Covestro debuts at China International Import Expo

Photo taken on Oct. 30, 2021, shows the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), venue for the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE). (Photo by Wang Chu/People's Daily Online)

German chemicals giant Covestro opened its booth at the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) on November 5, 2021, marking the company's first time participating in this important expo.

Under the theme "Pioneering a Circular Economy for a Climate-Neutral Future," the materials manufacturer is showcasing cutting-edge solutions and technologies centered around the circular economy.

"With our broad portfolio focused on the circular economy in various industries, we are strategically well positioned to support China's sustainable development, particularly the country's ambitions to become carbon neutral," said Dr. Markus Steilemann, Covestro's CEO. "Our vision to become fully circular is in line with China's megatrends, as we recognize that China will play a key role in the transition to a circular economy."

As a demonstration of China's high-level opening-up, the CIIE has been held annually since 2018, featuring exhibitions of multiple countries and businesses.

A key focus of Covestro's presence at the CIIE is the use of alternative raw materials. This includes the Asia Pacific debut of two ISCC PLUS-certified mass-balanced products with a lower carbon footprint: these are MDI – a key raw material for polyurethanes (PU) – and the high-performance plastic polycarbonate, with imported raw materials. Both contain a significant proportion of alternative raw materials, including plant waste, residual fats and vegetable oils, which partially replace fossil resources.

At the CIIE, Covestro is presenting even more technologies, products and solutions to enable circularity, including its Triturn® CO₂ technology, which enables carbon dioxide to be reused as a valuable alternative raw material in polyol production and a next-level plastic chemical recycling solution with an aim to close the loop for polyurethane mattresses.

"We look forward to leveraging the CIIE as a platform to share our innovative and sustainable products, technologies and solutions, and seek more partnerships to drive the high-quality, sustainable development of the Chinese economy,"said Holly Lei, President of Covestro China.

According to Covestro, the company is also highlighting successful collaboration cases during the CIIE. It will host several signing ceremonies of memorandums of understanding (MoU) with partners such as Schneider Electric and Chinese automotive assembly company Yanfeng.