"CHINAPLAS 2026" was held from April 21 to 24, 2026, at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Hongqiao, Shanghai. The event reached a record-breaking scale, covering over 390,000 square meters of exhibition space with more than 5,000 exhibitors. The overarching theme for the event was "Transformation, Collaboration, Sustainability."

Surveying the exhibition floor, a clear common denominator emerged among the material manufacturers' showcases: their strategies are heavily influenced by three major regulations and policies:

• EU PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation): With mandatory recycled content targets, there is a surging demand for additives and modification technologies that resolve the functional shortcomings (gels, surface defects, property variations) of PCR/PIR resins.

• Global PFAS Restrictions: Replacing fluorinated materials—such as PTFE-based processing aids, water repellents, and slip agents—has become the top priority for engineers and procurement managers.

• China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030): In its opening year, policy-driven "New Quality Productive Forces" sectors—including new energy, the low-altitude economy, embodied AI (humanoid robots), and AI infrastructure—are steering material demand.

Furthermore, geopolitical risks, including US-Iran tensions, are fundamentally changing the operating model of material manufacturers. The long-standing focus on "cost competitiveness, low inventory, and efficiency" is shifting toward "survival, supply chain security, and multi-region backup systems." Material strategies in this age of uncertainty are being rebuilt around the dual pillars of sustainability and security.

Technologically, two major trends defined the event:

1. Additive and modification technologies solving recycled material dysfunctions.

2. Intense competition in materials innovation centered around "Electrification × Thermal Management."

This report breaks down the regulatory and market responses of key players, including China's leading material manufacturer Kingfa, European specialty chemicals company Syensqo, as well as BASF, SILIKE, and Everlight Chemical.

Kingfa: From "Exporting Products" to "Exporting Capacity and Talent"

Kingfa, China's largest modified plastics manufacturer, held a press conference on April 20, the day before the exhibition opened. The company outlined its strategy, positioning the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) as a time to "rebuild the foundation for survival in an era of uncertainty."

Upgrading the Overseas Strategy

A major highlight of the conference was the structural transformation of their international strategy. Kingfa is upgrading from merely "exporting products" to "exporting production capacity and talent" (localized expansion). The Asia-Pacific region has been repositioned as the absolute top-priority strategic area, with Europe and the Americas designated as key expansion targets.

The company also detailed concrete measures for supply chain resilience. While covering seven major global regions with over 20 production bases and 800+ production lines, Kingfa is accelerating the construction of "satellite factories" to ensure regional collaborative delivery and multi-region backup. By insourcing monomer synthesis capabilities and forming tight alliances with over 50 top-tier global strategic suppliers, Kingfa is building a robust risk-mitigation system centered on an "Integrated Collaborative Platform + Flexible Delivery + Rapid Response."

Supporting the 7 Emerging Industries of the "15th Five-Year Plan"

Kingfa's seven strategic directions perfectly align with the key industries designated by the Chinese government for the 15th Five-Year Plan:

• Bio-manufacturing & Green/Low Carbon: 50,000-ton bio-succinic acid and 10,000-ton bio-BDO (butanediol) production lines are now operational. Boasting one of the world's largest biodegradable plastic supply systems, Kingfa showcased bio-based/biodegradable plastics and ISCC-certified LCP. Over 50,000 tons of biodegradable agricultural mulch films have been deployed across China.

• Embodied AI (Humanoid Robots, etc.): Positioning 2026 as the inaugural year of commercialization, Kingfa proposed numerous "metal replacement with plastics" solutions for battery housings, robot hands, and quadruped robots.

• New Energy (Solar & Energy Storage): In response to the high-voltage trend shifting system voltages from 1500V to 2000–2500V, Kingfa is co-developing highly insulating and tracking-resistant materials with major clients.

• Low-Altitude Economy (Drones, Flying Cars): Introduced carbon fiber reinforced materials that maintain high strength while being approximately 50% lighter than aluminum alloys.

• Next-Generation IT: Showcased high-flow, low-dielectric LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) solutions addressing high-speed transmission and miniaturization, which have earned high market acclaim.

