ITPLAST Sett/Ott 2026 | Page 26

ECONOMY AND MARKET
Versalis Focuses on Recycling: Porto Marghera to Become Polystyrene Hub
Porto Marghera is positioning itself to become one of the Italian hubs in the recycled plastics supply chain. In recent days, Versalis, Eni’ s chemical company, brought together distribution companies, consortia, and recovery operators( Aipe, Corepla, Conad, Ecoplastic, Pro- Food, Unionplast, and Veritas) to take stock of the prospects for polystyrene recycling and, more broadly, the challenges of the circular economy in the packaging sector. The meeting comes at a crucial phase for the European plastics industry, which is called upon to increase the share of recycled material in packaging to meet new EU targets. Among the key issues that emerged during the discussion were the quality of waste from separate
collection, the availability of secondary raw materials, technological investments, and the need to guarantee stable demand for products obtained from recycling. Supporting Versalis’ s ambitions is the new mechanical recycling plant in Porto Marghera, which is already operational and designed to process up to 20,000 tons of material per year. The plant produces Refence EPS 3000 PM, an expandable polystyrene containing recycled material derived from food packaging, also intended for applications requiring high standards of safety and hygiene. However, the most significant signal comes from the agreement signed by Versalis with Eco + Eco, a subsidiary of Veritas. The agreement aims to
develop the production and marketing of recycled polyolefins and polystyrene, which until now had limited industrial outlets and were often sent for energy recovery. In particular, recovered expanded polystyrene will directly feed the Porto Marghera site, strengthening a local supply chain that connects waste management and the chemical industry. The operation represents a building block
in the strategy with which Versalis is trying to build increasingly integrated value chains in recycling, in a context where the availability of secondary raw materials is taking on a strategic role for the competitiveness of the sector. Porto Marghera, a historic industrial hub of the Italian chemical industry, thus aims to carve out a new role in the transition towards a more circular production model.
Italian technology plast / October 2026
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CMG Granulators Expands in India: New Production Subsidiary in Pune
CMG Granulators is strengthening its international presence with the launch of CMG India, a new production subsidiary set to begin operations in September 2026 in Pune. The official announcement was made during PRS India 2026, an event dedicated to the plastics recycling sector. The investment comes at a time of strong expansion in the Indian plastics processing and recycling market, driven by industrial growth, infrastructure investment and a growing focus on the quality of recycled materials. According to the company, the choice of India represents not merely a geographical expansion, but a strategic decision to establish a presence in one of the markets set to influence the future of the sector. The new facility in Pune will manufacture equipment developed according to CMG’ s original designs and in line with the technological and quality standards that characterise the group internationally. Local production will enable shorter lead times, increased competitiveness and more direct support for converters, recyclers and plant manufacturers. Alongside production activities, a centre dedicated to design, engineering, technical support and business development will also be established. A specialised team, trained directly in CMG technologies, will support customers throughout the entire project lifecycle. The opening of CMG India forms part of the company’ s strategy focused on developing solutions capable of improving the quality of recycled material, increasing plant efficiency and reducing energy consumption. This approach is encapsulated in the group’ s international message:“ Not all regrind is the same”.“ We view India as one of the hubs where the future of advanced plastics recycling is taking shape,” said Giorgio Santella, CEO of CMG.“ With CMG India, we are bringing an industrial approach based on innovation, regrind quality, energy efficiency and the development of bespoke solutions for every process.”
Vipa Group Sold to Swedish Firm Hexpol for 143.5 Million
The Swedish multinational Hexpol has signed an agreement to acquire 100 per cent of the share capital of Vipa Group, an Abruzzo-based company headquartered in Ancarano( Teramo) and one of Europe’ s leading players in the formulation of thermoplastic compounds for the Wire & Cable sector. The deal values Vipa at € 143.5 million( cash and debt-free). The transaction, funded by a combination of available cash and bank credit facilities, is expected to be financially closed by the third quarter of 2026. Founded in 1969 by the Paolini family, Vipa comprises the operating companies Vi. pa S. r. l. and Vi. pa Polimeri S. r. l.. The company closed the 2025 financial year with revenues of € 76.4 million and employs around 80 staff across two highly automated production plants and an advanced R & D centre. The company boasts profit margins above the sector average, driven by its exposure to highgrowth megatrends: grid electrification, data centres, telecoms infrastructure and smart buildings. From a governance perspective, the Paolini family will support the integration through an 18-month advisory mandate. Operational management will remain with the current chief executive,
Nicola Vigolo, who will lead the company as an autonomous subsidiary of the Swedish group. In conjunction with the transaction, Hexpol has initiated an internal reorganisation of its operational scope: the subsidiaries Hexpol Izmir and Hexpol Vilafranca will be reclassified from the Rubber Compounding segment to the Thermoplastic Compounding business area, creating a strategic critical mass in the cables segment.“ This transaction marks a key milestone in the execution of our strategy for the new Thermoplastic Compounding business area,” emphasised Peter Rosén, acting CEO and CFO of Hexpol.“ Vipa brings us a leading position in the Wire & Cable segment, advanced process expertise and an ideal positioning in relation to structural growth drivers such as the energy transition and data digitalisation.” Stefano Paolini, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vipa Group, highlighted the importance of the industrial agreement for the group’ s continuity:“ Hexpol guarantees the continuation of our industrial development plan and our manufacturing footprint in the region, whilst offering employees the opportunity to join a leading international group.”
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