure, sports and outdoor clothing, bags and accessories as well as for use in functional upholstery and furniture – even for small series or samples. The production as roll goods is the basis for an optimal use of material in the manufacture. If required, compatible Topaz tapes are available for seam sealing, which are also based on water-based formulation components.

Since the new dispersion has the same outstanding properties as the established one, as well as a high solids content of 55 percent, customers can now replace Impranil^® DLU one-to-one with Impranil^® CQ DLU in their processing operations – and thereby easily achieve an additional increase in textile coating sustainability. Sustainability is increasingly becoming a key purchasing criterion not only for the industry, but also for brand owners and consumers. CQ stands for "Circular Intelligence". The core idea of the CQ concept is to label Covestro products if the alternative raw material base exceeds a content of 25 percent, as in this case.

As the raw material for INSQIN^® technology, the established Impranil^® DLU already enables aqueous textile coating without the use of solvents. The ecological footprint of such a coating is significantly lower than that of solvent-based systems. "With the innovation Impranil^® CQ DLU as part of our Impranil^® CQ portfolio, we are now enabling the textile coatings industry to take the next step towards more sustainability through the increased use of renewable resources," says Dr. Torsten Pohl, Head of Global Textile Coatings at Covestro.

Impranil^® CQ DLU is suitable, among other things, for producing synthetic materials for sports articles, technical textiles, car interiors, and bags. Properties of coatings based on the new high-performance dispersion include excellent hydrolysis resistance, very good lightfastness, as well as high tensile strength and scratch resistance. In addition, the coatings have a pleasant feel and good alkali resistance. Impranil^® CQ DLU can be used for both the intermediate coat and the top coat. The dispersion can be applied in various ways: The spectrum ranges from direct or transfer coating to printing processes and microfiber dipping.

Visit us at the Automotive Interiors Expo

From December 5 to 7, 2023, visitors to the Automotive Interiors Expo in Stuttgart can explore the new PU dispersion for themselves: A car interior door panel coated with Impranil^® CQ DLU will be demonstrated at the Covestro exhibition stand no. 3424 in Hall 3.

“China is one of Covestro’s largest markets and one of the world’s largest polyurethane markets. Covestro remains committed to strengthening its presence within the market while fostering the advancement of industry clientele. The completion of our new facility for polyurethane dispersions (PUD) in Shanghai exemplifies our dedication to meeting the burgeoning demand for sustainable coatings in Asia Pacific, especially China,” affirmed Anand Khot, Senior Vice President of Coatings and Adhesives Asia Pacific at Covestro.

The #STATUSNEXT series events feature online seminars and virtual exhibition halls. These platforms are thoughtfully designed to offer industry colleagues a flexible, convenient, and highly efficient communication channel.

Commencing with innovation: expanding product portfolio  

Covestro remains customer centric, perpetually broadening its product portfolio to meet the industry’s stringent requirements for carbon reduction, emissions reduction, and heightened quality and efficiency. The latest additions comprise:

·       The Desmodur^® N 31500 hardener, innovatively developed in China, is designed for metal coatings in railway transportation. It meets industry needs for low-carbon emission and high-efficiency coating processes. It is suitable for two-component non-baking high-solids coating systems, enabling fast drying and DTM (direct to metal) processes. In a single rolling stock workshop, this system potentially saves about 25 percent of energy for 1,000 carriages annually, reducing CO₂ emissions by approximately 24,000 tons. Additionally, Desmodur^® N 31500 can enhance production efficiency and workplace hygiene in automated coating and sanding processes.

·       Desmodur^® ultra E 30800, a solvent-free polyisocyanate crosslinker based on HDI, is specifically designed for the Pasquick^® coating system. It has diverse applications in flooring, grout, anti-corrosion coatings, and beyond. With low monomer content, it prioritizes industrial hygiene and safety. Its low viscosity removes the need for solvent dilution during use, striking a balance between extended pot life and fast drying. Additionally, it provides excellent water resistance and durability while maintaining a balance between rigidity and flexibility.

·       The upgraded waterborne acrylic emulsion, NeoCryl^® XK 824, is locally developed to address challenges posed by adverse weather and environmental conditions in industrial coating applications. This upgraded product excels in early water resistance, crucial for safeguarding against potential damage in humid environments during the coating and curing process, ensuring the surface integrity of workpieces. With its high solid content, NeoCryl^® XK 824 enables the rapid stacking of workpieces after coating, significantly enhancing production efficiency. Furthermore, its remarkable salt spray resistance enhances the performance of industrial light anticorrosive coatings, making it suitable for use as primers, topcoats, and mono-coat systems on metal substrates.

·       Driven by sustainable development trends in the packaging industry, paper-based packaging materials are widely used. Covestro’s new waterborne acrylic emulsion, NeoCryl^® A 2085, is specially developed for barrier coating of food-contact-grade paper packaging. This product provides excellent water and grease resistance, effectively preserving the taste and quality of packaged foods. This innovative technology serves as a sustainable alternative to traditional polyethylene (PE) laminating films. Packaging featuring NeoCryl^® A 2085 is a responsible option, aligning with regulations to ensure consumer health and safety by avoiding the use of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Additionally, NeoCryl^® A 2085 contributes to promoting paper recycling and reuse, as demonstrated by repulping test results exceeding 90 percent.

·       In the pursuit of a circular economy, alternative raw materials play a crucial role. Covestro introduces Decovery^® CQ 6010, a partially bio-based waterborne acrylic emulsion with 37 percent bio-based content. Its barrier performance is comparable to traditional fossil-based products when used for barrier coating. This coating ensures food freshness with a low moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR). Decovery^® CQ 6010 serves as a viable alternative to multi-layer paper-based food and non-food packaging materials produced through polyethylene (PE) lamination coating processes. Test results, including a repulping test exceeding 90 percent, align with the commitment to recycling and reusing paper-based food packaging.

Cultivating service capabilities

Covestro has been actively expanding its product portfolios to meet evolving development needs across various industries. Concurrently, the company has been enhancing its service capabilities to effectively cater to the diverse demands within specific sectors. In collaboration with Du Huanzheng, a professor from Tongji University and FoodTalks, an industry portal, Covestro has co-authored a comprehensive white paper titled “Sustainable Packaging Innovation Trends: How Food and Beverage Companies Achieve ‘Comprehensive Recycling’.”  This publication delves into strategies for guiding packaging technology towards recyclable and sustainable pathways, covering a range of topics—from the recycling of paper-based materials to monomaterial flexible packaging and the utilization of bio-based inks and adhesives.

Covestro will leverage its innovation capabilities and local market insights through this partnership to address the challenges facing the industry in its transition to sustainability, such as high energy consumption resulting from complex multi-step baking processes and the low efficiency associated with manual coating application.

“In alignment with the objectives of China’s 14^th Five-Year Plan, which emphasize green advanced manufacturing and the high-quality development of railroad vehicles, CRRC Tangshan has been proactively engaging with innovative materials manufacturer Covestro and paint maker Paint-Key to explore energy-saving and emission-reduction solutions,” said Ma Xiaofeng, Director of Manufacture Technology Center at CRRC Tangshan Co., Ltd. “We have already made tangible progress, and with this partnership, we are excited about our role in guiding the railway transportation industry into a new era of sustainability.”