• New Energy Vehicles (NEVs): Promoted plastic metal replacements for structural parts, such as tailgate inner panels (30%+ lighter) and CCBs/Cross Car Beams (50%+ lighter). Also showcased glass-fiber reinforced PPA/PPS for electronic water pumps and thermoplastic composites for battery pack top covers.

Moving forward, Kingfa plans to establish a specialized development team for the embodied AI (humanoid robot) industry to deepen its one-stop solution collaborations with over 1,000 top global brands.

Joint Announcement with Li Auto on Closed-Loop Recycling

A major highlight during the exhibition was a joint announcement made on April 22 at Kingfa's booth with Li Auto regarding closed-loop recycling (PCR). The announcement highlighted upstream-downstream collaboration with a leading Chinese NEV brand, outlining plans to further implement a circular economy through the closed-loop recovery of automotive parts.

Driven by the industry-wide operational shift from "cost/efficiency" to "survival/security," Kingfa is fundamentally redesigning its business through a trinity of Policy (15th Five-Year Plan), Market (NEVs, Embodied AI, Low-Altitude Economy), and Supply Chain (Capacity Export + Satellite Factories).

Syensqo: Expanding Changshu Base While Launching World-First NFS Technology

Headquartered in Belgium, Syensqo is a specialty chemicals company born from the spin-off of Solvay's specialty polymers and composites business in December 2023.

At its press conference on April 20, the company showcased specialty polymers essential to the supply chains of NEVs, green hydrogen, electronics, healthcare, and semiconductors.

Continuous Expansion of the Changshu Base

Syensqo operates 45 Application Development Labs (ADLs) worldwide. The Shanghai lab, in particular, boasts advanced testing capabilities for e-mobility magnet wires, semiconductor manufacturing/testing, and dialysis/water treatment membranes.

Production capacity expansion is equally aggressive. Over the past three years, the Changshu plant's composite materials capacity increased by over 40%, and compounding capacity grew by over 50%. Additionally, the company plans to increase PVDF (Solef) production capacity by over 30% by the end of this year.

Syensqo noted that its "Fast Track Compounding" line and high-speed compounding center in Shanghai are drastically shortening the new product development cycles for Chinese clients.

4-Sector Strategy: "The Path of Exploration, Embracing the Future"

The core of the press conference was a cross-sector strategy spanning four key areas: Mobility, Connectivity, Life, and Sustainability.

Safe Mobility

With NEV penetration in China exceeding 50%, thermal management and insulating materials for EV powertrains (motor, inverter, battery) have become the primary battleground.

• Full-Scale PEEK Adoption: Offering temperature resistance up to 240°C, suitable for harsh, long-term operating conditions of 150–180°C. Already adopted by major Chinese NEV manufacturers, Syensqo is advancing a mass-production project for PEEK films for stators/rotors with a top local OEM.

• Amodel Supreme PPA: Adopted for electric compressor housings. Secures a glass transition temperature of 165°C and long-term dimensional stability at 150°C.
  
  ⁠⁠Released Amodel PPA for busbars as a 100% localized grade (raw material procurement, development, and manufacturing entirely within China). It offers halogen-free flame retardancy and severe thermal shock resistance, meeting the integration and efficiency requirements of EV powertrains.

Advanced Connectivity

AI data centers and semiconductor manufacturing are also key focus areas.

• For AI data center immersion cooling, the high-purity Galden PFPE series covers boiling points from 55°C to 270°C in a graded lineup. The numbers in the product grades directly indicate the "boiling point," meticulously defined so users can select the optimal grade depending on whether their system uses phase-change (boiling/latent heat) or sensible heat.

• Targeting high-power AI processors that outpace air and water cooling, Syensqo highlighted its ability to "guarantee thermal management safety via a global supply chain, enabling direct adoption without modifying existing processes."

Better Life

• A next-generation spinal cage, currently under joint research with a Chinese company, utilizes a calcium silicate-compounded PEEK. It reportedly possesses bioactivity similar to bone tissue, significantly shortening post-operative fusion time.

