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UNION PARTNERS WITH ENVALIOR TO DELIVER SUSTAINABLE SNOWBOARD BINDING MADE OF DURETHAN® BLUE

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2 years ago

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The asymmetric snowboard binding features Envalior’s Durethan® Blue, an eco-friendly nylon, allowing Union Binding Company to create its most sustainable snowboard binding yet.Durethan® Blue, made from 90% sustainable raw materials using a mass balance approach, includes bio-based, recycled content and provides high flow and heat stabilization.Durethan® Blue has met all of Union Binding Company’s internal quality control standards for strength, cold temperature durability, and overall product lifecycle.

DÜSSELDORF, Germany, Dec. 2, 2024 /CNW/ — Envalior today announces it has partnered with Union Binding Company, a snowboard binding manufacturer based in Italy, to deliver redesigned Travis Rice Falcor Signature Snowboard Bindings. The asymmetric binding utilizes Envalior’s Durethan® Blue, a nylon, which enables Union to make its most sustainable snowboard binding to date. The new material is a member of Envalior’s sustainable product family, attributed with 90% of sustainable raw materials, based on a mass balance approach via the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS certification program that ensures sustainability and traceability throughout the supply chain.

What makes the redesigned snowboard bindings unique is the all-new 2 Layer baseplate construction, which allows for two individual layers: the core and the frame. The two layers enable the use of unique engineering materials to achieve the desired ride and feel of the binding. Durethan® BLUEBKV315ZH2.0 allows the core of the binding to be stiff and responsive, while the frame is softer and more flexible than traditional snowboard baseplates, allowing for a unique ride feel and increased side to side freestyle flex.

Performance meets sustainability

Union selected Durethan® Blue for its redesigned snowboard binding because the material is partially crystalline thermoplastics, offering high mechanical strength and stiffness, good dielectric properties, and good friction and wear properties. It serves as the ideal drop-in replacement for fossil-based products. Durethan is offered as bio-based, mass balanced, and recycled-based and leads to a product carbon footprint reduction of more than 60% CO2-eq in comparison to conventional, fossil based material.

Ninety percent of Durethan® Blue’s raw materials are sustainable, based on a  mass balance approach, which allows companies to track the flow of sustainable and non-sustainable materials within their supply chains. The ISCC PLUS certifications assure that the amount of bio-based or recycled material corresponds to the amount used in production processes. Manufacturers can gradually transition away from fossil resources to renewable alternatives while maintaining product quality and performance.

Durethan® Blue has passed all of Union’s in-house quality control tests for strength, durability in cold temperatures and product lifecycle. Every pair of Union bindings goes through rigorous testing during the R&D and design phase, initial production and the main production cycle.

“At Envalior, we are committed to sustainability, and this innovative solution demonstrates that sustainability and high performance can coexist, thanks to our ISCC-certified material and mass balance concept,” said Günter Margraf, Director of Sustainability for Envalior. “Our material meets the demands of winter sports without compromising performance, and we’ve integrated this solution into our existing production processes, making the shift to sustainable options easier. Sustainability isn’t just a goal—it’s the path forward.”

“Union is committed to increasing the use of more environmentally friendly materials because it’s crucial to show that we can continue to use plastics in our lives—as long as we find sustainable options and use them responsibly. This approach ensures we’re not compromising the future of our planet,” said Pier Patriarca, Lead Product Engineer at Union Binding Company.

Further information on Envalior’s products and Sustainability Ambitions can be found at: Sustainability. 

An overview of the Travis Rice Falcor Signature Snowboard binding can be found at Falcor Men’s Snowboard Binding | Union Binding Company. 

Photo: Union Binding Company

About Envalior
Envalior is a global leader in Engineering Materials with over 4,000 employees worldwide. It was established in 2023 through the merger of Lanxess Performance Materials and DSM Engineering Materials. With a long track record of customer-driven innovation, Envalior specializes in developing sustainable and high-performance material solutions. Focus markets include Automotive, New Mobility, Electronics & Electrical, and Consumer Goods. For more information, visit Envalior – SUSTAINABLE & HIGH-PERFORMANCE ENGINEERING MATERIALS.