“Paint-Key is committed to fostering scientific and technological innovation. Our primary focus is to transform scientific and technological breakthroughs into specialized coating solutions that effectively address industry-specific challenges,” said Ye Fuqiang, President of Suzhou Paint-Key Material Science Co., Ltd. “The cooperation agreement with Covestro and CRRC Tangshan aims to advance various aspects of railway transportation painting, including production efficiency, energy conservation, carbon reduction, and the promotion of water-borne solutions.”

Covestro’s low-carbon emission coating solutions for the railway transportation industry play a pivotal role in CRRC Tangshan’s transition towards a greener, low-carbon future, serving as the central focus of the latest cooperation agreement.

High-speed railroad car components, such as wheel bogies, traditionally require multi-layer coating and multi-step baking production processes. Covestro’s low-carbon coating solution is designed for two-component, non-baking systems, enabling rapid curing and direct to metal (DTM) application for enhanced efficiency. This innovation empowers CRRC Tangshan to streamline its coating processes and significantly reduce workshop energy consumption related to coating baking. Consequently, this solution is expected to save approximately 20 million kilowatt-hours annually in the final production workshop. This estimation is based on an annual production of 1,000 carriages, equating to roughly 25 percent of the current energy consumption. Additionally, the adoption of a non-baking system is expected to contribute to an annual reduction of approximately 24,000 tons in CO₂ emissions.

Traditional putty used in railway vehicle bodywork relies on unsaturated polyester systems and manual application. Covestro’s low-carbon solution revolutionizes this process by enabling automated spraying and sanding of putty, along with rapid ambient curing. This breakthrough has the potential to significantly enhance vehicle production efficiency, with an estimated reduction of 40 percent in the production cycle time.

“We’re committed to a ‘customer-centric’ approach, leveraging our robust research and development capabilities to comprehensively support urban rail and high-speed rail in elevating their green manufacturing standards,” said Li Jinqi, Vice President of Covestro’s Coatings and Adhesives segment in Greater China. “Beyond our energy-saving and carbon-reduction solutions, we also provide cutting-edge waterborne coating solutions for the railway transportation sector, providing practical greener solutions from the raw material end. By doing so, we aim to transform the vision of a circular economy into reality.”

Covestro’s waterborne topcoat solution for high-speed trains has successfully completed 300,000 kilometers of off-road testing, fulfilling commercial standards. This solution exhibits outstanding weather resistance and chemical durability, capable of withstanding adverse factors like wind, sand, stones, and changing weather conditions, satisfying the stringent requirements for high-speed train topcoats. It also delivers a high-gloss finish that meets the aesthetic design requirements of premium trains.

For a closer look at Covestro’s solutions for a fully circular future at the CIIE, visit us at booth 3B6-05, at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) from November 5 to 10, 2023.

A key highlight in this portfolio is Dispercoll^® U2682, designed specifically to meet the demanding needs of the consumer electronics industry in temperature-sensitive lamination applications. This innovative PUD enables adhesive activation at lower temperatures (50-55°C). It not only enhances adaptability to various materials and environments but also lowers energy consumption. It enables single-sided gluing, resulting in minimal adhesive usage and waste while maintaining strong adhesion.

In response to the footwear industry’s pursuit of streamlined processes, Covestro has introduced the cutting-edge Dispercoll^® U 68 PLUS 1K waterborne adhesive solution for shoemaking. This solution boasts outstanding hydrolysis resistance, washing durability, initial bonding strength, and heat resistance, addressing the industry’s specific adhesive demands. Furthermore, it optimizes both equipment and labor costs associated with on-site mixing processes.

Covestro’s newly enhanced waterborne polyurethane adhesive solutions, Dispercoll^® U PLUS and Desmodur^®, are tailored for the automotive interior market, delivering heightened quality and environmental sustainability. In comparison to conventional solutions, these enhancements prioritize low VOC and solvent emissions while guaranteeing the stability of bonding performance even in demanding climate conditions.

Covestro has launched Dispercoll^® U84, a versatile adhesive raw material applicable in soft furniture and car seats, notable for its good yellowing resistance, absence of halogens, and low VOC content. As a polyurethane-based material, it serves as an ideal choice for bonding polyurethane foam in mattress applications. This innovation offers a monomaterial solution that streamlines the recycling process, paving the way for future possibilities in the chemical recycling of foam mattresses.

Also showcased is Decovery^® CQ 6400, a label adhesive resin that is partially biobased (35 percent) and suitable for application on glass and PET bottle labels. This innovation leads to a reduction of 300 grams of CO₂ emissions per kilogram when compared to traditional products.¹ Its alkali solubility simplifies label removal during recycling, promoting environmental conservation from production to disposal and fostering a circular economy.

Dr. Sherry Yang, Head of Application and Development Asia Pacific, Business Entity Coatings and Adhesives at Covestro, said, “Covestro has consistently embraced a customer-centric approach throughout our research and development endeavors, crafting adaptive solutions that align with the specific needs of industry sectors. Covestro aims to strengthen its presence in China, seamlessly integrating production and research capabilities. This will expedite the transition from conventional solvent-based products to water-based systems, therefore promoting the advancement of the circular economy within the broader industry.”

Covestro has recently completed a new PUD facility at its integrated site in Shanghai. Once coming on stream in the first quarter of next year, this increased capacity is poised to address the rising demand for environmentally compatible coatings and adhesives in China and Asia Pacific. It will also offer PUD grades with more circular contents in 2024.

¹ According to internal calculations

“With this new facility we aim to offer the broadest portfolio of PUDs to support the sustainability efforts of downstream industries here in Asia Pacific,” said Dr. Thorsten Dreier, Chief Technology Officer of Covestro, at an event in Shanghai marking the mechanical completion of the plant. “The modular concept adopted in the construction phase will also enable us to implement future investment projects and build up capacity more efficiently to capture market demand.”

Housed inside Covestro Integrated Site Shanghai (CISS), the plant was built by a service provider, leveraging modular construction under controlled conditions in a hall in Nantong, Jiangsu province. The individual modules, upon completion, were transported to and assembled at the final site. This approach helps shorten the total construction lead time while making investment more efficient.

High-performance PUDs to drive sustainability trends

Building on Covestro’s local innovation strengths, the new plant will further enhance the company’s capability to supply PUD, supporting sustainability trends in the coatings and adhesives industry in Asia Pacific. For example, waterborne PUDs are key enablers for low-emission solutions. They also help customers to more efficiently apply furniture paints or bonding in shoemaking, thanks to the innovative one-component technology from Covestro.

“With this additional PUD capacity, we are meeting and driving the trend for sustainable, waterborne coatings and adhesives in Asia Pacific, reinforcing our commitment to customers in this region. Our ongoing dedication to sustainability and circularity enables us to provide our customers and partners with even better access to more sustainable solutions that at the same time offer comparable performance to classic, solvent-based products. This enables us to actively promote widespread adoption of environmentally compatible alternatives,” said Dr. Thomas Roemer, Head of Business Entity Coatings and Adhesives at Covestro.

