Page 152 - CW E-Magazine (8-7-2025)

News from Abroad

CLOSING THE LOOP
SK Chemicals’ recycled PET materials to be used

in making Durmont’s automotive carpets

South Korea’s SK Chemicals is
partnering with Austrian automotive
carpet manufacturer Durmont, and
Korean chemicals trader Paarang, as
it bids to advance sustainability in the
European automotive market by sup-
plying recycled materials to global
automotive brands.

Durmont produces carpet roll goods
for approximately 7-million vehicles
annually. In 2023, Durmont was
acquired by Visscher-Caravelle Group
(VC), H a Dutch supplier of car fl oor
mats and other automotive accessories
with a market share of over 40% in the
European market. VC supplies to several
major European automotive brands.

Paarang will support SK Chemicals
and Durmont by leveraging its exper-
tise in logistics and supply chain man-
agement. logy, enables waste plastics to be recy- cals will continue to promote sustain-
cled at the molecular level and main- ability in the industry by leveraging
The three companies have already tains high quality even after repeated our depolymerisation technology and
successfully developed yarns and fi ni- recycling. By applying Skypet CR to meet the material and performance
shed products such as carpets and mats automotive carpets and mats, these requirements of automotive components,
using SK Chemicals’ differentiated CR products can be depolymerised and re- while fostering collaboration with
(Chemical Recycled) PET material cycled after reaching the end of their industry partners.”
solution. These products meet auto- lifespan, enabling the establishment of
motive testing requirements and quality a closed-loop system within the auto- In 2023, SK Chemicals established
standards. The exclusive partnership motive industry. SK Shantou with an investment of
agreement was signed to accelerate approximately $94-mn, securing the
supply and market expansion. SK Chemicals said it will deepen its “world’s fi rst” commercialised chemi-
collaboration with Durmont and Viss- cal recycling production facilities for
Under the agreement, SK Chemi- cher-Caravelle, while also expanding raw materials and products. In Korea,
cals will supply Durmont with its recyc- partnerships with other global auto- SK Chemicals is also expanding its
led PET, Skypet CR, which provides motive brands for other products and recycling-related production and
a material with 100% recycled content, applications. research infrastructure by establishing
certifi ed by ISCC PLUS (International the Recycling Innovation Centre
Sustainability and Carbon Certifi cation SK Chemicals’ CEO Ahn Jae-hyun within its Ulsan plant site, which
PLUS), and a fully recyclable product. commented, “In Europe, the introduc- includes a pilot facility for chemi-
tion of carbon neutrality regulations is cally decomposing waste plastics
Skypet CR, making use of SK driving a growing interest in vehicle to produce recycled raw materials
Chemicals’ chemical recycling techno- circularity and recycling. SK Chemi- (r-BHET).

152 Chemical Weekly July 8, 2025

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