Norway's First Large-Scale Plastic Sorting Center Completed, North American Plastic Machinery Shipments Rise in Q2

International News Digest:

- Raw Material News: Norway's First Large-Scale Plastic Sorting Center Completed, Annual Handling Capacity of 90,000 Tonnes to Boost Recycling Industry

- Automotive News: Honda N-One e: Mugen Official Images Released, to Launch This Autumn

- Equipment News: North American Plastic Machinery Shipments Rise in Q2 2025

- Packaging News: Amcor's Full-Year Revenue Hits 107.6 Billion, to Launch Four Factory Closure Plans and Split North American Beverage Business!

- Macro News: Indian PM Modi Vows to Cut GST in October

- Price Information: Ethylene Asia: CFR Northeast Asia USD 825/ton; CFR Southeast Asia USD 830/ton

Detailed International News:

1. Norway's First Large-Scale Plastic Sorting Center Completed, Annual Handling Capacity of 90,000 Tonnes to Boost Recycling Industry

Reported by Martijn Reintjes on August 14, 2025, recycling technology provider Sutco has successfully completed the commissioning and launch of the first phase of an advanced plastic recycling plant in Norway. Located in Tomter near Oslo, this facility will serve as a national post-consumer plastic packaging waste sorting center in Norway, with an annual handling capacity of up to 90,000 tonnes of materials. It is not only the country's first factory dedicated to such sorting but also undertakes the important mission of improving the efficiency and quality of plastic recycling. Jointly developed by Tomra Feedstock and Plastretur and operated under the new brand Områ, this sorting center is regarded as a key achievement in the construction of circular economy infrastructure in Europe.

2. Honda N-One e: Mugen Official Images Released, to Launch This Autumn

Recently, Chezhi.com obtained a set of official images of the Honda N-One e: Mugen from relevant channels. Based on the previously released standard version, the new car adds Mugen kits and is expected to go on sale in the Japanese market this autumn. Meanwhile, sources indicate that the new car is likely to make its debut at the 2025 Munich Motor Show opening in September this year, but there is no confirmation yet on whether it will enter the European market.

3. North American Plastic Machinery Shipments Rise in Q2 2025

According to the latest report from the Committee on Equipment Statistics (CES) of the Plastics Industry Association, the estimated shipments of North American injection molding and extrusion equipment in Q2 2025 reached USD 253.8 million, an increase of 0.7% compared with the previous quarter and the same period last year. 

Image Source: Plastics Industry Association

The growth in plastic machinery shipments in Q2 was driven by a 48.5% quarter-on-quarter increase in twin-screw extruder shipments, which more than doubled (115.4%) compared with Q2 last year. In contrast, single-screw extruder shipments decreased by 11.1% quarter-on-quarter but rose by 6.5% year-on-year. Injection molding shipments showed the same trend: a 3.1% decrease from the previous quarter but a 5.4% increase compared with Q2 last year.

4. Cutting-Edge Technology! Polyplastics Group to Showcase POM/PBT Recycling Innovations at K 2025

It is reported that Polyplastics Group will update its series of sustainability commitments at K 2025 (Hall 7A/B02), which will be held in Düsseldorf, Germany, from October 8 to 15. The company will unveil new technologies aimed at reducing its global environmental footprint and accelerating the transition to a cleaner and healthier world. Initiatives to promote the circular economy include the establishment of two greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. By 2030, the Daicel Group (including Polyplastics Group) plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% compared with 2018. The company also aims to reduce the product's cradle-to-gate carbon footprint (PCF) by 30% compared with 2018.

5. Sumitomo (SHI) Demag to Showcase All-Electric Injection Molding Machines at K 2025

At K 2025, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag (Hall 15, Booth D22) will showcase its most innovative and customer-oriented developments to date, highlighting how the unique collaboration between German and Japanese industrial experts enhances process efficiency. Customers choosing Sumitomo (SHI) Demag technology will become more agile, a move that strengthens the company's commitment to a future supported by cutting-edge all-electric injection molding machines.

