Virdis Chemicals Ltd has been appointed as sole UK Distributor for the Intercure® range of elastomer crosslinking agents manufactured by the Milan based Interbusiness Group.  This is another significant step in Virdis’ growth and aligns with the company’s position as a supplier of high-quality products.

Virdis will add the Intercure® range to its comprehensive package of products for rubber and elastomer compounders, with a specific focus on fluoroelastomers (FKM), polyacrilic (ACM), ethylene-acrylic (AEM) and epichlorohydrin (ECO) elastomers.

Dow Inc. has announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2025, showcasing a strong performance driven by robust demand across key markets and the successful implementation of strategic initiatives. The company reported net sales of $12.3 billion, reflecting a 5% increase compared to the same period last year. This growth was primarily fueled by higher volumes and favorable pricing in the Packaging & Specialty Plastics and Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure segments.

The International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers, Inc. (IISRP) elected Mr. Douglas Wilson as its President-International for the year 2025 – 2026 at the association’s 65th Annual General Meeting on April 9. In his new role, he replaces Mr. Zhuang Yi of Sinopec, who became the Institute’s Past-President International. Douglas Wilson is currently the General Manager of the Americas business for LCY Elastomers LP, with P&L responsibility for all aspects of LCY’s Styrenic Block Copolymer business in North and South America, including the Baytown SBS manufacturing operation.

Hutchinson’s solution involved the creation of two new materials: revea® TPE 428, which contains 37% biobased, biosourced, or recycled ingredients, and revea® TPE 426, which contains 29% biobased, biosourced, or recycled ingredients. These materials deliver the desired properties for various window seals, offering substantial CO2 savings—25% reduction with revea® TPE 428 and 16% with revea® TPE 426 compared to traditional materials.

The medical injection molding market value is expected to reach US$ 10.80 billion by 2031 from US$ 7.52 billion in 2024; the market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 5.3% during 2025–2031. The medical injection molding market growth is attributed to the surging government funding for medical injection molding and increasing prevalence of newborn disorders. Moreover, the rising burden of congenital diseases is likely to fuel the market expansion in the coming years.

Continental group sector Automotive presented its future name at Auto Shanghai. The independent automotive company will be named Aumovio. The name of the new company combines the strong market position, heritage and technological expertise in the automotive industry with the ambition to shape the mobility of the future with innovations. Aumovio will offer electronic products and advanced mobility solutions for the software-defined vehicle and safe, exciting, connected and autonomous mobility to a wide range of global customers.