International News Digest:
Raw Materials News – Elkem Increases Prices for All Silicone Products in Europe and the Americas
Automotive News - Faurecia Sells Interior Business for 1.82 Billion Euros
Packaging News - Amcor's New $35 Million Plant in Malaysia Officially Launches, Providing Customers with a "Resilient Support"
Device News - Investing Hundreds of Millions of Euros in M&A! Mech-I-Tronic Officially Enters the American Market
Macro News - US-Iran Disagreements Hard to Resolve! US Official: Trump "Does Not Like" Iran's New Proposal, Nuclear Issue Must Be Prioritized
Price Information -The central parity rate of the RMB against the US dollar is 6.8589, down 10 points.
The following are the details of international news:
1. Investing Hundreds of Millions of Euros in M&A! Mech-I-Tronic Officially Enters the Americas Market
Italy-based Mech-I-Tronic recently announced the acquisition of Apex Machine Co. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, and RK Ferramentaria in Curitiba, Brazil. This acquisition marks the group's official entry into the Americas market and represents a key step in its ambitious expansion strategy.
Mech-I-Tronic specializes in automated assembly, plastic extrusion, and mold manufacturing, offering products and services across multiple sectors including medical devices, food and beverage packaging, and industrial manufacturing. The company has integrated several highly specialized brands—including CB Automation, Tecom, and Ermo—to form what it calls a “Premium Entrepreneurial Alliance.” With its global headquarters in Milan, the company centers its operations on “customized mechatronic solutions,” integrating and delivering diversified technical services.
Elkem raises prices for all its silicone products in Europe and North America.
Elkem has announced a price increase for its full range of silicone products for customers in Europe and the Americas, effective immediately or as stipulated in existing contracts. The price adjustment ranges from 10% to 30%, depending on product category and market segment, and applies to all silicone products supplied to these regions.
The European Commission has established a Bioeconomy Investment Group to support the development of the bio-based industry.
Jointly established by the European Commission and the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU)Bioeconomy Investment Development Group (BIDG)to provide financing support for Europe’s bio-based industries. This initiative aims to reduce investment risks, standardize funding allocation criteria, and integrate private capital with public fiscal resources. The European Commission stated that Europe’s bioeconomy currently generates approximately 17 million jobs and contributes €2.7 trillion to the economy. However, the Commission also noted that numerous bio-based industrial projects face significant financing challenges during critical development stages—especially a pronounced funding gap when scaling up from pilot and demonstration phases to industrial-scale production. The Commission warned that this financing shortfall could impede the commercialization of European biotechnology and sustainable new materials research outcomes and hinder their industrial application.
To address the aforementioned challenges, the European Commission, in collaboration with the European Circular Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking, has brought together banks, national policy-driven financial institutions, venture capital funds, and various institutional investors. A dedicated launch meeting was held in Brussels this week, marking the official commencement of this initiative; the group’s first plenary meeting is scheduled for June 2026 and will concurrently submit its report to the Governing Board of the European Circular Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking.Work Plan for 2026–2029。
Faurecia sells interior business for 1.82 billion euros
Europe’s automotive supply chain faces another major asset divestiture as an automotive parts supplier…ForviaAn agreement has been reached to sell the interior business group to a fund affiliated with Apollo Global Management through a business spin-off transaction, with the enterprise valuation of this business reaching1.82 billion eurosThis Interior Division primarily supplies cockpit components to major global automobile manufacturers, covering core products such as instrument panels, door trim panels, and center consoles. The interior business being divested operates across 19 countries worldwide, with 59 production bases and 8 major R&D centers, and employs over 31,000 people.
5. Amcor’s New RM35 Million Malaysia Plant Officially Launches, Building a “Resilient Backstop” for Customers
Recently, Amcor, a global leader in reliable and sustainable packaging solutions, announced that its Shah Alam factory (located in Selangor, Malaysia) has officially launched an advanced air knife coating production line. This marks an important step in Amcor's manufacturing footprint in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
6. Extracting recycled naphtha from garbage bags; recycling uniforms to produce recycled polyester; the Middle East conflict prompting South Korea to launch a plastic circular economy plan.
According to today's report by South Korea's Chosun Ilbo, the South Korean government will establish a system to recover discarded measuring garbage bags and extract recycled naphtha from them, while also expanding plastic recycling, such as extracting recycled polyester from police uniforms that were previously incinerated.
On April 28, South Korea’s Ministry of Environment released the “Plastic-Free Circular Economy Transition Plan,” with the core objective of building infrastructure to maximize the recovery of waste plastics—previously destined for incineration or landfill—and convert them into recycled raw materials.
