Filtek Universal restorative composites were introduced by 3M in April 2019. The new product combines a one-of-a-kind shading system with an innovative material that not only provides efficiency but also a highly aesthetically pleasing and long-lasting result.

Toray Industries Inc. paid USD 1,091 million for TenCate Advanced Composites, a composites division of TenCate BV, in March 2018. This acquisition has aided the company's market position in the carbon fiber composites market across a variety of end-use industries, including medical.

Toray Carbon Magic (Thailand), a subsidiary of Toray Industry Inc. (Tokyo, Japan), opened a new manufacturing plant in Thailand in February 2016. The plant was built to produce carbon fiber reinforced plastic parts for a variety of markets, including healthcare. This new facility aided the company's ability to produce composites for medical applications such as wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs.

BASF SE announced a collaboration with Photocentric Ltd. in November 2020 to launch a new Daylight Product Line (Ultracur3D EPD) for 3D printing applications such as prototyping, engineering, and serial production of automotive parts. These resins give the printed parts a lot of stiffness and flexibility.

Figure 4 Jewelry Solution, a specially designed and optimized technology for the 3D printed jewellery market, was developed by the company in January 2020. The advancement of this technology is expected to strengthen the 3D Systems Figure 4 platform in the rapidly expanding 3D printing jewellery market.

In March 2020, SK Global Chemical Co., Ltd. announced that the EPDM production plant in Ulsan, Korea, would close by the second quarter of 2020.

ARLANXEO intended to open an elastomer R&D centre in Dhahran Techno Valley, Saudi Arabia, in July 2019. In October 2019, DOW Inc introduced two new EPDM product grades: NORDEL 4590 EPDM and NORDE 4750 OE EPDM, which are suitable for automotive, building & construction, and plastic modification applications.

ARLANXEO planned to close its EPDM plant in Orange, Texas, in November 2019 in order to standardise EPDM manufacturing technology across multiple plants. COVID's Influence

The chemical industry has been the hardest hit by the impact of COVID, with issues such as supply chain disruption and creating an unbalanced scenario on the demand and supply side, affecting the global market and economy. However, there have been some positive factors in the industry, such as the rise of digital technologies within the sector, which has created a lucrative opportunity, focusing on a strong foundation in the coming years. Citrine Informatics, a startup that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to create new materials, discovered low-cost formulations in less than 90 days by evaluating, optimising, and assimilating ingredient recipes and domain knowledge.

Some of the accelerating factors that have gained a significant dominance within the COVID era are :

• Increased preference for remote channels
• Increased focus on health and safety
• Accelerated digitization

Although the specialised construction industry is highly fragmented, it accounts for a significant portion of the construction sector in terms of volume. The fastest growth rates are seen in emerging economies such as Brazil, India, Malaysia, and Thailand. The difficulty in these economies is their reliance on labour for construction operations, as well as a shortage of skilled workers to perform various tasks. Governments have declared a total lockdown, resulting in a mass migration of laborers, the majority of whom are immigrants from other states or countries. Although the specialized construction industry is highly fragmented, it accounts for a sizable portion of the construction sector in terms of volume. The fastest growth rates are seen in emerging economies such as Brazil, India, Malaysia, and Thailand. The issue in these economies is their reliance on labor for construction operations, as well as a shortage of skilled workers to perform various tasks. Governments have declared a state of emergency, resulting in a massive influx of laborers, the vast majority of whom are immigrants from other states or countries.