Trinseo Increases Investment in Zhangjiagang! Kangda New Materials Injects Capital into Its Thai Subsidiary, Cortec Launches Biobased Packaging Films

News Highlights:

- Raw Materials News: Global Leading Enterprise Increases Investment in Zhangjiagang! Trinseo's New Project Signed and Settled

- Automotive News: U.S. Auto Exports to Canada Plunge Amid Tariff Disputes

- Packaging News: U.S. Packaging Company ProAmpac Launches Recyclable Polyolefin-Based Block Cheese Packaging

- Medical News: Amcor Expands Business to Costa Rica, Enhancing Its Medical Packaging Network

- Other News: Germany's Largest Sporting Goods Retailer Plans to Shift Production to China

- Macroeconomic News: China's Imports and Exports to Other SCO Member States Hit Record High in First 7 Months

- Price Information: Ethylene Asia: CFR Northeast Asia USD 825/ton; CFR Southeast Asia USD 820/ton

Detailed International News:

1. THB 98 Million! Kangda New Materials Increases Capital in Its Thai Subsidiary 

Recently, Kangda New Materials released the "Announcement on Increasing Capital in Its Thai Controlled Subsidiary and Connected Transaction". In accordance with the project progress and actual business needs, the company intends to jointly increase capital in Kangda New Materials (Thailand) with Tengxuan Trading. Among them, Kangda New Materials (Hong Kong) will increase capital by THB 97.9902 million with its own funds, and Tengxuan Trading will increase capital by THB 98,000 with its own funds. After the completion of this capital increase, the registered capital of Kangda New Materials (Thailand) will increase from THB 2 million to THB 100 million, and the equity ratio held by both parties will remain unchanged.

2. U.S. Auto Exports to Canada Plunge Amid Tariff Disputes 

Latest data from Statistics Canada shows that affected by the tariff dispute between the United States and Canada, the total value of passenger vehicles imported by Canada from Mexico in June reached CAD 1.08 billion (equivalent to USD 784 million), exceeding the CAD 950 million worth of vehicles imported from the United States. This marks the first time since monthly data recording began in the early 1990s that monthly sales of Mexican-made vehicles in the Canadian market have surpassed those of U.S.-made vehicles.

3. U.S. Packaging Company ProAmpac Launches Recyclable Polyolefin-Based Block Cheese Packaging 

According to Plastics Vision News on August 20, U.S. packaging company ProAmpac announced the commercial launch of its ProActive Recyclable Polyolefin-Based Packaging Platform, which is specifically designed for high-speed block cheese packaging applications. This launch represents a significant advancement in the field of recyclable dairy packaging. 

"These specialized films offer excellent abrasion resistance and have successfully passed rigorous transportation tests, ensuring reliable product protection throughout the entire process from production to distribution," said Ebrahim Jalali Dil, Global Senior Innovation Director at ProAmpac. "The platform provides a range of barrier options tailored to different cheese forms and moisture contents, offering dairy brands the versatility and performance needed to maintain product freshness and shelf appeal."

4. Michigan Mold Manufacturer Davalor Mold Announces Shutdown Due to Financial Distress 

Plastics Vision has learned that Davalor Mold has announced the permanent closure of its business due to insurmountable financial difficulties. The injection mold manufacturer, located in New Baltimore, Michigan, will lay off all 45 employees between October 3 and November 7, 2025. Primarily serving customers in the automotive industry, the company submitted a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) to Michigan officials this month, formally confirming the shutdown.

5. Amcor Expands Business to Costa Rica, Enhancing Its Medical Packaging Network 

Amcor recently announced that it will further expand its medical packaging network by establishing a new warehouse and distribution center in Costa Rica. A company official stated that the facility located in San José will serve medical customers in the Americas, optimizing supply chain efficiency and covering a variety of medical packaging products, including pallets, die-cut lids, formed films, bags, flexible pouches, and labels.

6. Global Leading Enterprise Increases Investment in Zhangjiagang! Trinseo's New Project Signed and Settled 

On the morning of August 19, the signing ceremony for Trinseo's Polycarbonate Sustainable Material Recycling Project was held in Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone. With a total investment of approximately USD 20 million, the first phase of the project plans an annual production capacity of 5,000 tons. 

It is reported that Trinseo is a global leader in the field of materials science and one of the first foreign-funded enterprises to settle in Yangtze River International Chemical Park. It is committed to providing innovative and sustainable material solutions for diverse industries such as automotive, electronics, medical care, and construction. Since settling in Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone in 1998, it has accumulated a total investment of nearly USD 400 million, building Trinseo's largest production base in the Asia-Pacific region.

7. Germany's Largest Sporting Goods Retailer Plans to Shift Production to China 

Facing U.S. punitive tariffs, industry giants such as Nike and Adidas have successively abandoned their production bases in China. However, Intersport, Germany's largest sporting goods retailer, is considering a strategic shift. Since taking office in July, Tom Foley, CEO of Intersport, has told the media that he plans to significantly increase the procurement share of Intersport's private labels in China in the future. This move aims to reverse the trend where U.S. brands have turned to other Asian countries due to reduced tariffs.

8. Ishihara Sangyo Launches Ultra-Low Reflectivity Structural Black Pigment Absorbing Over 99.0% of Visible Light 

On August 20, Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd. announced the full-scale production of LUSHADE® BLACK, an ultra-low reflectivity black pigment that absorbs over 99.0% of visible light, and is now expanding its sales to the global market. This structure enables the pigment to absorb more than 99.0% of visible light, making it an ultra-black pigment with extremely low reflectivity. In addition, it can reflect infrared light, making it suitable for infrared-reflective black coatings. It can also effectively suppress surface temperature rise, helping to reduce heat generation on the surface of coated objects.

