Company News
October 5, 2026
VPC Group Acquires Domfoam
VPC Group Acquires Domfoam’s Business and Operating Assets
TORONTO, Ontario – VPC Group, a leading Canadian manufacturer of polyurethane foam products announced the acquisition of the business and operating assets of Domfoam, a Montréal-based polyurethane foam manufacturer.
The acquisition strengthens VPC’s Canadian foam business and adds production capacity to support the needs of furniture and bedding manufacturers. It brings together complementary businesses with a shared focus on serving customers.
“Domfoam is a strong fit for VPC,” said Peter Farah, CEO of VPC Group. “We are pleased to build on Domfoam’s experience and customer relationships. This investment gives us greater capacity to support our customers, and our focus is clear: quality products, reliable service and helping them grow.”
VPC’s priority through the transition is to work closely with Domfoam’s customers to understand their needs and support their businesses.
The acquisition represents a further investment in Canadian manufacturing and VPC’s long-term growth.
www.vpcgroup.com
September 30, 2026
Wanhua MDI Turnaround Completed
Wanhua Chemical’s 1.1 million-tonne MDI plant in Yantai resumes production
2026-09-30 08:50:37Source:ChemNet中文
Wanhua Chemical (600309.SH) disclosed an announcement (Announcement No.: Lin 2026 No. 58) on the evening of September 30, stating that the 1.1 million tons/year MDI plant and its supporting facilities in the company’s Yantai Industrial Park have completed the annual shutdown maintenance and resumed normal production and operation.
According to the company’s previously released Announcement Lin 2026-49 on August 5, this core MDI production facility started its annual routine shutdown maintenance on August 10, with the originally planned maintenance period of about 45 days. The actual maintenance took nearly 50 days to complete all maintenance tasks, and the plant successfully restarted production.
The announcement shows that this maintenance is an annual planned maintenance for chemical enterprises, aiming to ensure the long-term safe and stable operation of the plant. The company’s board of directors and all directors shall bear corresponding legal responsibilities for the truthfulness, accuracy and completeness of the announcement content.
The 1.1 million tons/year MDI plant in Yantai Industrial Park is the core domestic production capacity of Wanhua Chemical. After the plant resumes production, the domestic MDI market supply will return to normal levels. During the previous maintenance period, the market had already traded the expectation of supply contraction in advance. With the official resumption of production of this plant, the incremental supply will gradually flow into the market.
September 29, 2026
OCI to Exit TDI Production and Sales
South Korea’s OCI announced its withdrawal from the TDI business, and will cease production and sales from December 18.
2026-09-29 15:07:48Source: Toocle Headlines
On September 29, 2026, South Korea’s OCI announced that its board of directors had approved the termination of the toluene diisocyanate (TDI) manufacturing and sales business, and plans to officially cease relevant production and sales from December 18, 2026. OCI’s current TDI production capacity is approximately 50,000 tons per year.
According to the announcement, OCI’s TDI business achieved sales of approximately 117.947 billion Korean won in 2025, accounting for 5.87% of the company’s consolidated sales. The company stated that the exit from TDI is mainly to “sort out marginal businesses and improve profitability”, and it will enhance corporate and shareholder value by optimizing the business portfolio, rather than packaging and selling the plant.
OCI also reminded that the specific suspension date may be adjusted according to the progress of the exit. With its withdrawal from the TDI sector, the execution of existing orders, inventory digestion and the supply pattern of TDI in the Asia-Pacific region and globally deserve continuous attention.
September 22, 2026
BASF Studying Indian MDI Project
BASF India evaluates MDI investment in Dahej, Gujarat
4 min read·Published on Sep 21, 2026 · 1:35 PM IST
BASF India Limited, a prominent player in the chemical industry, has announced plans to potentially expand its operations in India with a significant investment in methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) production. The company, under the broader umbrella of BASF SE, is considering the establishment of an MDI production complex in Dahej, Gujarat. This decision is part of BASF’s ongoing commitment to address increasing customer demand in the region.
The company disclosed that it is in the advanced stages of conducting a feasibility study concerning this new venture. As part of this potential expansion, BASF India has already secured an industrial land parcel in Dahej through its subsidiary, BASF India Polyurethanes Private Limited. The outcome of this study, alongside necessary regulatory approvals, will ultimately dictate the final investment decision.