• In consumer goods, the company provides BPA/BPS-free Radel PPSU for Pigeon baby bottles, offering high transparency and heat resistance, and highly freeze-resistant Omnix HPPA for residential plumbing and sanitary temperature control valves.

Sustainable Quality

• In the clean energy sector, Radel PPSU and Udel PSU are provided as metal replacements for next-generation electrolyzers to support the hydrogen economy.

• The light stabilizer CYASORB CYASTAB M5652, now locally produced at the Zhenjiang plant, boasts twice the weather resistance and color stability of conventional products and has achieved food-contact certification.

• Light stabilizers CYASORB CYXTRA V9800 and V9100, which enhance the weatherability and aesthetics of translucent polypropylene (PP), are also being rolled out for automotive interior and exterior applications.

ECHO Series: "Drop-In Replacements Without Sacrificing Performance"

At the heart of Syensqo's sustainability strategy is the ECHO series—a unified rollout of eco-friendly high-performance materials containing bio-based or certified recycled content.

The defining feature is that it maintains the exact mechanical properties, safety, and processability of conventional materials, enabling a direct "drop-in" replacement from existing grades. It is designed to lower Scope 3 emissions without disrupting clients' existing equipment or processes, and holds UL, ISCC, and EC certifications.

During the media Q&A, when asked about differentiating from competitors' 90% PCR polycarbonates, executives explained: "Super engineering plastics have a much smaller absolute market volume, making recycled material recovery extremely limited. We differentiate through a certified supply chain leveraging recycled carbon fibers, glass fibers, and bio-based raw materials."

They also noted that the spin-off from Solvay represents a shift from "optimizing existing product efficiency" to "rapidly developing new, eco-friendly products."

Latest Development of NFS (Non-Fluorosurfactant) FKM Technology

At CHINAPLAS 2026, Syensqo presented the latest developments in its Tecnoflon FKM NFS technology, a fluoroelastomer manufacturing process that completely eliminates fluorosurfactants.

Syensqo has been progressively reducing its use of fluorosurfactants since 2013, completing the transition of all FKM formulations to NFS technology in 2024, and aims to manufacture 100% of its FKM grades without fluorosurfactants by 2026. 

The NFS technology represents a critical strategic move in addressing global PFAS regulations, supporting sustainability across a wide range of fields that depend on fluoropolymers—including EV batteries, hydrogen applications, semiconductor manufacturing, and medical devices.

While Kingfa highlights its "alignment with Chinese policy," Syensqo differentiates itself through a trinity of "Deepening the Chinese Market (Changshu/Shanghai base reinforcement) × Global Regulatory Compliance (NFS FKM tech, ISCC-certified ECHO) × Drop-In Compatibility."

BASF: Entering the Implementation Phase with "#OurPlasticsJourney"

European giant BASF demonstrated its commitment to "performance-driven innovation and co-creation" in e-mobility, robotics, footwear, and advanced consumer/industrial applications under the theme "#OurPlasticsJourney". By showcasing real names of co-creation partners alongside concrete data, BASF strongly emphasized its transition into the "implementation phase."

Specific collaborative projects announced included partnerships with Welion New Energy Technology (batteries), Niber Technologies, and Clarks (footwear). These showcases highlighted expanded design possibilities, improved user experiences, and new market opportunities powered by high-performance, sustainable materials.

In the additives sector, the VALERAS portfolio took center stage. Tinuvin NOR 600, a flagship additive for outdoor, agricultural film, and industrial applications, balances long-term weatherability with high acid resistance under harsh outdoor conditions—ideal for roofing, truck tarps, and artificial turf. For rotomolding, the Irgastab product line provides up to 20 years of UV protection for water storage and liquid tanks.

Furthermore, a commercial vehicle air tank co-developed with WAL Low Carbon Technology won the "CHINAPLAS Innovation of the Year 2025" award. By utilizing Ultramid polyamide, the tank achieved a weight reduction of 10–20% compared to aluminum and over 50% compared to steel.

SILIKE (Chengdu Silike): Alternative Additive Provider for the PFAS-Free Era

SILIKE (Chengdu Silike), a Chinese specialist in silicone-based additives, structured its exhibition around two major axes: EU PPWR compliance and Global PFAS regulatory compliance.