“With this new PUD facility, we are even better positioned to meeting the growing market demand for more sustainable materials in China and Asia Pacific,” said Holly Lei, President of Covestro China. “It also further enhances the capability of Covestro Integrated Site Shanghai, which plays a key role for us as we support our customers’ sustainability journey.”

To help customers reduce their carbon footprint, more circular PUDs will be offered from the Shanghai plant with a share of biobased or biocircular raw materials. CISS received its ISCC PLUS certification in 2021, which allows it to supply mass-balanced products in large volumes. To make more sustainable products easier to distinguish, Covestro furthermore introduced the suffix “CQ”. CQ stands for “Circular Intelligence” and identifies products containing a minimum of 25 percent alternative raw materials.  

The new official team equipment provided by Huafeng features shorts and sports shoes with designs using Huafeng’s newly launched HAPTIC^® textile coating system, which contains partly bio-based INSQIN^® PU dispersions from Covestro. In addition, fabrics for the garments and shoes are made by Huafeng based on Cyclone recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) yarns derived from post-consumer plastic bottles. The shoe upper material is made of 100 percent Cyclone rPET, while the shorts consist of 86 percent Cyclone rPET and 14 percent Spandex for ensuring a comfortable fit.

Lina Schwering, Team Manager of Team Sonnenwagen Aachen: “Our new official equipment looks fantastic – and we’re particularly excited about its sustainability benefits! Combined with its excellent performance, it fits well with our vision for a more sustainable mobility future. We’re grateful for the continued support of Cyclone, Huafeng with its HAPTIC^® products, and Covestro as we pursue this vision.”

The next generation of textile coating

Developed by Huafeng using Covestro’s partly bio-based PU Impranil^® CQ DLS/1, the HAPTIC^® Art textile coating system used for the shoes enables especially outstanding aesthetics, improved mechanical performance, and reduced production-related emissions. Thanks to its high solids content and thixotropic properties, the system allows manufacturers to achieve a high coating thickness, making it well-suited for creating coatings with detailed images and sophisticated 3D effects on apparel and footwear.

Images and textures applied using the HAPTIC^® Art ink system have undergone a series of tests for properties such as flexibility, adhesion, and resistance to hydrolysis, washing, and abrasion. The excellent results demonstrate that the Art ink is particularly suitable for coating on high-performance sports footwear. In recognition of its excellent mechanical properties, Huafeng’s ink coating system recently received the ISPO Best Product Award.

Dr. Thomas Schmidt, Director of Innovation & Creation at Huafeng: “HAPTIC^® Art ink represents an important expansion of our aesthetic coating capabilities, offering exceptional design versatility along with substantial environmental benefits. For example, the new Team Sonnenwagen shoes deliver savings of 260 g CO₂e per pair compared to conventionally manufactured sports shoes*. We look forward to developing even more sustainable solutions that help drive the future of textile coating.”

Toward a more sustainable sportswear industry

With strong environmental credentials, this new coating system can also help meet the growing demand for more sustainable sportswear. Traditionally, sports apparel and footwear have relied heavily on virgin fossil-based PET materials and PU coatings to achieve the required performance, appearance, and durability. However, by combining Huafeng’s textile coating expertise with Covestro’s partly bio-based INSQIN^® PU technology, Team Sonnenwagen´s new equipment proves that a more sustainable approach is possible.

Dr. Torsten Pohl, Head of Global Textile Coatings at Covestro: "This new textile coating system represents a major step forward in terms of both performance and aesthetics. Covestro’s partly bio-based Impranil^® CQ PU dispersion plays a major role in the shoe’s strong environmental credentials, contributing around 80 g to the overall CO₂e savings*. This technology will enable garment and footwear manufacturers to create products that not only look incredible but also deliver a reduced environmental impact."

_{*According to internal calculations}

The latest innovation from Covestro provides a solution to meet these growing needs: a partially bio-based barrier coating resin, Decovery^® CQ 6010, which helps ‘close the loop’ for recyclable paper packaging.

Reducing waste by replacing PE and aluminum layers

Many packaged food products are sensitive to moisture, so controlling the moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) is critical to maintaining the quality of the food. To protect the product inside a package, paper and board food packaging is often laminated with polyethylene (PE) or aluminum. These materials limit the packaging’s recyclability, meaning it often ends up going to landfill or being incinerated. Covestro’s innovative barrier coating resin reduces waste by replacing these PE or aluminum layers in paper food packaging to make it recyclable.

By enabling low MVTR values, Decovery^® CQ 6010 provides a moisture barrier to protect the food, as well as delivering good oil and grease resistance. This makes it suitable for use in packaging for a wide range of food, from dry high-fat products such as chocolate bars to ice cream, frozen food, and fresh fruit. The resin is made with 37 percent plant-based and transparently sourced ingredients, such as bark, castor beans, and corn. This substantially reduces its carbon footprint in comparison to virgin PE and standard fossil-based coatings.

Davide Reverdito Bove, Sector Marketing Manager Printing & Packaging at Covestro: "While PE laminates do a good job of protecting food contents, they make food packaging virtually impossible to recycle. As a result, a lot of them go to landfill or are incinerated. Our new resin is a game-changer in addressing this issue. It gives food producers and packaging makers an excellent opportunity to deliver the protection that packaging requires while having less impact on the environment. That’s just one reason why we are so proud of this new coating, and so excited to be telling the world about it."

To learn more about Decovery^® CQ 6010, visit its dedicated landing page: 
https://solutions.covestro.com/en/highlights/articles/stories/2023/decovery-cq-6010

At the inauguration of the new line, the company also launched its new Desmopan^®UP TPU series. UP stands for “Ultimate Protection”. The series offers high durability, adaptability and aesthetics, protecting automotive surface coatings from harsh environmental conditions. The material can also be used to protect wind blades or screens of smart devices.

“We are convinced that our customers and the TPU market enquire not just materials suppliers, but partners to jointly develop solutions. We at Covestro have the capabilities to be such a partner,” says Dr. Andrea Maier-Richter, Head of TPU at Covestro. “We strive to collaborate with our customers and along the value chain to unlock the potential of Desmopan^®UP and meet the growth ambitions of core industries such as automotive and wind.”

The global PPF market is projected to grow steadily until 2030, with the Asia-Pacific region accounting for the largest share of the overall market. The expected growth in that region in turn is driven in large part by the growth of the chinese market. At the same time, North America and Europe are showing solid growth projections as well.

The high interest in the material stems mostly from increasing attention of vehicle owners to the aesthetic condition of vehicles and particularly their surfaces. TPU is a performance benchmark in PPF for quality, long-term aesthetics and surface integrity. Covestro is one of the biggest international suppliers of TPU resins for PPF production.

