November, 9, 2022 - The world's leading plastics trade show K 2022 was all about using plastics to protect the climate, nature and resources. Covestro presented new products and materials at the exhibition for many key areas that support the circular economy and climate neutrality. Under the motto "Crafting Connections With You", the booth became a workshop where the company invited customers, partners and other stakeholders to work together on concepts to overcome major long-term challenges.

"Plastics are a must to drive the shared global vision of the circular economy and achieve climate neutrality. At K 2022, we wanted to highlight the huge potential of these advanced materials to solve global challenges and showcase promising developments," said CEO Dr. Markus Steilemann. "The show also played an important role in bringing together partners in the value chains and from other sectors. The task now is to move forward together with rapid, major steps toward implementation."

Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer, added: "We have set ourselves ambitious targets and want to become carbon neutral by 2035 for CO2 emissions from our operations and renewable energy supply, so that our customers can achieve their climate and sustainability goals. To achieve this, we are relying on close cooperations with them and many other partners," says Govil. "At the show, we showcased innovative products and solutions from the fields of alternative raw materials, innovative recycling and renewable energies that pave the way to full circularity at Covestro."

Covestro used K 2022 for a multimedia appearance to network: At the booth, an exciting program of talks was streamed live throughout in the "Talk Arena" with prominent guests. The Backstage area was a multifunctional space for hybrid events and interactive formats. An extensive digital platform – called "Space" – provided a lot of background information about the developments shown. Innovators and their developments for the circular economy were presented as part of the video series "Meet The Innovators".

Crafting Circular Economy

In this important area, Covestro showed how it is driving the transformation to a circular economy and aims to achieve climate neutrality in its own production and in its supply of renewable energy. With the introduction of the "CQ" label for products based on alternative raw materials, Covestro aims to create greater transparency and make it easier for customers to distinguish them from conventional, fossil-based products.

Another focus is on innovative recycling technologies. The "Recycling Technology Wheel" provided information on current developments. Chemolysis in particular holds great potential for the quantitative recovery of raw materials. Covestro is now introducing the name "Evocycle CQ" for all evolutionary recycling processes as an extension.

Crafting Electrification

The shift from fossil to renewable energy sources is also linked to electrification of the important sectors of transport and buildings: the mobile and stationary future is electric. Plastics from Covestro will play an important role in all of these in the future – from power generation and storage to use in vehicles and at home.

Renewable energy also plays a role in a special exhibit: The "Photon," a prototype solar race car, was on display in the outdoor area of Hall 7A. This "Sonnenwagen" was designed and built by a dedicated team of students from Aachen, Germany, who have set themselves the task of developing and racing high-tech vehicles for a particularly sustainable form of mobility. Covestro is the main sponsor of the project.

Crafting Smart Designs

This exhibition area was dedicated to the possibilities of digitalization and open innovation approaches to work in a more connected and sustainable way along the entire value chain.

At K 2022, Covestro presented, among other things, new charging stations and wall charging stations (wallboxes) for future mobility, including the first wallbox produced by partner EVBox using more sustainable polycarbonates. These plastics from the Makrolon RE range are produced proportionately from biowaste and residual materials, in part using renewable electricity, and therefore have a very low carbon footprint.

Crafting Sustainable Living

How can urban spaces be made more sustainable without compromising on consumer preferences? Covestro provided answers to this question in this exhibition area. The aims of the developments presented are greater comfort and design freedom, enhanced functionality, more sustainable and circular solutions, and energy-efficient living.

Covestro and Arcesso Dynamics, a custom polyurethane parts manufacturer, introduced Arfinio at K 2022, a breakthrough manufacturing solution for furniture, bathroom fixtures, electronic parts, housings and other applications based on reaction injection molding (RIM) of aliphatic polyurethanes.

Covestro is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. Covestro supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from Covestro are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself. The company is committed to becoming fully circular and is striving to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). Covestro generated sales of EUR 15.9 billion in fiscal 2021. At the end of 2021, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 17,900 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).

Source: Covestro / Photo: Przemek Jedrysikd (Covestro)