To this end, the South Korean government will construct pre-treatment facilities for bag-breaking, sorting, and washing, and expand the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and optical sorting equipment. Sorted waste plastic films will be centrally collected via municipal collection systems and converted into recycled naphtha through pyrolysis. This recycled naphtha can substitute petroleum-based naphtha used in plastic production, thereby mitigating risks arising from unstable raw material supplies from the Middle East.
Overseas Macro Market:
CCTV: China has banned the Manus acquisition deal, prohibiting the practice of enterprises “going global” through superficial restructuring and addressing security risks associated with openness.
According to CCTV News, first of all, the ban targets non-compliant practices such as companies' "bath-like" overseas exits. A well-known industry lawyer told reporters that the Manus merger and acquisition case involves transferring domestic assets overseas.AIBusiness assets are transferred overseas and ultimately sold to the overseas company Meta. According to the "Regulations on Foreign Investment Security Review," even if the initial transfer occurred between associated entities controlled by the founder, subsequent transactions will still fall under the scope of foreign investment security review.
[U.S. Secretary of State says Iran still retains half of its pre-war missile stockpile]
U.S. Secretary of State Rubio stated on the 27th that Iran still retains half of its pre-war missile stockpile—a claim that significantly differs from U.S. President Trump’s prior statements. Rubio said during an interview with Fox News on that day: “Right now, they still have half of their missiles.” However, he also stated that “Iran has no factories, no navy, and no air force—all of these have been destroyed.”
Israel’s attack on Lebanon kills two Brazilian citizens.
[Former US Deputy Secretary of State: Netanyahu Carrying Out "Genocide in Gaza" Made in America]
Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said in an interview with U.S. media that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has led the U.S. down a "path of manufacturing genocide in Gaza." Speaking to Bloomberg, Sherman said, "Prime Minister Netanyahu has taken us down a path that we have been part of, a path that in effect has caused the genocide in Gaza and undermined stability in the Middle East." She also emphasized that Israel remains a U.S. ally, saying, "We protect the rights of the Jewish state."
Kpler says Iran's oil storage capacity can last at most 22 more days, and the impact on export revenues will only become evident after several months.
Research firm Kpler said that Iran's oil storage capacity is rapidly decreasing, with remaining storage capacity enough for only about 12 to 22 more days. They added that the possibility of Iran being forced to further cut crude oil production by about 1.5 million barrels per day by mid-May has increased. However, Kpler said that the U.S. embargo will not hit Iran's profits as quickly, with the impact on revenue likely to be felt three to four months later.
[U.S. Official: Trump Dissatisfied with Iran’s New Proposal; Nuclear Issue Must Be Addressed First]
On April 27, local time, a U.S. official stated that U.S. President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Iran’s latest proposal, arguing that it fails to address the core issue of Iran’s nuclear program. Trump has reportedly discussed the proposal with his national security team. Iran’s proposal seeks to postpone negotiations on nuclear issues until after the war concludes and the Gulf shipping dispute is resolved; however, the U.S. insists that nuclear issues must be addressed at the outset of negotiations.
Price Information:
The central parity rate of the Chinese yuan against the US dollar was set at 6.8589, down by 10 pips from the previous trading day's level of 6.8579. The official closing rate on the previous trading day was 6.8239, and the onshore spot rate closed at 6.8275 in overnight trading.
Upstream Raw Material USD Market Price
Ethylene CFR Northeast Asia at $1,325/mt, unchanged; CFR Southeast Asia at $1,390/mt, down $20/mt.
Northeast Asia propylene FOB Korea average price declined by $20/ton to $1,300/ton, while CFR China average price remained stable at $1,340/ton.
North Asian frozen cargo CIF, propane $838-848/ton; butane $938-948/ton.
China South China refrigerated cargo CFR prices for May: propane at USD 970-980/ton; butane at USD 1020-1030/ton.
The CFR Taiwan price for frozen goods, propane is USD 838-848/ton; butane is USD 938-948/ton.
[LLDPE US Dollar Market Price]
Film: USD 1,350/ton (CFR Huangpu)
[HDPE USD market price]
Film: USD 1,400 per metric ton (CFR Huangpu)
Hollow: No quotation;
Injection molding: $1,320/ton (CFR Huangpu)
[LDPE US dollar market price]
Film: USD 1,450/ton (CFR Dongguan);
[PP US Dollar Market Price]
Homopolymer: USD 1,420/ton (CFR Huangpu)
Copolymer: 1620 USD/ton (CFR Huangpu)
Membrane material: USD 1,630 per metric ton (CFR Huangpu).
Transparent: 1520 USD/ton (CFR Huangpu)
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