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Trinseo reported its first quarter 2022 financial results. Net sales in the first quarter increased 41% versus prior year. Higher prices resulted in a 26% increase mainly due to the pass through of higher raw material costs, such as styrene, along with higher energy costs. The remainder of the net sales increase was from the addition of the acquired PMMA and Aristech Surfaces businesses within the Engineered Materials segment. First quarter net income from continuing operations of $17 million was $49 million below prior year due to a pre-tax charge of $36 million related to the European Commission request for information and additional depreciation and amortization from our recent acquisitions. First quarter Adjusted EBITDA of $178 million was $6 million lower than prior year as the additional earnings from the acquired businesses in Engineered Materials and a positive year-over-year net timing variance of $26 million from rising raw material prices was more than offset by lower styrene margins along with lower automotive volumes in Base Plastics

Continental has presented a driverless and fully electric test vehicle which it has developed for measuring the braking performance of passenger car tires. The objective of the fully automated test is to further reduce the braking distance of tires to ensure greater road safety. The AVA – “Analytic Vehicle AIBA” – enables precise monitoring of the frictional properties of tires during braking maneuvers on dry and wet roads. For the first time, the Continental AVA combines the advantages of a test method which is independent of the vehicle model, with the controlled and reproducible test environment of the Automated Indoor Braking Analyzer (AIBA). Continental’s tire testing experts can therefore perform tests regardless of vehicle specific characteristics. With this, Continental has one of the world’s most advanced and precise tire braking test methods. The cutting edge and globally unique test vehicle is used on the company’s proving ground Contidrom near Hanover, Germany.

Albemarle Corporation announced that it has endorsed the United Nations (UN) Global Compact CEO Water Mandate, a global initiative in partnership with the Pacific Institute, that mobilizes business leaders to advance water stewardship practices.

Clariant announced that the investigation of accounting issues related to provisions and accruals (as disclosed by Clariant on 14 February 2022) conducted by independent advisors and external counsel (Deloitte and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher), has been concluded. After reviewing the results of the investigation, the Board of Directors has determined the need for a restatement of the 2020 financial statements and corrections to the quarterly reporting of key financial data for 2020 and 2021

Thailand’s commerce minister Jurin Laksanawisit was upbeat about Thailand’s export growth, saying the 19.5 per cent year-on-year surge in March was the highest in 30 years.

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announces that a new, revised global website introducing its floating and fixed fenders (https://www.y-yokohama.com/global/product/mb/fenders/), is now online.

London, England – ACI’s 8th annual The European Biopolymer Live Summit is taking place on the 14th & 15th June in London, UK and hear from Willemijn Witteveen, Business Development, Renewable Chemistry of Avantium, on Day 2 focusing on: Driving the Commercial Reality of Bio-PET.

Oslo, Norway – Wastefront is developing a waste tire recovery project in Sunderland, UK to produce low carbon maritime and