"We are really excited to start our new production line and launch the new Desmopan^®UP series to meet the increasing demand for high-performance PPF in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world," says Lisa Ketelsen, Head of TPU in the Asia-Pacific region. "This is a perfect example of how Covestro is committed to providing our customers with innovative, high-performance solutions to meet emerging challenges. In addition to this, we can also further develop our product range together with our customers thanks to our local R&D capabilities."

In PPF, the choice of materials and its formulation play a decisive role. Covestro has put years of research into formulation and advanced manufacturing technologies to build the basis for the Desmopan^®UP-based TPUs for PPF. It provides superior UV durability, excellent hydrolysis and chemical resistance, as well as outstanding optical clarity. This ensures long-lasting performance, weather resistance, and impact resistance. In addition, Desmopan^®UP allows PPF to adapt to the complex designs and surfaces of different vehicles quickly and easily.

The R&D teams of Solar Coating Solutions booked their first successes back in 2005 with the development of a new and innovative anti-reflective coating, which could be used in different applications. Around 2010, however, the solar industry worldwide started to emerge and turned into a business opportunity with a huge market demand and growth potential. This was the trigger for the decision to build a dedicated production plant for solar glass coatings in the Netherlands, more specifically on the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Geleen.

With the solar photovoltaic industry growing globally, the Solar Coatings Business also spread its wings and installed teams in China and in the US. Thanks to smart decision taking, to the expertise of its business development teams in the regions and to the excellent performance and quality of its solar glass coatings, the Netherlands’ plant today remains the largest independent producer outside China. Additionally, during the past ten years the solar glass coatings product portfolio developed from a ‘one fits all solution’ to a highly diversified offering.

Robert von Beulwitz, Managing Director of the Solar Coating Solution, explains: ʺToday we offer amongst others combined anti-reflective and anti-soiling coatings for modules used in desert environments, high power coatings for large utility scale solar parks and special aesthetic coatings for pitch black appearance of solar panels mounted on residential rooftops – mainly in the Netherlands. Our latest innovation being the development and commercialization of a retrofit coating application for older solar parcs. With the expansion of the industry and of our portfolio, we also saw our employee base rising and I would like to thank each and every one of these colleagues for the relentless efforts they deliver every day!ʺ

"All these different solar coating products were developed in the Netherlands by listening to end market requirements around the world. And all of them are produced by employees in our production facility on the Brightlands Campus in Geleen. I am very proud about this story with which – from the Netherlands – we empower solar energy and harvest more energy from the sunʺ, adds Aukje Doornbos, Managing Director of Covestro in the Netherlands.

"Thanks to this new milestone, Covestro will soon be able to serve even more customers around the world with an easily accessible, more sustainable product portfolio," says Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer of Covestro. "Customers in North America can now reduce their carbon footprint and Scope 3 emissions with drop-in, mass-balanced materials derived from recycled and bio-attributed products."

Learn more about Covestro’s ISCC PLUS certification in the US: https://www.covestro.com/en/company/covestro-worldwide/united-states/covestro-in-the-united-states/sustainability-and-innovation/iscc-plus-certification

Covestro is the first manufacturer of polyurethane and polycarbonate raw materials to receive this certification in the United States. The certification is an important milestone for both Covestro and the industries it serves, including the automotive, construction, comfort, electronics and appliance industries, which will now have access to ISCC PLUS-certified products made from more sustainable raw materials in North America.

To underscore how the products support both the company’s vision to become fully circular and its customers' journey to greater sustainability, Covestro has introduced a specially branded product line with the suffix "CQ". CQ, which stands for ʺCircular Intelligenceʺ, is a portfolio of products with attribution of at least 25 percent alternative raw materials derived from biomass or recycled plastics. 

Covestro is also introducing the name Evocycle^® CQ for all evolutionary recycling processes. The first project of this kind is called Evocycle^® CQ Mattress and denotes an innovative chemical recycling technology for polyurethane mattress foam. Covestro currently has more than hundreds of CQ products and is continuously expanding this portfolio.

The ISCC PLUS certified products produced at Covestro’s Baytown facilities will include: 
• Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) – used primarily in the production of rigid polyurethane foam for efficient insulation of refrigeration equipment and buildings
• Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) – used in the production of flexible foam for the automotive and furniture industries
• Makrolon^® RE – polycarbonate, a high-grade plastic used in the automotive, electronics and medical industries, among others
• Hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), Desmodur^® W and Desmodur^® Z – used in various coatings and adhesive applications

Covestro expects to begin supplying select ISCC PLUS-certified products from its Baytown facility in the second half of 2023.

The products will be produced using a mass-balance approach. Sustainable raw materials will be accounted for throughout both the value chain and production process, allowing for an accurate attribution in the end products. The existing production infrastructure will be utilized while reducing the carbon footprint of the final products.

ISCC is an internationally recognized sustainability certification for biomass and bioenergy. The standard applies to all stages of the value chain and is recognized worldwide.

"In our studio, we offer solutions for current challenges, but also want to inspire our customers with visions for ambitious future goals. True to our motto 'Status Next,' we are our customers' partner in driving the circular economy in the coatings and adhesives industry to make our lives more sustainable," says Dickon Purvis, Head of Marketing in the Coatings and Adhesives segment at Covestro. "Only in close exchange with external stakeholders can we identify trends early on and offer products and technologies tailored to future requirements."

In focus: circular economy, productivity and regulations

For the coatings and adhesives sector, as well as downstream industries, the transformation to a circular economy is key to combating climate change and conserving resources. As a leading raw material manufacturer, Covestro is aware of the great responsibility it bears for optimizing these products so that they make an important contribution to the transformation as fundamental building blocks for coatings and adhesives formulations.

At the same time, it is important to maintain or even increase productivity at a high level to ensure growth and profitability in these industries. And last but not least, Covestro wants to support customers in complying with stricter regulations and standards, with the aim of improving occupational safety and industrial hygiene. For all these goals, the company has set up the Status Next Studio platform to ensure lasting and strong customer relationships in an increasingly digitalized world.

The spectrum of applications and industries for Covestro solutions is wide, ranging from future mobility, smart living and infrastructure development to sports and leisure, health and beauty, architecture and construction, printing and packaging. The Status Next Content Warehouse offers highlight topics and best practice examples on the aforementioned focus areas and industries.

Webinars on key trends

Covestro invites customers, partners and anyone interested to dive into the key trends impacting the world of coatings and adhesives. To this end, the company is offering three webinars in English on the following key topics:

Circular Economy 
Tuesday, March 21, 2023, from 14:00 CET. 
Register at https://solutions.covestro.com/en/webinars/2023-03-21-circular-economy/?utm_medium=offline&utm_source=press_release&utm_campaign=ca_2023_status_next&utm_asset=26225&utm_content=status_next_q1_corp_press_release_ce_webinar_registration_page

Regulations 
Wednesday, March 22, 2023, from 14:00 CET 
Register at https://solutions.covestro.com/en/webinars/2023-03-22-regulations/?utm_medium=offline&utm_source=press_release&utm_campaign=ca_2023_status_next&utm_asset=26225&utm_content=status_next_q1_corp_press_release_regulations_webinar_registration_page

Productivity 
Thursday, March 23, 2023, from 14:00 CET 
Register at https://solutions.covestro.com/en/webinars/2023-03-23-productivity/?utm_medium=offline&utm_source=press_release&utm_campaign=ca_2023_status_next&utm_asset=26225&utm_content=status_next_q1_corp_press_release_productivity_webinar_registration_page

In its Status Next Collaboration Suite, Covestro invites participants to further webinars on overarching and strategic coatings and adhesives topics for various industries, where participants can directly exchange ideas with experts from the company.

