Company Profile | Borealis: A Global Leader in High-End Polyolefin Products and Technologies

Source: WeChat Official Account 【JLE Junling Polymers】 Borealis AG is an Austrian chemical company and a leading supplier of innovative, value-added plastic solutions. It is the second-largest polyolefin producer in Europe and the sixth-largest globally, holding a significant position in the petrochemical markets of Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. Borealis is renowned for its advanced Borstar® bimodal polyolefin polymerization technology, high-quality products, and continuous innovation. With over 40 years of expertise in polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), Borealis focuses on developing solutions for piping systems, energy and telecommunications cables, automotive applications, and advanced packaging. Company Development Timeline Although Borealis was formally established relatively recently, it has rapidly grown into a major international specialized polyolefin company. 1994: Borealis was founded in Copenhagen, Denmark, through the merger of the petrochemical businesses of Finnish oil company Neste and Norwegian oil company Statoil (now Equinor), with each holding a 50% stake. 1995: The first Borstar® polyethylene plant commenced operations in Finland. 1997: Neste sold its shares to Austrian oil & gas group OMV and the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC). 1998: Joint venture Borouge was established with ADNOC; PCD Polymere was acquired from OMV, making Borealis the world’s fourth-largest polyolefin producer. 2000: The first Borstar® polypropylene plant commenced operations in Austria; Specialty Polymers Antwerp NV, a joint venture with DuPont, was established in Belgium. 2001: The Borouge joint venture launched a €1.4 billion petrochemical project, including a 600,000-ton-per-year ethylene cracker and Borstar® polyethylene units with a combined capacity of 450,000 tons per year. 2005: OMV and IPIC acquired Statoil’s stake; Borealis’ equity ownership became 64% IPIC and 36% OMV; Borstar® PE 2G technology was launched. 2006: A new 350,000-ton-per-year Borstar® PE plant was commissioned in Austria; the Borstar® PP plant’s capacity was expanded to 300,000 tons per year. 2007: Ineos acquired Borealis’ Norwegian petrochemical business, including a 175,000-ton-per-year PP unit and a 140,000-ton-per-year LDPE unit. 2008: Borstar® PP technology was upgraded, enhancing product purity and processability. 2010: An LDPE plant was commissioned in Sweden at a cost exceeding €400 million to meet global demand for wire-and-cable products; Borouge expanded capacity to 2 million tons per year of PE and PP. 2012: Borlink™ technology was launched. 2013: A catalyst manufacturing facility producing the proprietary Borstar-Sirius catalyst began operations in Linz, Austria. 2014: Borlink™ extrusion-grade cable materials—specifically engineered for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission cables—were launched for ultra-high-voltage DC transmission applications.

Sinopec, Borealis, Covestro, Dow, Trinseo, LyondellBasell, and INEOS: New Strategies for Primary-Cycle Recycling of Plastics

Plastic pollution has drawn widespread attention, prompting governments and international organizations worldwide to actively advance negotiations toward a global treaty to end plastic pollution—expected to be finalized by the end of 2024. Based on current negotiation progress, measures to control or reduce plastic production—and thereby lower overall plastic output—are virtually certain. This will significantly impact petrochemical enterprises, the origin point of plastic production. Consequently, an increasing number of petrochemical companies are shifting strategic focus toward building a circular economy for plastics to adapt to these imminent changes. Borealis Recently, Borealis announced plans to install a semi-commercial demonstration line for recycled polyolefins (rPO) compounding in Bergen, Belgium. Scheduled for completion in 2024, the line is expected to enter full operation in the first half of 2025. The line will utilize Borealis’ proprietary Borcycle™ M technology to convert mechanically recycled post-consumer waste into high-quality rigid polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) materials. Capable of processing various recycled flakes derived from PP and HDPE waste streams, the new line offers exceptional versatility and flexibility. This initiative will help Borealis scale up its Borcycle mechanical recycling technologies. Previously, Borealis acquired Integra Plastics AD, a Bulgarian polyolefin mechanical recycler, and Rialti S.p.A., an Italian PP recycler. Covestro On June 3, Covestro announced it has invested several million euros in plastic recycling company BioBTX to build the world’s first chemical recycling demonstration plant for plastics using BioBTX’s ICCP technology in the Netherlands. Designed for an annual capacity of 20,000 tons, the plant is scheduled to commence operations in early 2027. BioBTX’s ICCP technology recovers renewable aromatic compounds—including benzene, toluene, and xylene—from diverse organic and mixed plastic waste streams for use in circular applications. Covestro aims to achieve carbon neutrality for Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 2035 and for Group-wide Scope 3 emissions by 2050. In April this year, Covestro partnered with automotive value-chain stakeholders to pioneer an experimental closed-loop recycling project for automotive plastics, helping the auto industry address challenges in plastic waste management. Partners include NIO, Volkswagen, Chinese recycling company GRM (Green Metal), and third-party certification body TÜV Rheinland. Last year’s primary focus was on physical recycling lines for polycarbonate (PC); in October 2023, Covestro announced commissioning of its world-first physical recycling PC production line in Shanghai, with an annual output exceeding 25,000 tons. Building on this, Covestro is actively developing chemical recycling processes for polycarbonate and has also invested in multiple recycling technologies, including enzymatic depolymerization and intelligent pyrolysis. Dow Dow has signed a supply agreement with Freepoint Eco-Systems to advance the circular economy for plastics in North America. Freepoint Eco-Systems’ advanced recycling facility, under construction in Arizona, is expected to begin operations in 2026, processing 90,000 tons of waste annually and producing 65,000 tons of pyrolysis oil.

Borealis to Expand Recycled Polyolefin Capacity in Germany and Austria

Oct 13, 2026

Borealis plans to increase recycled polyolefin mechanical recycling capacity by nearly 14,000 tons annually across German and Austrian facilities by 2027. This expansion targets sustainable packaging demands and enhances supply chain resilience.

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Borealis to Expand Recycled Polyolefin Capacity in Germany and Austria

Borealis to Expand Recycled Polyolefin Capacity in Germany and Austria

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