• PFAS-Free Axis: Showcased PFAS-Free polymer processing aids, PTFE-Free processing additives, fluorine-free masterbatches, and fluorine-free anti-drip solutions. The PTFE-free wear-resistant masterbatch (compliant with ISO 7148 and ASTM D3702) reduces the wear rate of PA, POM, and TPU substrates by 30% without impacting their mechanical properties.

• PPWR Axis: Introduced a non-migratory ultra-slip, anti-blocking masterbatch. With PCR/PIR content becoming mandatory under the EU PPWR, this acts as a critical solution to address gels and surface defects in recycled resins. Utilizing a specially modified silicone polymer as the active ingredient, it reduces the coefficient of friction (COF) at low addition rates while maintaining downstream performance such as printing, heat-sealing, and metallizing.

SILIKE also exhibited its dynamic vulcanized thermoplastic silicone elastomer, the Si-TPV series. It offers a silky touch and a high-end matte finish resembling silicone rubber without the need for secondary coating, drawing attention as a material-level solution that balances eco-friendliness with aesthetic design.

Everlight Chemical: Balancing Spray-Free Aesthetics and Lifespan Extension via "All-Spectrum"

Everlight Chemical, Taiwan's premier polymer additives manufacturer, promoted its "All-Spectrum Solutions for Polymers," rolling out a one-stop portfolio featuring High-Gloss Black, Anti-IR (infrared barrier), UV stabilizers, Anti-Blue Light masterbatches, and high-efficiency Eversorb EP/UP stabilizers.

A standout exhibit was their High-Gloss Spray-Free Masterbatch. By enabling a high-gloss finish in a single-step injection molding process, it eliminates the VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) issues associated with secondary painting, making it highly optimal for automotive, 3C (Computer, Communication, Consumer Electronics), and home appliance components.

The Anti-IR Masterbatch efficiently blocks infrared heat, preventing heat accumulation and providing excellent thermal insulation. Meanwhile, the Anti-Blue Light Masterbatch serves differentiating applications in the digital device market.

For the Eversorb EP/UP high-efficiency stabilizers, the company highlighted its decades of expertise in light stabilizers and its robust technical support for complex yellowing and aging challenges.

Everlight Chemical's exhibition was characterized by a "one-stop" appeal that addressed regulatory compliance, electrification, and the circular economy at the additive level through three pillars: VOC reduction (High-gloss spray-free), Thermal management (Anti-IR), and Lifespan extension (Eversorb).

Three Material Strategy Paradigms Revealed at CHINAPLAS 2026

Analyzing the exhibitions of these five companies reveals three major paradigm shifts taking place in the industry:

• Regulation has shifted from a "cost" to a source of "competitiveness."

Adapting to the EU PPWR, global PFAS restrictions, and China's 15th Five-Year Plan is no longer viewed merely as a compliance cost, but as a wellspring of differentiation. As demonstrated by SILIKE’s portfolio, the industry has pivoted from a "cost-first" mentality to "value reconstruction under efficient compliance."

• Surging demand for technologies solving "Recycled Material Dysfunctions."

Four out of the five companies directly addressed the quality challenges of recycled materials: Kingfa (closed-loop with Li Auto), Syensqo (ECHO drop-in replacements), SILIKE (non-migratory masterbatches), and Everlight (lifespan extension).

• "Electrification × Thermal Management" is the primary material battleground.

Whether it's Syensqo (PEEK insulation, Galden PFPE immersion cooling, Amodel PPA busbars), BASF (engineering plastics for cooling systems), Everlight (infrared barriers), or Kingfa (PPA/PPS for electronic water pumps, battery cover composites), thermal management has emerged alongside lightweighting as the definitive shared challenge across the automotive, data center, and home appliance sectors.

The next event, CHINAPLAS 2027, is scheduled to be held from April 13 to 16, 2027, at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center (Bao'an) under the theme "Advancing a Smarter, Circular Future - As One." We will continue to closely watch how these regulation-driven, realigned material strategies evolve into their next phase over the coming year.