“We wish to share our expertise, reliability, and the high quality of our materials today and our sustainable, circular, futuristic vision of tomorrow. We will continue to deepen our influence in the industry as we answer its needs and explore more sustainable possibilities, ultimately becoming your inventive companion for hands-on coatings and adhesives solutions,” said Zhong Xiaobin, Senior Vice President of Covestro Coatings and Adhesives Asia Pacific.

Empowering high-quality development

Covering mobility, construction, printing & packaging, and home & living, Covestro is launching a series of bio-based and waterborne polyurethane coatings and adhesives solutions to support high-quality and sustainable development in China.

• The new polyurethane dispersion (PUD) Bayhydrol^® UH 2110 can be used as waterborne basecoat for automobile, replacing solvent borne basecoats. It ensures consistent colors while supporting automakers to operate more sustainably.
• The upgraded two-component waterborne polyurethane Dispercoll® U plus for auto interior lamination features enhanced heat and climate resistance. The low-VOC and low-odor solution thus can ensure the stability of bonding performance in challenging climate conditions.
• Bayhydur^® ultra 309 is a locally developed and produced hydrophilic polyisocyanate for two-component waterborne PU coatings for the construction sector. As a cost-effective solution with high performance, it can be used in flooring coating and wall coating to provide excellent easy-to-clean and scratch resistance performance even in matt formulation.
• The bio-based resins Decovery^® CQ are tailor-made for printing and packaging applications. Decovery^® CQ 6200 is tailored for inks and primers, while Decovery^® CQ 6400 can be used in bottle label adhesives. Containing alternative raw materials, Decovery^® CQ can effectively reduce manufacturers’ carbon footprints while making production process more sustainable and meets the environmental demands of the packaging markets .
• NeoCryl^® A 1137 — a waterborne self-crosslinking acrylic copolymer emulsion — is another innovative solution for printing and packaging. It can be used as a primer for UV inks, providing excellent adhesion and printability. It can also be used for flexo and gravure film surface printing inks. This waterborne solution enables film applications with lower VOC emissions.
• The Bayhydur^® ultra 307/1 hydrophilic polyisocyanate hardener for two-component waterborne PU wood coatings was newly developed for the China market. It features enhanced compatibility with hydroxyl resins, which can bring better transparency, and physical and chemical performance. The product also has cost-effective advantages.

Next: Pioneering a Circular Economy

“With our entrepreneurial vision of becoming fully circular, we aim for operational climate neutrality by 2035 for our own emissions as well as external energy sources. Therefore, in the light of the current business, we are advancing our local innovation and production capability, featuring our new production facilities in Shanghai. The new plant for PUDs is positioned to address the rising demand for more environmentally compatible coatings and adhesives solutions,” said Dr. Thorsten Dreier, Global Head of Coatings and Adhesive at Covestro.

The CQ portfolio is one of Covestro’s best practices in implementing its vision of a circular economy. Launched in May 2022, the “CQ” brand stands for “Circular Intelligence” and aims to make circular solutions in the product portfolio even more visible to customers. Products labelled as such consist of at least 25 percent alternative raw materials.

For more information on the new launches, please visit Covestro’s Digital Showroom.

According to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed at Covestro’s booth at the China International Import Expo, the company will work with customers like Sherwin-Williams and Changzhou Changtu Chemical Co. Ltd, logistics solution and infrastructure partners such as Sinotrans Chemical International Logistics and Harbour New Energy Technology Shenzhen, as well as industry organizations such as Smart Freight Center China to devise new green logistics solutions to further reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the industry ecosystem.

Truck transport in focus

In the Asia-Pacific region, around 70 percent of Covestro's goods are transported by truck, while in Europe and North America only around one-third is transported by road in each case, with inland waterways and railroads otherwise being used more frequently.

As such, the new partnership will focus on designing more sustainable means of road transportation by truck, and evaluate the viability of certain solutions under specific scenarios.

This includes the experiment of using electric trucks, which are prohibited for the road transport of dangerous goods under Chinese and European laws, for the short-distance shuttling of non-dangerous chemicals – free of limitations regarding the range. The team is also trying biodiesel, whose prices are subsidized in Shanghai, in long-haul transport of dangerous goods. Other solutions the program is looking at include hydrogen fuel cell-powered trucks. Some of the experiments will be adopted in real cases with cost and benefit estimation in the first half of 2023 under the partnership.

"The idea is to pilot, adopt and scale up low-emission fuels, vehicles and more sustainable logistics solutions with optimal costs and even financial benefits through an open platform," says Samir Hifri, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain & Logistics Asia Pacific, Covestro. "We believe the supply chain could be an essential part for the chemical industry to achieve climate neutrality, and it’s crucial for us to find a balance between economics and emission reductions through such collaboration."

Under the partnership, efforts will also be made to standardize calculations and reporting of GHG emissions. Through these efforts, Covestro and its partners hope to create a transparent and reliable certification mechanism that promotes green logistics as a widely applicable business model in the industry.

Jason You, Senior Supply Chain Director of Sherwin-Williams Asia, said: "Sherwin-Williams is committed to satisfying customer needs through quality products, excellent service and a highly trained and professional workforce and is constantly seeking ways to become more sustainable. We are excited to work with Covestro and other leading partners on this challenge. We look forward to continuing to innovate and introduce more sustainably advantaged product solutions to our customers in China and across the globe."

Key to scope 3 emissions target

Earlier this year, Covestro announced that it is aiming to become operationally climate neutral – this includes reducing both direct emissions from its own operations (scope 1) as well as indirect emissions from purchased energy (scope 2) to net zero – by 2035. The company will be reporting its scope 3 emissions target next year.

"The MoU marks an essential step in Covestro’s planned announcement of the scope 3 emission target in 2023," says Zhong Xiaobin, Senior Vice President of the Coatings and Adhesives segment of Covestro in Asia Pacific. "We expect to provide an integrated offering that combines more sustainable products and logistics services, thus supporting our customers to meet their sustainability and climate-neutrality targets and moving towards a circular economy."

The largest import themed expo in the world, the CIIE gathers a myriad of companies from across industries every year. This is Covestro’s second appearance following its debut in 2021.

"The world is increasingly facing enormous challenges. It is in our hands to meet them and set the course for a green, smart and safe future. Many ideas, concepts and technologies are there, they now need to be realized with determination," says Dr. Markus Steilemann, CEO of Covestro. "At CIIE, we want to raise awareness for building a circular economy and for climate neutrality by presenting particularly innovative and sustainable material solutions. At the same time, we want to strengthen relationships with our partners in China and around the world."

