【Overseas News】Dow files lawsuit against Clariant and other four companies; New breakthrough in recycled soft packaging PP; Chinese automakers see significant sales growth in Mexico

International News Highlights:
Raw Materials News - €1.1 Billion Claim! Dow Sues Clariant and Three Other Companies, Reviving Old Antitrust Case
Automotive News - Chinese Automakers See Nearly 30% Sales Growth in Mexico in First Half of Year
Equipment News - With government special funding support, Hawk Plastics upgrades injection molding production line to expand capacity and improve efficiency
Construction Materials News - European Commission Intensifies Antitrust Investigation into Construction Chemical Cartels
Packaging News – Breakthrough in Recycled Soft Packaging PP! PureCycle's lipid purity meets standards for BOPP film use
Macro News - Iran Claims to Strike Three U.S. Military Bases in Kuwait
Price Information - The mid-price of the RMB against the US dollar was reported at 6.7917, up 31 points
 

Below are the details of international news:
1.11 billion euro claim! Dow sues Clariant and three other companies, reigniting old antitrust case
The chemical industry sees another massive antitrust claim. Swiss specialty chemicals giant Clariant recently announced that it had received on July 16 a new damages lawsuit filed by Dow Europe at the Dortmund District Court in Germany.
Dow accused four companies, including Clariant, of violating EU antitrust rules in the ethylene procurement process, seeking damages of up to approximately 1.1 billion euros (about 1.26 billion U.S. dollars).
The origin of this lawsuit dates back to a penalty decision issued by the European Commission in July 2020. At that time, EU regulators found that Clariant, Mexico's Orbia, and U.S.-based Celanese had colluded between December 2011 and March 2017 to suppress ethylene procurement prices by exchanging sensitive commercial and pricing information and coordinating purchasing negotiation strategies, thereby violating Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
The investigation covered multiple EU member states, including Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, resulting in a total fine of 260 million euros imposed on three companies—Clariant was fined 155.8 million euros, Celanese 82.3 million euros, and Orbia 22.36 million euros. Notably, the fourth participating company, U.S.-based Westlake Chemical, was exempted from penalties for voluntarily reporting the cartel activity to the European Commission.
2. Chinese automakers' sales in Mexico grew nearly 30% in the first half of the year
According to Reuters, a sales report shows that despite Mexico's significant tariff hike in January aimed at curbing the growth of Asian imported vehicles, Chinese brand car sales in Mexico surged nearly 30% in the first half of the year.
A report from the Mexican Automotive Dealers Association shows that in the first half of this year, sales of new Chinese-brand vehicles rose to 137,525 units from 107,712 units in the same period last year, accounting for 17% of total new vehicle sales in Mexico—up from just 14% at the same time last year.

Image source: BYD

According to data from the Automotive Dealers Association, Geely led this year's sales growth in Mexico, followed closely by MG, Changan, and Chery. The data shows that BYD, China's leading automaker, remains the Chinese brand with the largest market share in Mexico, although its sales declined slightly in the first half of the year, dropping from 34,606 units last year to 33,969 units. BYD has been actively expanding and establishing a presence in Mexico.
3. With government special funding support, Hawk Plastics upgrades its injection molding production line to expand capacity and improve efficiency
Hawk Plastics recently announced it will invest over $1.6 million to expand its production facility in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, creating 16 new high-paying jobs locally. The Ontario government is providing $254,446 in support through the Southwest Ontario Development Fund for this project.
The funds will be used to add a 1,100-ton injection molding machine to the plant and upgrade key supporting facilities, thereby enhancing the company's production capacity and strengthening its competitive edge in the plastic manufacturing industry.

4. European Commission intensifies antitrust investigation into construction materials and chemical cartels
On July 20, the European Commission issued a preliminary assessment finding that several building chemicals producers and three national industry associations are suspected of violating EU antitrust rules by colluding to raise prices on chemical additives used in cement, concrete, and mortar.
On July 20, the European Commission delivered a Statement of Objections to relevant manufacturers in France, Germany, and Spain, as well as to three industry associations, outlining the preliminary findings of the investigation into the alleged cartel in the construction chemicals sector.
The committee stated that the involved companies and industry associations may submit written rebuttals regarding the investigation's points of concern, while emphasizing that issuing a "Statement of Objection" does not indicate that the investigation has reached a final conclusion.
The investigation primarily targets cement chemical additives, as well as concrete and mortar admixtures. The European Commission stated that cement, concrete, and mortar are core materials for infrastructure, and the prices of their upstream chemical additives directly affect overall construction costs.
5. Breakthrough in soft packaging recycled PP! PureCycle's lipid purity meets standards for use in BOPP film
Biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film is one of the most demanding application areas in terms of recycled material quality. Food packaging, labels, and consumer goods made from BOPP films require high transparency, performance stability, and excellent end-use properties. Traditional mechanically recycled polypropylene has long failed to meet these requirements, preventing recycled materials from entering this high-end packaging segment.

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