“Together for a climate-neutral future” is the motto with which Covestro will be represented at the China International Import Expo (CIIE), which begins on Saturday in Shanghai. The materials manufacturer will be showcasing a broad portfolio of products and solutions that support the sustainability efforts and low-carbon development of various industries while strengthening its collaborative ties with partners.
The largest import-themed expo in the world, the CIIE gathers a myriad of companies from across industries every year. This is Covestro’s second appearance following its debut in 2021.
“The world is increasingly facing enormous challenges. It is in our hands to meet them and set the course for a green, smart and safe future. Many ideas, concepts, and technologies are there, they now need to be realized with determination,” says Dr. Markus Steilemann, CEO of Covestro. “At CIIE, we want to raise awareness for building a circular economy and for climate neutrality by presenting particularly innovative and sustainable material solutions. At the same time, we want to strengthen relationships with our partners in China and around the world.”
A leading example of Covestro’s successful partnerships comes from Hong Kong-based Sinomax, a manufacturer of polyurethane-based comfort products, which will make the global debut of its first low-carbon mattress at the Covestro booth.
“We are honored to stage the world debut of our new low-carbon sleep system products together with Covestro at the CIIE,” says Sinomax President Eric Cheung. “This marks a major step towards sustainable development at Sinomax Group, amid growing market demand for low-carbon products in China and around the globe. We look forward to further cooperating with Covestro on a global scale for more sustainable products.”
The mattress uses bio-attributed mass-balanced TDI (toluylene diisocyanate), a key component for the production of flexible foams, purchased from Covestro. This can reduce CO2 equivalent emissions by about 10 kilograms for a single mattress.
Materials with lower carbon footprint
Covestro offers renewable[1] TDI, among other materials, using the mass-balanced method, under which alternative raw materials are allocated to the products as certified by ISCC PLUS. They uphold the same high quality as their fossil-based counterparts without customers having to change their processing operations while enabling them to reduce CO2 emissions.
Other solutions featuring the mass-balanced method at CIIE include low-carbon coatings applied to the wood structure on Covestro’s booth. The coatings, made by the Chinese company Baichuan, are based on the Desmodur® CQ hardener from Covestro. The hardener contains more than 30 percent of biomass according to ISCC PLUS and reduces CO2 emissions by more than 20 percent from the cradle to Covestro’s factory gate.
“We believe mass-balanced solutions, among other low-carbon materials, are crucial to support the sustainable development and climate-neutral future of various industries and society. But to broaden this impact, we rely on the strength of more partnerships, and that’s why we are here at the CIIE,” says Covestro China President Holly Lei.
In another example, Covestro and Chinese premium smart EV brand HiPhi are deepening their partnership to create next-generation solutions to make mobility smarter and greener. Under a new agreement to be inked during the CIIE, an array of Covestro’s CO2-reduced polycarbonates, coating and adhesive solutions are expected to be applied in HiPhi’s future models, enabling new functions while reducing their carbon footprint.
Broad portfolio to promote circular economy
Covestro will showcase its cutting-edge materials, solutions, technologies, and collaborative ties at several exhibition areas: Future Mobility, Clean Energy, Green Building, and Sustainable Living, on top of a Branding & Culture corner designed to improve visitor engagement.
“We look forward to further advancing our sustainable development agenda in China through advocacy and collaboration with our customers, partners, and other key stakeholders here,” Lei adds.
To learn more about Covestro’s solutions for a climate-neutral future at the CIIE, visit its booth, 3C3-01, at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) from November 5 to 10, 2022.