Chemco, NRW and Panduit unveil major growth moves

Chemco commissions large-scale food‑grade rPET plant in Gujarat

Chemco Group has brought online a new food‑grade recycled PET (rPET) plant in Sanand, Gujarat, following an investment of around Rs1.25bn ($13.7m). The facility can process more than a billion used PET bottles annually, converting them into rPET suitable for direct use in food and beverage packaging. The recycled output is approved by the US FDA, the European Food Safety Authority and meets India’s FSSAI food‑contact plastics requirements, while operations comply with Bureau of Indian Standards guidance on recycled materials.

By developing in‑house bottle‑to‑bottle recycling, Chemco aims to help brand owners meet recycled‑content mandates, extended producer responsibility rules and broader sustainability goals, while maintaining food safety and performance. The plant’s closed‑loop system gives Chemco end‑to‑end oversight of collection, processing and output quality, reducing reliance on third‑party suppliers and long transport routes. Managing director Vaibhav Saraogi described the project as a strategic shift toward an integrated ecosystem that supports supply security, traceability and regulatory compliance.

Chemco positions the site to serve large customers in beverages, FMCG and food, offering steady volumes and consistent quality. The commissioning follows the company’s 2024 decision to expand rigid packaging capacity in Bahrain, its third expansion there since opening a factory at Bahrain International Investment Park in 2013, indicating ongoing growth in both primary plastics production and circular recycling capabilities.

NRW wins A$750m Meandu Mine contract with capital‑light structure

Australia’s NRW Holdings, through subsidiary Golding Contractors, has secured a mining services agreement worth about A$750m ($502.6m) with TEC Coal for the Stanwell‑owned Meandu Mine in Queensland. The 5.5‑year deal, which began this month, consists of a six‑month mobilisation followed by a five‑year operational phase. Golding will manage the entire mining operation, including running and maintaining three heavy equipment fleets, a dragline and a processing plant supplied by TEC Coal.

The Meandu open‑cut coal mine, 25km south‑east of Kingaroy in the South Burnett region, has an annual capacity of 7.6 million tonnes and is expected to supply coal until 2037. NRW said the contract will employ about 400 local residents. Chief executive Jules Pemberton highlighted that the ‘capital‑light’ structure aligns with NRW’s strategy to lower the capital intensity of its contract mining business while maintaining safe and efficient service delivery. He added that the arrangement positions the group to continue delivering value to shareholders and to build a long‑term partnership with TEC Coal.

NRW provides diversified contract services across civil construction, contract mining and equipment refurbishment in Australia, with operations also in Canada and the United States. The Meandu award follows a July 2025 announcement that its Civil & Mining division had secured an approximately A$167m contract from Rio Tinto at the Brockman Syncline 1 mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, covering earthworks, roadworks, drainage and drill‑and‑blast activities for primary crushing and conveying infrastructure.

Panduit rolls out RapidID Pro and Pro+ for field labeling and network mapping

US‑based infrastructure manufacturer Panduit has introduced RapidID Pro and RapidID Pro+, enhanced versions of its automated network mapping system aimed at growing networks that require advanced troubleshooting and asset tracking. Building on the existing RapidID Desktop option, the Pro version adds device and asset identifiers to streamline structured network navigation and allows users to print labels for cables, devices and assets directly in the field.

RapidID Pro+ adds multi‑user support via a central server, offering shared access to documentation and workflows. Senior product manager Nathan Gleghorn said the expanded RapidID offering is designed to improve how customers document networks by combining label printing and device capture, enabling a more complete view of infrastructure. According to Panduit, the server‑based version is intended to speed up processes, cut errors and deliver greater consistency across sites, and is positioned as part of its broader, R&D‑driven portfolio for electrical and network connectivity solutions.

Resolution Minerals accelerates tungsten strategy at Horse Heaven

Australian explorer Resolution Minerals is advancing tungsten exploration and development at its Horse Heaven Project in Idaho, US, citing record tungsten prices of $900 per tonne unit and expectations of further price strength in 2026. The 59km² project in Boise National Forest, adjacent to Perpetua Resources’ Stibnite Gold Project, comprises 699 federal lode mining claims over more than 5,644 hectares and includes former antimony, tungsten and gold mines.

Resolution has appointed former Golden Gate Tungsten Mine geologist David Hembree to lead efforts, drawing on his 45 years of experience in the western United States. Hembree will review historical data, oversee fieldwork, manage a drill programme planned for June 2026 and conduct metallurgical tests on about 2,000 tonnes of tungsten ore stockpiles at the Johnson Creek Mill, which Resolution is in the process of acquiring. The company sees potential to extend mineralisation along the Golden Gate Fault and other targets using ground exploration and geophysics, following recent positive rock sampling results at the Antimony Ridge Mine within Horse Heaven.