A leading example of Covestro’s successful partnerships comes from Hong Kong-based Sinomax, a manufacturer of polyurethane-based comfort products, which will make the global debut of its first low-carbon mattress at the Covestro booth.

"We are honored to stage the world debut of our new low-carbon sleep system products together with Covestro at the CIIE," says Sinomax President Eric Cheung. "This marks a major step towards sustainable development at Sinomax Group, amid growing market demand for low-carbon products in China and around the globe. We look forward to further cooperating with Covestro on a global scale for more sustainable products."

The mattress uses bio-attributed mass-balanced TDI (toluylene diisocyanate), a key component for the production of flexible foams, purchased from Covestro. This can reduce CO₂ equivalent emissions by about 10 kilograms for a single mattress.

Materials with lower carbon footprint

Covestro offers renewable TDI, among other materials, using the mass-balanced method, under which alternative raw materials are allocated to the products as certified by ISCC PLUS. They uphold the same high quality as their fossil-based counterparts without customers having to change their processing operations, while enabling them to reduce CO₂ emissions.

Other solutions featuring the mass-balanced method at CIIE include low-carbon coatings applied to the wood structure on Covestro’s booth. The coatings, made by Chinese company Baichuan, are based on the Desmodur^® CQ hardener from Covestro. The hardener contains more than 30 percent of biomass according to ISCC PLUS and reduces CO₂ emissions by more than 20 percent from cradle to Covestro’s factory gate.

"We believe mass-balanced solutions, among other low-carbon materials, are crucial to support the sustainable development and climate-neutral future of various industries and society. But to broaden this impact, we rely on the strength of more partnerships, and that’s why we are here at the CIIE," says Covestro China President Holly Lei.

In another example, Covestro and Chinese premium smart EV brand HiPhi are deepening their partnership to create next-generation solutions to make mobility smarter and greener. Under a new agreement to be inked during the CIIE, an array of Covestro’s CO₂-reduced polycarbonates, coating and adhesive solutions are expected to be applied in HiPhi’s future models, enabling new functions while reducing their carbon footprint.

Broad portfolio to promote circular economy

Covestro will showcase its cutting-edge materials, solutions, technologies and collaborative ties at several exhibition areas: Future Mobility, Clean Energy, Green Building and Sustainable Living, on top of a Branding & Culture corner designed to improve visitor engagement.

"We look forward to further advancing our sustainable development agenda in China through advocacy and collaboration with our customers, partners and other key stakeholders here," Lei adds.

To learn more about Covestro’s solutions for a climate-neutral future at the CIIE, visit its booth, 3C3-01, at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) from November 5 to 10, 2022.

¹ Renewable TDI is produced using the mass balance approach using renewable feedstocks – from virgin biomass as well as biowaste and residuals – which are mathematically assigned to the product.

Covestro is presenting the advanced solutions for automotive interiors unveiled at the K 2022 plastics trade show to the advanced solutions for automotive interiors now at this year's Automotive Interiors Expo in Stuttgart, Germany, November 8-10, 2022. At booth 3312 in Hall 3, the company will showcase a range of smart and sustainable material solutions that keep pace with the latest trends in automotive interior design.

Shaping the driving experience with new technologies

Makrolon^® Ai polycarbonate offers a special edge-lit composite color that can range from transparent to translucent, providing various options for ambient and dynamic automotive interior lighting. The combination of this material with the lightweight composite Maezio^®, which offers tremendous design freedom and is made partly from post-industrial recycled materials, allows occupants to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Functional integration through back-injection of polycarbonate

Covestro has developed the first material that is shrinkage-free and highly dimensionally stable, transparent and heat-resistant: Makroblend^® OM 845G, a polycarbonate blend with 20 percent glass fibers. This material can be back-injected and back-lit to create textured and 3D shapes.

Soft-touch coatings create surprising textures

Covestro offers a versatile range of hard to flexible aqueous 2-component (2K) polyurethane dispersions that allow a high degree of design freedom (from soft to hard). By combining this 2K polyurethane technology with edge-lit and high-tech Makrolon® Ai materials, it is possible to create a wide range of innovative textures.

Innovative coatings and adhesives for instrument panels and door 
trims

Together with designer Miika Heikkinen, Covestro's Coatings & Adhesives and Engineering Plastics segments have developed a door panel concept with new material solutions. The prototype contains a waterborne coating with innovative INSQIN^® technology in combination with an adhesive based on a Dispercoll^® U dispersion – two waterborne polyurethane (PU) solutions with low levels of volatile organic components (VOCs). Specially developed to provide cost-effective and sustainable applications for future automotive interior requirements, they provide translucent appearance, coating adhesion and deep color effects in door panels. As a vegan solution, the lower CO₂ emissions and reduced energy consumption of INSQIN^® can reduce the overall CO₂ footprint of plastics by up to 45 percent while providing virtually odor-free indoor air quality. The carbon footprint can be further improved by using an Impranil^® CQ DLU PU dispersion, which consists of approximately 35 percent renewable carbon by weight. In addition, the application also includes a partially biobased water-based soft-touch coating with up to 33 percent renewable carbon in the final formulation.

Lighting and heating integrated into the sunroof

Panoramic sunroofs and moonroofs are very popular in modern vehicles. Covestro, in collaboration with Loomia, has developed a roll-up sunroof shade concept that combines the sun-reflecting properties of Platilon^® TPU film during daylight hours with integrated fabric circuits for lighting and heating at night and in cold weather. To help passengers get the most out of the interior, we bonded the textile surface and electronics layer using our thin and flexible Platilon^® polyurethane film. It is tough enough to withstand repeated rolling without compromising performance.

Makrolon^® and Makrofol^® films for smart surfaces

Covestro and TactoTek^® have teamed up again to showcase the endless, more sustainable design possibilities of IMSE^® technology: Together, they developed demonstrators that showcase functional electronics while integrating control surfaces, computers and displays. The final design consists of a Raspberry Pi computer, an OLED display, all necessary circuitry and electronic components, and inks for coloring and decorating – all embedded in a Makrolon^® resin between two layers of Makrofol^® film. With this, we are showcasing powerful new material solutions for consumer electronics with a mono-material design where the plastic can be recovered at will and converted into new raw materials.

A revolution in packaging materials

Traditional flexible plastic packaging uses multi-material laminates, which are difficult to recycle as it is expensive and time-consuming to separate the different polymer layers. Driven by concern around packaging waste from consumers, governments, and industry, packaged goods brands are looking for more circular solutions. One increasingly popular option is mono-material packaging, made with materials such as BOPE.

BOPE can be used to make flexible packaging in which all the layers are manufactured from PE polymer grades. This packaging can then be recycled in a single stream. However, BOPE-based mono-material stand-up pouches are difficult to manufacture at scale on FFS lines due to their low heat resistance compared with current PET- or PA-containing laminates. To solve this problem, Covestro engineered a heat-resistant coating for mono-PE BOPE-based stand-up pouches. This increases the pouches’ heat resistance so they can be manufactured on high-speed FFS production lines while maintaining high visual and performance qualities. Thanks to Covestro’s new coating, SABIC’s BOPE polymer can be a viable alternative to replace PA and PET containing multi-material laminates for flexible plastic packaging.

