Communicator

Vienna, Austria / Abu Dhabi, UAE — March 4, 2025

In a landmark move reshaping the global petrochemicals industry, Austria’s OMV and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) have unveiled plans to merge their chemical subsidiaries, Borouge and Borealis, into a new entity named Borouge Group International. This new company will then acquire Nova Chemicals, a leading North American polyethylene producer, for $13.4 billion, including debt. The combined enterprise, valued at over $60 billion, is poised to become one of the world’s largest polyolefins producers, with a production capacity of approximately 13.6 million tons per year. The transaction, expected to close in the first quarter of 2026 pending regulatory approvals, underscores both companies’ ambitions to expand their global chemicals footprint.

The deal involves two key steps.
First, OMV, which owns 75% of Borealis, and ADNOC, holding 54% of Borouge, will consolidate their shareholdings into Borouge Group International. Each company will own approximately 46.94% of the new entity, with the remaining 6.12% offered as free-float shares to Borouge’s existing shareholders. To balance the ownership, OMV will contribute €1.6 billion (about $1.7 billion) in cash, subject to adjustments based on dividends paid before the deal closes.
Second, Borouge Group International will acquire Nova Chemicals from Mubadala Investment Company, an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, for an enterprise value of $13.4 billion. The equity value of the deal is reported at $9.377 billion, with the remainder comprising assumed debt. Nova Chemicals, based in Canada, operates four production sites in the Sarnia area, boasting a capacity of 2.6 million tons of polyethylene and 4.2 million tons of ethylene annually. The resulting company will combine Borouge’s dominance in the Middle East and Asia, Borealis’ leadership in Europe, and Nova Chemicals’ strong foothold in North America, creating a truly global player in the polyolefins market.

The formation of Borouge Group International and its acquisition of Nova Chemicals promise to reshape the industry. The merger unites Borouge’s access to competitive feedstock from ADNOC, Borealis’ European market expertise, and Nova Chemicals’ North American operations, bolstered by shale gas-based resources. This geographical diversity strengthens the company’s ability to serve customers worldwide. With an estimated $500 million in annual cost synergies, the new entity will optimize production, share cutting-edge technologies, and leverage combined market access. The company aims to rank as the fourth-largest polyolefins producer globally, enhancing its competitiveness. Sustainability is also a key focus, with all three companies—Borouge, Borealis, and Nova Chemicals—bringing expertise in recycling technologies and sustainable products. Borouge Group International is positioned to lead in the circular economy, targeting net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2050.

Borouge Group International will be headquartered in Vienna, Austria, with a regional base in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and additional hubs in Calgary, Pittsburgh, and Singapore. The company will be listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), with potential plans for a secondary listing in Vienna. Existing Borouge shareholders will exchange their shares for stakes in the new entity, with promises of dividend growth. The acquisition of Nova Chemicals will be funded through debt, which the company plans to refinance in the capital markets post-closing, reflecting confidence in its long-term financial stability backed by ADNOC and OMV.

#abudhabi  #omv  #novachemicals  #borouge  #borealis  #merger  #ethylene  #polyethylene  #recycling  #sustainability  #circulareconomy #netzero #shalegas  #mubadala 

Beatriz Santos | 22/01/2025 | Sustainable Plastics

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) saw publication in the Official Journal of the European Union on Jan. 22, 2025.

The legislation will officially come into force on Feb. 11, 2025. EU regulations become binding upon publication on the Official Journal. All member states are required to comply with the regulation.

The PPWR will apply from August 12, 2026, 18 months after the regulation comes into force.

The European Parliament approved the final PPWR text in November 2024. The document is available in all EU languages.

The EU Parliament had approved a preliminary version of the legislation on April 24, 2024, with 476 votes in favour, 129 against, and 24 abstentions. That version of the text only included a version in English and hadn’t undergone the required legal-linguistic review.

The PPWR includes packaging reduction targets (5% by 2030, 10% by 2035 and 15% by 2040) and require EU countries to reduce, in particular, the amount of plastic packaging waste.

Under the new rules, all packaging, except for lightweight wood, cork, textile, rubber, ceramic, porcelain and wax, will have to be recyclable by fulfilling strict criteria. It introduces, as of 2030, a recyclability performance grade scale from A to C stating the extent to which packaging is considered recyclable, being 95% grade A, 80% grade B, and 70% grade C. 

The legislation includes provisions on recycling targets of 50% for plastic packaging by 2025 and 55% by 2030 and foresees recycled content targets for all types of plastic packaging, with the most demanding ones set for 2040 – including 65% recycled content for SUP beverage bottles, 50% for PET contact-sensitive packaging, and 65% for other packaging.

By 2029, 90% of single use plastic and metal beverage containers up to three litres will have to be collected separately, via deposit-return systems or other solutions that ensure the collection target is met.

Throughout the two long years after the first draft PPWR was introduced, the text has generated a lot of controversy. Some industry groups claim the legislation lacks ‘material neutrality’ by singling-out plastics, whilst others argue that secondary legislation will be required to make it work.


#recycling  #plasticrecycling  #plasticwaste  #plasticpackaging #sustainability 

Viridor has assumed full ownership of Quantafuel as the Oslo Stock Exchange delisted Quantafuel AS’ shares from Euronext Growth on 7th February.

Viridor, 8th Feb 2024.

#pyrolysis  #plasticwaste  #recycling  #chemicalrecycling 

The description of the Plastic Pyrolysis Process has been significantly augmented with a lot of practical information details.
#chemicalrecycling  #advancedrecycling  #circularity  #circulareconomy  #plasticwaste  #recycling