MDI, a crucial component in the manufacture of polyurethane products, is instrumental across various industries. It plays a significant role in applications ranging from building insulation and refrigeration systems to automotive parts, furniture, and consumer goods. This development aligns with BASF’s strategic vision to bolster its production capabilities in response to the dynamic needs of these sectors.
BASF’s consideration of expanding its MDI production capacity underscores the importance of the Indian market in the company’s global strategy. The investment, if approved, would not only support BASF’s growth ambitions but also contribute to the technological and industrial advancement of the Indian chemical sector.
This announcement reflects BASF’s strategic foresight in identifying growth opportunities and its dedication to enhancing its service offerings tailored to regional market demands. As BASF continues its feasibility study, stakeholders will be keenly observing developments, anticipating a positive outcome that could further cement the company’s presence in India.
https://businessupturn.com/business/basf-india-evaluates-mdi-investment-in-dahej-gujarat
September 21, 2026
Kumho R&D Plans
Kumho Petrochemical boosts R&D spending despite downturn, targets high-value and eco-friendly materials
Sep 21, 2026, 09:53 am
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| A view of Kumho Petrochemical’s Ulsan rubber plant. / Kumho Petrochemical |
Kumho Petrochemical Group is turning to research and development to weather the prolonged downturn in the petrochemical industry. Rather than expanding output of commodity products, the group plans to increase the share of high-value specialty and eco-friendly materials while broadening research into new areas such as next-generation batteries to secure both profitability and future growth.
According to Kumho Petrochemical Group on Sept. 21, major affiliates including Kumho Petrochemical, Kumho P&B Chemicals, Kumho Mitsui Chemicals and Kumho Polychem are concentrating their R&D capabilities on upgrading existing core products, developing eco-friendly processes and advancing materials for future mobility.
Kumho Petrochemical is strengthening its competitiveness in high-performance synthetic rubber, particularly solution styrene-butadiene rubber, or SSBR, used in tires for electric vehicles and other applications. The company completed a 35,000-ton capacity expansion last year and began commercial production. SSBR improves tire durability, fuel efficiency and wear performance, and demand is expected to rise alongside growth in the electric vehicle market.
In the environmental sector, the company has built carbon capture, utilization and storage facilities capable of capturing about 76,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually. It has also developed technology to convert recycled ABS recovered from discarded home appliances into materials for automotive interiors. The company expects the material to meet automotive standards for heat resistance and impact strength while reducing carbon emissions by about 16%.
Kumho Petrochemical is also expanding beyond conventional petrochemicals into battery materials. The company is participating with POSCO Future M and BEI in the development of next-generation anode-free lithium-metal batteries.
Kumho P&B Chemicals is expanding its eco-friendly product lineup centered on epoxy. The company is developing waterborne epoxy products to reduce volatile organic compound emissions and low-carbon epoxy technologies using bio-based feedstocks. It plans to combine equipment investment with certification efforts to meet demand for eco-friendly materials in construction, shipbuilding, electrical and electronics industries.
Kumho Mitsui Chemicals is pursuing higher-value products while expanding production capacity for methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, or MDI, a key raw material for polyurethane. From December last year through the end of this year, the company is carrying out a 100,000-ton annual debottlenecking investment that will raise total capacity to 710,000 tons. It is also developing bio-content polyurethane systems, lightweight materials for automotive seats and products for high-performance sound absorption.
Kumho Polychem is focusing on increasing the value of ethylene propylene diene monomer, or EPDM, a specialty synthetic rubber. With the recent addition of a fifth production line with annual capacity of 70,000 tons, the company has established a total annual production system of 310,000 tons. It has also improved productivity and quality stability by applying ultra-low-temperature polymerization technology.
The company is also improving production processes to reduce energy use and carbon emissions, including the introduction of low-pressure chillers and waste-heat recovery systems.
Going forward, Kumho Polychem plans to expand its product lineup into materials that reduce EV driving noise, lightweight materials and thermal-conductive and insulating materials. The aim is to broaden its business from conventional products for automotive parts, hoses and cables into high-value materials for eco-friendly mobility.
Kumho Petrochemical Group plans to reduce its dependence on petrochemical market cycles by strengthening the technological competitiveness of core products such as SSBR, epoxy, MDI and EPDM while expanding its R&D scope into recycled materials, carbon reduction and next-generation batteries.
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