"We take our responsibility to create lower-impact packaging seriously. Our circular economy strategy focuses on recyclable solutions that unlock pathways toward closing the loop on materials," explains Davide Reverdito Bove, Sector Marketing Manager at Covestro. "In SABIC, we found an expert partner. This close collaboration will enable us to accelerate the engineering and testing process of our new heat-resistant coating for BOPE with clear benefits for the product quality, the customer, and the planet."

Catalyzing circularity in the packaging industry

Covestro’s heat-resistant coating has several benefits for packaging manufacturers. It prevents heat seal bars from sticking during the sealing stage of the HFFS and VFFS process – allowing for a broader sealing temperature window and eliminating wrinkling and shrinkage. This enables the creation of high-performing mono-material flexible stand-up pouches with simple, single-stream recyclability.

"Thanks to this heat-resistant coating solution for flexible packaging, manufacturers can meet challenges in processing, without compromising on the properties and machinability of the packaging," says Roel Beckers, Sales Manager at Covestro. "It allows a faster switch to mono-PE solutions and the use of the BOPE material as we work with global value chain partners who share our mindset of contributing to a more circular plastics economy."

Covestro innovative heat-resistant coating enables brands, retailers, film producers, and others in the value chain to create new high-performance yet recyclable mono-material packaging – supporting the drive to achieve a circular economy for flexible packaging in Europe and beyond. Although the coating is currently at the proof-of-concept stage, Covestro and SABIC are excited to further develop this innovative solution into a commercial product, helping brands and consumers achieve their sustainability ambitions. By embracing open innovation, both Covestro and SABIC are also committed to working together with the full packaging value chain to accelerate the introduction of more circular packaging solutions to the market.

"These projects will contribute to the high-quality and sustainable development in China and beyond," said Holly Lei, President of Covestro China. "They will also add to the scale and strength of our Shanghai site, which will be playing a key role in the quest of Covestro to becoming operational climate neutral by 2035."

A leading supplier for sustainable solutions

The new plant for PUDs, as well as a further line for polyester resins, from which PUDs are produced, are due to be completed in 2024. PUDs are used in more environmentally compatible coatings and adhesives for a wide range of applications, including automotive, construction, furniture, footwear and packaging. For instance, Covestro’s Bayhydrol^® and Bayhytherm^® raw materials are used in basecoats for automotive OEM and refinish coatings, as well as in wood and furniture coatings and robust floor coatings, while adhesives formulated with Dispercoll^® U are used in furniture and shoe manufacturing as well as in the automotive industry. Independent of the investment of Covestro in Shanghai, its large portfolio of waterborne polyurethane coating raw materials based on PUDs for various applications also includes products of the Baybond^®, Impranil^®, NeoPac^® and NeoRez^® series. 

"With the new investment, we will be even better positioned to address the rising demand for more environmentally compatible coatings and adhesives across the globe," said Zhong Xiaobin, Senior Vice President of the Coatings and Adhesives segment of Covestro in the Asia Pacific region. "As one of the global leaders in this segment, we will continue to tap the trend where our customers turn to more sustainable waterborne systems with equally good properties to replace solvent-based products."

High performance elastomers to drive sustainable growth

The new facility for polyurethane elastomers, which are widely used in industries ranging from offshore wind to solar energy as well as material handling, is expected to become operational already in 2023. The market for these flexible and durable materials in China and the Asia-Pacific region is growing faster than both gross domestic product and downstream industries.

"The new facility for polyurethane elastomers will ensure that we have a strong capacity to meet the needs of our customers," said Simon Chen, Head of Covestro’s Elastomers segment in Asia Pacific. "Our Desmodur^® based polyurethane elastomers will serve a wider range of applications as they boast excellent performance, particularly in the field of sustainable energy."

Since 2001, Covestro has invested EUR 3.6 billion into building the Shanghai integrated site, which comprises 11 plants and is the company’s largest site in the world. In the past year, the Shanghai site obtained the ISCC PLUS mass balance certification, meaning it can supply customers with larger product volumes from renewably attributed raw materials.

Good haptics and durability with high color intensity

Digital textile printing enables economical production of small batches, shortens time-to-market, and reduces waste volumes by up to 85 percent compared to analog printing technologies. PU dispersions are currently establishing themselves in the production of inks for digital inkjet printing processes because, among other things, they enable a stable printing process due to their low viscosity and particle size. With Impranil^® DL 1602, Covestro is launching a new anionic, aliphatic-based PU dispersion that can be used to formulate water-based pigment inks for digital inkjet printing. The dispersions show excellent stability at high shear rates. They produce very finely divided ink dispersions with good jetting behavior that are characterized by high re-solubility. "This minimizes the risk of the pressure nozzles becoming clogged. Long and therefore economical runtimes in printing are the result," explains Dr. Inga Bargende, Digital Printing Expert at Covestro. Other strengths of PU-based inks include good abrasion and rub resistance and high color and wash fastness.

Long pot life and high grain stability

The new INSQIN^® 2K PU system consists of Impranil^® HS 1062 and Imprafix^® IO 3330. It mainly targets synthetics for car interiors. The High Solid system does not require blocking agents. "Nevertheless, it is characterized by long pot lives during processing. This means, for example, that the processor does not necessarily have to use PU mixing heads. It also gives the grain a high degree of stability and is particularly resistant to hydrolysis," explains Michaelis. Potential applications include instrument panels, seats, door panels, or steering wheels.

Certificate for TPU films free of harmful substances

Several TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) films in Covestro’s Dureflex^® product line have now been certified to the 100 by OEKO-TEX^® standard. The films are breathable, waterproof, tear-resistant and, above all, kind to one’s skin. That makes them the material of choice for sports articles and outdoor clothing, but also for furniture and seat covers for cars. In 2019, several Platilon^® brand TPU film grades have already been certified to the standard.

Covestro will also be showcasing its partially biobased Platilon^® H2 EC hotmelt film at Techtextil. "It exhibits excellent adhesion during lamination, is very heat resistant and easy to process. Applications include textile labels, sealing strips, laminates made of glass and aluminum, and conductive tracks for the textile and automotive industries," explains Dr. Elmar Lins, Segment Manager Consumer & Industrial Solutions Specialty Films for the EMLA region.

Techtextil will be held at Messe Frankfurt from June 21^st to 24^th, 2022. Covestro’s booth in Hall 11 is number D12.

JFC, which has a long history as a joint venture between European and Japanese companies, is one of the leading suppliers of optical fiber coatings. The Tsukuba plant focuses on the manufacturing of UV-curable resins supporting the optical fiber market through safe and stable operations. This year JCIA awarded the Tsukuba plant with the ‘Safety Award Grand Prize’ in recognition of its excellent safety track record of more than 20 years without a recordable incident since the start of its operations as a result of integrating and nurturing a European-Japanese culture of safety.