9. Cortec Launches 100% Bio-Based Packaging Film 

Cortec® has launched its latest bioplastic product, achieving significant success in terms of bio-based content. Eco Works® 100 is a certified industrially compostable packaging film (TÜV Austria, #TA8012509046), containing 100% USDA-certified bio-based content, which can replace petroleum-based products. In a world where many are seeking eco-friendly alternatives to traditional plastics, Eco Works® 100 provides a diverse portfolio of market bioplastic options for those looking to maximize bio-based content and reduce reliance on petroleum.

Overseas Macroeconomic Market:

- Hungarian Foreign Minister: Oil Supply to Hungary via the "Friendship" Pipeline Resumed 

Peter Szijjarto, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, stated on the 19th that oil supply to Hungary via the "Friendship" pipeline has been resumed. Szijjarto posted on social media, "After the attack launched by Ukraine two days ago, oil supply to Hungary through the 'Friendship' pipeline has been restored." He expressed gratitude to Russia for the rapid completion of relevant repair work and called on Ukraine "not to attack this key pipeline again."

- Bank of Thailand Deputy Governor: Limited Room for Further Interest Rate Cuts 

Piti Disyatat, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Thailand, said that there is limited room for further cuts in the benchmark interest rate. Economic growth is basically in line with the central bank's forecast, and the current policy interest rate is consistent with the outlook. If the economic growth outlook is significantly lowered or unexpected shocks beyond expectations occur, the Bank of Thailand will take more actions. The Bank of Thailand has no target for the Thai baht exchange rate.

- China's Imports and Exports to Other SCO Member States Hit Record High in First 7 Months 

According to the General Administration of Customs, in the first 7 months of this year, China's imports and exports to other member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) reached RMB 2.11 trillion, a year-on-year increase of 3%, hitting a record high for the same period in history. In July, China's imports and exports to other SCO member states amounted to RMB 326.05 billion, an increase of 8.5%, with both the scale and growth rate reaching the highest levels this year. Among them, exports reached RMB 219.04 billion, up 6.8%; imports reached RMB 107.01 billion, up 12.3%.

- U.S. Treasury Secretary: U.S. and China Held "Very Good Talks" on Economic and Trade Issues, with Smooth Progress 

According to a Reuters report, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated in an interview on the 19th local time that the United States and China have held "very good talks" on economic and trade issues. Yellen said, "We have had very good conversations with the Chinese side, and I expect we will meet again before November. I think the current work is progressing very smoothly."

- Reserve Bank of New Zealand Cuts Interest Rates by 25 Basis Points 

In its statement, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) said: If inflationary pressures ease, there is room for further interest rate cuts. As interest rate cuts proceed, economic recovery may accelerate.

- UK Inflation Accelerates to 18-Month High, Central Bank May Reconsider Pace of Interest Rate Cuts 

UK inflation rose for the second consecutive month in July, putting pressure on the Bank of England to reconsider the pace of interest rate cuts. The UK Office for National Statistics announced on Wednesday that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 3.8% year-on-year in July, higher than the 3.6% increase in June, marking the fastest growth rate since January 2024. The CPI increase was mainly driven by rising prices of air tickets, hotel accommodations, and motor vehicle fuel. 

Services inflation, a key indicator of underlying price pressures, reached 5%, higher than the Bank of England's forecast of 4.9%. The British pound erased its losses after the release of the data, remaining roughly flat at USD 1.3492. These data further confirm that enterprises are responding to the tax hikes and minimum wage increases implemented by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves in April by passing billions of pounds in additional costs on to consumers.

Price Information:

- CNY/USD Central Parity Rate:

The central parity rate of CNY against USD was reported at 7.1384, a decrease of 25 pips; the central parity rate of the previous trading day was 7.1359, the official closing price of the previous trading day was 7.1820, and the overnight closing price of the previous day was 7.1830.

- USD Market Prices of Upstream Raw Materials: 

  - Ethylene Asia: CFR Northeast Asia USD 825/ton; CFR Southeast Asia USD 820/ton. 

  - Propylene Northeast Asia: FOB South Korea average USD 745/ton; CFR China average USD 775/ton. 

  - Northeast Asia LPG CIF price: Propane USD 520-522/ton; Butane USD 520-522/ton. 

  - South China LPG CIF price for September delivery: Propane USD 556-566/ton; Butane USD 536-546/ton. 

  - Taiwan region LPG CIF price: Propane USD 520-522/ton; Butane USD 520-522/ton.

- LLDPE USD Market Prices: 

  - Film grade: USD 870-910/ton (CFR Huangpu), up USD 5/ton; 

  - Injection grade: USD 950/ton (CFR Dongguan).

- HDPE USD Market Prices: 

  - Film grade: USD 905-970/ton (CFR Huangpu); 

  - Blow molding grade: USD 855/ton (CFR Huangpu); 

  - Injection grade: USD 870/ton (CFR Huangpu), down USD 20/ton; 

  - Pipe grade: USD 1025/ton (CFR Huangpu).

- LDPE USD Market Prices: 

  - Film grade: USD 1100-1110/ton (CFR Huangpu); 

  - Coating grade: USD 1280/ton (CFR Huangpu).

- PP USD Market Prices: 

  - Homopolymer grade: USD 895-965/ton (CFR Huangpu); 

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

  - Film grade: USD 1030/ton (CFR Nansha); 

  - Transparent grade: USD 975-1055/ton (CFR Huangpu); 

  - Pipe grade: USD 1130/ton (CFR Shanghai).