6. Amcor's Full-Year Revenue Hits 107.6 Billion, to Launch Four Factory Closure Plans and Split North American Beverage Business!

Amcor, a global leader in multi-substrate rigid and flexible packaging solutions, released its fiscal year results report ending June 30, 2025, on the evening of August 14 Beijing time. The report shows that driven by the successful integration of Berry Global's related businesses, the company achieved strong performance growth in fiscal 2025, with both revenue and profit recording double-digit increases.

Key Performance Overview of Fiscal 2025

7. Layoffs! Factory Closures! Inventory Cuts! Global Plastics and Chemicals Giants Launch Cash Flow Defense Battle

"Facing numerous external challenges, we adhere to our established strategy, advance transformation and efficiency improvement, and move towards a sustainable future!" This sentence at the end of Covestro's Q2 2025 financial report inadvertently became the collective footnote of the global plastics and chemicals industry in the first half of 2025. As the Trump administration launched a new round of global tariff wars, coupled with the continued weak demand in end markets such as construction and automobiles, the Q2 results released by plastics and chemicals giants including Dow, Evonik, LG, Covestro, and Arkema were filled with struggles and adjustments. In this industry-wide cold winter, some are cutting losses to survive, while others are seeking opportunities for transformation—a game centered on survival and the future is unfolding.

Overseas Macro Market:

【White House Announces Updated Schedule for Trump's US-Russia Meeting】 

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump will hold a meeting in Anchorage, the largest city in the US state of Alaska, on August 15 local time. According to the latest schedule released by the White House, the meeting between Trump and Putin will start at 11:00 a.m. Alaska local time on August 15 (3:00 a.m. Beijing time on August 16). Trump will leave the White House at 6:45 a.m. US Eastern Time on August 15 (6:45 p.m. Beijing time on the 15th), and after the meeting with Putin, he will depart Anchorage at 5:45 p.m. Alaska time on August 15 (9:45 a.m. Beijing time on the 16th). He plans to return to the White House in the early morning of local time August 16.

【Indian PM Modi Vows to Cut GST in October】 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Friday that he will reform the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and reduce tax rates before the Hindu festival of Diwali in October this year.

Price Information:

【CNY/USD Central Parity Rate】 

The central parity rate of CNY against USD was reported at 7.1371, down 34 pips; the central parity rate of the previous trading day was 7.1337, the official closing price of the previous trading day was 7.1730, and the overnight market closing price was 7.1795.

【US Dollar Market Prices of Upstream Raw Materials】 

- Ethylene Asia: CFR Northeast Asia USD 825/ton; CFR Southeast Asia USD 830/ton. 

- Propylene Northeast Asia: FOB South Korea average USD 745/ton; CFR China average USD 780/ton. 

- Northeast Asia LPG CIF: Propane USD 526-528/ton; Butane USD 516-518/ton. 

- South China LPG CIF (early September): Propane USD 561-571/ton; Butane USD 531-541/ton. 

- Taiwan Region LPG CIF: Propane USD 526-528/ton; Butane USD 516-518/ton.

【US Dollar Market Prices of LLDPE】 

- Film: USD 860-910/ton (CFR Huangpu) 

- Injection Molding: USD 940/ton (CFR Dongguan)

【US Dollar Market Prices of HDPE】 

- Film: USD 900/ton (CFR Huangpu) 

- Blow Molding: USD 855/ton (CFR Huangpu) 

- Injection Molding: USD 890/ton (CFR Huangpu) 

- Pipes: USD 1,025/ton (CFR Huangpu)

【US Dollar Market Prices of LDPE】 

- Film: USD 1,085-1,095/ton (CFR Huangpu) 

- Coating: USD 1,280/ton (CFR Huangpu)

【US Dollar Market Prices of PP】 

- Homopolymer: USD 910-965/ton (CFR Huangpu) 

- Copolymer: USD 910-965/ton (CFR Nansha) 

- Film Grade: USD 1,030/ton (CFR Nansha) 

- Transparent Grade: USD 975-1,055/ton (CFR Huangpu), down USD 5/ton 

- Pipe Grade: USD 1,130/ton (CFR Shanghai)