China

In its second year and renamed the Bioplastics Zone, a section of Chinaplas 2012 dedicated to renewable materials and green manufacturing is expected to be 40% larger than the inaugural 2011 version. Show organizer Adsale say exhibitors in the space will include Cardia, Danisco, Ecomann, Esun, Hisun, Kingfa, Metabolix, NatureWorks, and Nuvia, promoting renewable materials like PLA, PHA, PBS, PPC, PCL, PVA, TPS, PA, and PTT.

What will the future automobile look like? A sneak peak at tomorrow's car will be presented at Chinaplas 2012 as part of design competition in that show's "Future Zone" display.  A five-month design, selection and production process of the "Future Car" is already underway with 15 groups of students submitting applications.

Energy-saving, environmental protection, new materials and industry upgrades for future development: those are the key components of China's 12th Five-Year Plan, as more and more manufacturing industries are focusing on eco-conscious materials and equipment. As a result of the plan, the Chinese government is now dedicated to the development of technologies like smart grids, wind power, solar power, and new energy cars, all of which are all closely linked to plastics and rubber.

Dow Automotive Systems (Auburn Hills, MI), in cooperation with Dow Hyperlast (Middlesex, UK) and Kumpulan Jebco (Selangor, Malaysia), will introduce a high performance microcellular polyurethane system known as Autothane to the Chinese automotive market in early 2012.

Three years ago, Jim Fiocchi walked the aisles of NPE2009 in Chicago trying to find potential customers for what he and his brother John thought could possibly become a China-based moldmaking business.

As part of its development strategy in high-growth countries, and particularly China, Tier I Valeo (Paris) has acquired an 80% shareholding in the Chinese automotive lighting specialist Ruby from Chery Technology, a subsidiary of Chinese automaker Chery Automobile (Wuhu, China). Chery Technology will retain a 20% stake in the company.

In anticipation of increase levels of offshore automobile production on the part of Japanese OEMs, diversified Tier I manufacturer and Toyota group affiliate Aisin Seiki (Toyota, Japan) is establishing two new parts manufacturing subsidiaries in India.

Polypropylene (PP) prices in Asia last week were hammered lower, dropping due to muted regional buying, plentiful availability and softer feedstock costs, according to Polymerupdate. CFR Far East Asia prices of PP injection and raffia fell to $1255/tonne, a steep tumble of more than $60/tonne on the week. In South East Asia, prices of PP injection and PP raffia were assessed down at $1260/tonne CFR while CFR South Asia prices were assessed down at $1330/tonne.

PlasticsToday's Stephen Moore offers his outlook for the automotive industry, which endured natural disasters in Asia in 2011, after surving economic catastrophes in 2009 and 2010. Whatever happens in 2012, Stephen assures us that draconian car-ownership fees where he lives in Singapore mean that despite writing about the automotive plastics industry for us, he'll remain a bike, and not a car, owner.

Using a plant in Janesville, WI as a launching pad, Prent Corp. now manufactures in six other locations, including China, Malaysia, Denmark and Singapore. With sales well above $200 million annually, it may be the world's largest custom thermoformer of rigid plastic packaging for the medical, electronics and consumer markets.