The family of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is facing intense scrutiny. A reporting rule will take effect in the United States in 2026, while Europe has actually been considering a sweeping, cross-industry ban on these substances since early last year. The implications of such a ban on fluoropolymers would be particularly critical, as a discontinuation of these high-performance materials would drastically impact many industries. But what kinds of challenges would emerge in the search for adequate substitutes? This was the focus of a recent study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials (IWM) in cooperation with materials experts from the Freudenberg Group.

LANXESS Corporation’s Polymer Additives business unit has received a 2024 Supplier of the Year award from Avient Corporation, a global leader in specialized and sustainable material solutions. The award recognized LANXESS for its commitment to high-quality, innovative products and industry-leading sustainability achievements and targets.

For over a decade, LANXESS has supplied Avient with Mesamoll, a crucial plasticizer technology that has been instrumental in Avient’s transition away from phthalate-based plasticizers. The product has played a significant role in enhancing Avient’s consumer safety profile, particularly in applications like screen printing for notable consumer brands.

Guill Tool recently announced their expansion in the European market with the creation of Guill Tool Europe. They will offer a full line of Guill products, as well as sales and engineering support throughout Europe. Padric Lunn will continue to represent Guill in the UK.

From concept design to engineering, manufacturing and supporting client processes, Guill has more than 60 years of experience in regular extrusion, multi-layered applications, jacketing, multi lumen, rubber, silicone and much more. The company maintains the highest quality standards regardless of application.

At the BKT booth, visitors will have access to a sneak preview session demonstrating the new ‘BKT Tire Track Pro’ software, a tire management system. This platform, which has been developed by BKT to optimize fleet management in the earthmoving and mining sectors, will enable timely tire performance monitoring throughout all stages from inventory to disposal, ensuring optimum utilization and significant savings in operating costs. The software is designed to suit any organization, breaking down geographic barriers and providing secure and efficient fleet management. By integrating predictive analytics, the system is able to anticipate potential issues, thus increasing both safety and productivity. Intuitive and easy-to-use dashboards will make data-based decision making quick and easy.

Global demand for silicones is forecast to grow 3.2% yearly, reaching 3 million metric tons – valued at $29.9 billion – in 2028 according to Research and Markets. Gains will be supported by accelerating construction and manufacturing activity, as well as an improvement in motor vehicle production. The continuing uptake of silicones in lower income countries will also support demand increases. In value terms, gains will be boosted by greater use of better-performing silicones in high-income countries.

The Rubber Division, ACS would like to remind you that its next WOMEN OF OUR INDUSTRY event is on October 2, 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. ET. This WORD Conversation’s featured guest is Marjolein Groeneweg. This WORD Conversation begins with open networking for approximately 10 minutes followed by a conversation between our featured guest, Marjolein Groeneweg, Global Marketing Director, Synthetic Rubber at Synthos, and Gail Reader, Founder/Director at Rubber Heart.