Changing value chain collaboration in the circular economy in Europe. How to position you as a “circular” polymer purchaser? – Statement

The Polymers for Europe Alliance, set up by European Plastics Converters (EuPC) in 2015, held a Webinar on Thursday March, 9th with the participation of Dow, Trinseo, Marcian Ltd. (a consultancy firm established by Paul Turner, recently of LyondellBasell and Chairman of the Polyolefins Product Group of PlasticsEurope), Alpla and Klöckner Pentaplast.

Initial presentations by the speakers from the Producers highlighted their commitment (strategic and financial) to developing Circularity in their activities in Europe with a whole range of innovative technologies in pursuit of the emerging requirements of European and national legislation as well as their own corporate agendas. Paul Turner focused his presentation on explaining how Producers worked so that Converters in the audience could get the best out of them.

There followed a debate joined by Christian Mayr of Alpla and Tony Harrison of Klöckner Pentaplast during which the inter-dependence of the two sides of the plastics Supply Chain in pursuing Circularity rapidly became crystal clear. Neither could make meaningful progress without the active involvement of the other. This was in stark contrast to many of the traditional commercial issues (Forces Majeures, energy surcharges, supply outages driven by Covid, et al.) which had played such a major role in characterising relations between the two sides in the past.

There seemed to be an echo here of the conclusions of the last Webinar held by the Alliance last year which concluded that a fresh start was needed with greater honesty and transparency between the two parties.

The Webinar concluded with Ron Marsh as Moderator reminding members of the Alliance (of whom more than 100 had registered to participate) to vote before 15 April in the current Polymer Producers Awards. It is to be hoped that these Awards demonstrate progress in the development of relations along the Supply Chain compared with the previous year’s exercise which had to be aborted.

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About Polymers for Europe Alliance

The Alliance was initiated by the European Plastics Converters association (EuPC) during its General Assembly in May 2015. It is an online, confidential information platform open to all parties who have an interest in the competitive conversion of polymers in Europe. Its objectives are to provide factual public information on the status of the polymer supply situation in Europe and to re-establish a constructive dialogue with the supply base. The initiatives of the Alliance also include the Best Polymer Producers Awards for Europe.

http://www.polymercomplyeurope.eu/pce-services/polymers-europe-alliance

Media contact:

Aude BOURGEOIS

+32 (0)2 741 82 82

aude.bourgeois@pceu.eu

Avenue de Cortenbergh 71 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium