CONTITECH

Plans to build new competence centre for plastic lines in US / Rising demand from Ford and Chrysler

BIO POLYESTER

Coca-Cola, Ford, Heinz, Nike and Procter & Gamble form collaborative to accelerate development of products made from plant-based PET

VARROC

Indian group to take over Visteon's automotive lighting business following acquisition of Italian company Triom

LANXESS

Official inauguration of new Jhagadia facilities / Catering to rising Indian demand

JOHNSON CONTROLS

Automotive business of Romania's Spumotim acquired

CARCLO

Operating profit static but group is performing well / Expansion in medical moulding capacity in three countries / New contracts will underpin further growth

PLASTIC OMNIUM

Inergy subsidiary establishes joint venture in Russia / Manufacturing fuel tanks for the Russian automotive sector

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Focus remains on mass markets of Russia, China and India / CAFE standard will drive the switch to new materials in USA / Lightweight construction a key topic at IAA / Will global sales stagnate in 2012?

PLASTIC OMNIUM

Record sales in first-half 2011 / French OEM supplier now has 12 production plants in China

JOHN MCGAVIGAN

Equity funding to facilitate expansion / New plant to serve China's automotive market

PROSEAT

Belgian foam cushion plant to close up shop

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

2010 boom was bought with government money / Only China and India see genuine growth / Weight ratio of plastics used in cars on the decline / Most popular engineering polymers take a breather despite strong demand

VISTEON

Auto supplier emerges from Chapter 11 reorganisation / Debt reduced by USD 2.1 bn / Improved capital structure

NORTH AMERICAN AUTOMOTIVE

US loses number one slot to China in 2009 but is bouncing back strongly / Magna in Canadian lightweight vehicle research project / Mexican market sees double-digit growth

KRAUSSMAFFEI

Sale of 100th machine to Turkey / Sign that Turkish plastics processing machinery market is picking up

HELLA

Stepping up operations in Romania / Plans to invest EUR 20m

FAURECIA

Significant improvement in H2 2009 / Plastal acquisition will broaden bumpers portfolio

CEREPLAST

Bioresins distribution pact with A. Schulman extended / Counting on expected demand growth