"We have steadily carried out in-depth safety activities such as safety morning meetings and on-the-job training based on Japanese safety culture to pass on and to deepen our knowledge, skills and culture on safety. On top of that, we succeeded in integrating European-Japanese safety cultures by introducing global safety tools such as the ‘Safe Start Program’ , which analyzes mental conditions in the event of an accident and near miss," explains Takahiko Kurosawa, site manager of the Tsukuba plant. "In terms of equipment, we are implementing safety upgrades including the introduction of safety instrumented systems (SIS), which takes automated action in case of abnormalities, and a bar code system to prevent the erroneous handling of raw materials. We are very honored that our daily efforts have resulted in achieving more than 20 years without a recordable incident, and that our efforts have been recognized with this award."

JCIA is the leading association representing the chemical  industry in Japan, which includes approx. 4,700 chemical sites. The Safety award is a practice to award business establishments which engage in outstanding safety activities that promote security, safety, and health in the chemical industry on their own initiative serving as a golden standard for others. The safety award has a history of nearly half a century since its inception in 1977. Award-winners in the past included leading Japanese chemical companies, but this is the first time that a foreign-affiliated company receives the ‘Safety Award Grand Prize’.

"We are very honored that this is the second award for the Covestro Group after the ‘Safety Award Special Prize’ for the Niihama Plant of Sumika Covestro Urethane Co.,Ltd. in 2017. Covestro’s global motto towards safety, ‘Nothing we do is worth getting hurt for’ clearly shows that safety is the highest priority. We will engage in continued operational safety based on our current corporate safety culture," explains Kimiyasu Yonemaru, President of Covestro Japan.

More than 50 years of manufacturing experience of Covestro have also played a key role for this development. Going forward, solutions sourced from sustainable materials will be a key component of their overall portfolio. Sustainable coating resins represent an attractive growth market that aligns with the ultimate goal of the company to move to a fully circular economy, meeting the world’s materials and coatings needs while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Covestro is excited to collaborate with its customers on the journey to the circular economy as new material solutions transform urbanization, mobility, and their impact on climate change.

Alternative raw materials made using biotechnology

One of the most exciting results is the fruit of work of the company with pioneering biotech company Genomatica to successfully produce the first significant volumes of a plant based version of HMDA (hexamethylene diamine). HMDA is a key precursor for several coatings, adhesives, and a widely used type of nylon (nylon-6,6). 2 million tons of HMDA are used each year, but until now it has been manufactured exclusively from fossil feedstocks. This new process is expected to be able to produce ton-quantities of high-quality material in the near future, helping the automotive, construction, furniture, and textile industries become that much more sustainable going forward.

"Our partnership on this innovative technology allows us to significantly reduce our dependence on fossil feedstocks," said Martin Vlak, Head of Sales & Market Development – North America Coatings & Adhesives at Covestro. "With a purely plant-based HMDA, we can significantly advance our corporate objective of CO₂-neutral production."

Several examples of Covestro’s sustainable products are on display in their booth (#2529). Covestro will be showing off Desmodur^® eco N 7300, an isocyanate clearcoat hardener whose carbon content is 70 percent sourced from biomass instead of fossil fuels. This sourcing reduces the carbon footprint of the hardener by around 30 percent, compared to conventional solutions using the same application process, with no compromise in performance or quality.

Partially bio-based resin for high-traffic flooring

A third product, Decovery^®, is an up to 52 percent partially plant-based flooring resin. Covestro has long experience in resin technology for flooring. Their engineers know better than anyone how traditional bio-based paints have struggled to meet the tough criteria required for high-traffic flooring. Extensive testing has shown that Decovery^® has equal performance in durability, chemical resistance and wear resistance when compared with current fossil-based products in the market.

"The emerging line of sustainable and plant-based products of Covestro is the result of our long-term goal of becoming the leading provider of sustainable coating solutions," says Vlak. "Markets are increasingly asking for more environmentally compliant products based on renewable raw materials without compromising functionality. But it’s about more than growth from a margin perspective. It’s about growing sustainably with the right kind of product innovation that brings us to carbon-neutral production. A truly circular economy is within our reach if we remain committed to this level of focus and innovation."

"This is good news for anyone who wants to maintain an athletically active, healthy lifestyle in the most environmentally friendly way possible," says Tony Wu, Global Marketing Manager, Textile Coatings, Covestro. He emphasizes that the increased sustainability achieved does not compromise the durability, appearance or comfort of the footwear upper. In combination with Huafeng HAPTIC® printing technology, 3D shapes can be applied to textile fabrics creating trendy designs and high performance in athletic footwear. 
 

Impranil® eco DLS, as a partially bio-based binder, is part of the INSQIN® range of waterborne textile coating resins. Its use contributes to reduced greenhouse gas emissions with around 60 grams of CO₂ equivalents per pair of shoes. The value comes from internal calculations verified by independent external experts. It is obvious that the difference in the CO₂ footprint becomes even greater when solvent-based PU textile coatings are used for comparison. The use of fabric based on recycled PET yarns mitigates greenhouse gas emissions by about 170 grams of CO₂ equivalent per pair of shoes.

To share the experience and findings with the industry, Covestro, Huafeng and Cyclone jointly hosted a webinar globally to introduce the three technologies and the synergy created from this co-development. The recorded webinar can be accessed here.

"Sustainability is key to our market success at Huafeng. With the help of the partially bio-based PU dispersion of Covestro, we were able to introduce more renewable ingredients into our HAPTIC® coatings, further improving their sustainability," says Dr. Thomas Schmidt, Director of Innovation at Huafeng. Dr. Torsten Pohl, Head of Global Textile Coatings at Covestro, adds, "The combination of our partially bio-based INSQIN® PU coating binder with Huafeng HAPTIC® printing on recycled PET fabric shows how partners in the value chain can work together creating more sustainable products."

"I am very pleased that we can now offer our customers even more certified mass-balanced products and thus help them even better to achieve their sustainability goals and drive the transition to a circular economy," says Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer of Covestro. "In doing so, we are also supporting the use of alternative raw materials and reducing CO₂ emissions along the value chains."

Dr. Klaus Schäfer, Chief Technology Officer at Covestro, adds, "The raw materials we use for these products meet the high sustainability requirements of the ISCC Plus standard all the way back through the supply chain. That's why we want to make greater use of alternative raw materials such as these renewably attributed precursors in our production. In addition to the three German sites, also our plants in Antwerp and Shanghai are already ISCC Plus certified, with more sites to follow."

In the mass balance approach, bio-based or recycled raw materials – in this case reprocessed residual materials – are fed in at an early stage of raw material extraction and mathematically attributed to the finished products. This saves fossil raw materials and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, while the quality of the mass-balanced products remains the same compared to purely fossil-based ones. Manufacturers can continue to use their proven formulations, equipment and processes.

ISCC ("International Sustainability and Carbon Certification") is an internationally recognized system for sustainability certification of biomass and bioenergy, among others. The standard covers all stages of the value chain and is widely used worldwide. ISCC Plus includes further certification options for technical-chemical applications, among others, including plastics from biomass.