About Union Binding Company
Union Binding Company was founded on the idea of a simple, yet ambitious mission: to create the best-fitting, highest-performing, and most durable snowboard bindings the world has ever seen. Since its humble beginnings in 2004, Union has evolved into the global leader in snowboard bindings by relentlessly pushing the boundaries of innovation, performance, and design. Union believes that ideas, determination, and people are the core of who we are today and the driving force behind where we’re headed tomorrow. Union’s headquarters are in Delebio (SO), Italy. For more information on Union Binding Company, head to Union Binding Company | Snowboard Bindings.  

Forward-Looking Statements
This company release contains certain forward-looking statements, including assumptions, opinions, expectations and views of the company or cited from third-party sources. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause the actual results, financial position, development or performance of Envalior GmbH to differ materially from the estimates expressed or implied herein. Envalior GmbH does not guarantee that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors, nor does it accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the opinions expressed in this presentation or the actual occurrence of the forecast developments. No representation or warranty (expressed or implied) is made as to, and no reliance should be placed on, any information, estimates, targets and opinions contained herein, and no liability whatsoever is accepted as to any errors, omissions or misstatements contained herein, and accordingly, no representative of Envalior GmbH or any of its affiliated companies or any of such person’s officers, directors or employees accepts any liability whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from the use of this document.

Media contact
Candace Roulo
tel: +1 248 200 8919
email: mediarelations@envalior.com 

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SOURCE Envalior B.V.

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De¹ Introduces Tokenized Asset World on BNB Chain, Developing Financial Intelligence Across the Full RWA Financial Landscape

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39 minutes ago

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October 19, 2026

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NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — De¹ is launching Tokenized Asset World on BNB Chain, the first domain-specific world under its Financial World Model (FWM). It introduces specialized financial intelligence designed to understand the full onchain RWA landscape, from trading and collateral to borrowing, credit, liquidation and agent activity, and apply that knowledge to real financial decisions.

Traditional finance moves assets through separate networks of brokers, custodians, clearing systems and lenders. Each institution sees a different part of the lifecycle, while transfers, reconciliation and collateral requirements add friction to capital deployment. Bringing assets onchain makes financial activity more programmable, but it does not automatically connect the knowledge held across trading, financing and risk systems.

De¹ is establishing Tokenized Asset World on BNB Chain, where that real-assets financial ecosystem already unfolds in live markets. PancakeSwap, ListaDAO, Venus, Binance Agent OS and BNB Agent SDK span public trading, collateralized lending, structured credit and authorized agent activity. These activities produce distinct signals: executed prices, liabilities, vault constraints, liquidations and the outcomes of agent actions.

Tokenized Asset World brings fragmented financial knowledge into a coherent, learnable model of the full RWA landscape. The domain model is designed to understand the relationships and consequences across financial operations, with verified execution outcomes continuously refining De¹’s understanding of onchain financial physics. This introduces a new layer of intelligence to BNB Chain, enabling a more complete understanding of the tokenized-asset stack across trading, collateral, credit, vaults and agent activity.

AI agents can tap into this intelligence to operate across tokenized-asset markets with a more comprehensive view of liquidity, borrowing conditions, collateral exposure and liquidation risk as a whole. This deeper market understanding could raise more sophisticated strategies, execution and risk decisions. Each agent interaction, in turn, generates new evidence for the model, creating a continuous feedback loop between financial intelligence and live market execution while strengthening De¹’s broader Financial World Model.

About De¹

De¹ is the intelligent infrastructure platform at the intersection of DeFi and AI, building the Financial World Model grounded in live execution and real market feedback. It serves developers, traders, institutions, and AI agents through intelligent execution, unified liquidity, reinforcement learning optimization, and a continuously evolving data flywheel.

Contact: Marketing, pr@de1.ai

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/de-introduces-tokenized-asset-world-on-bnb-chain-developing-financial-intelligence-across-the-full-rwa-financial-landscape-302912966.html

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Plata reaches $1 Billion ARR Milestone, becoming the fastest digital bank ever

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39 minutes ago

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October 19, 2026

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The Mexico based digital bank shatters traditional digital banking scaling timelines, reaching a $1 Billion Annual Recurring Revenue  in less than 3.5 years from launch

MEXICO CITY, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Plata, the world’s fastest growing digital financial institution, today announced that in September 2026 it has crossed $1 billion in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), reaching the milestone in less than 3.5 years from launch in April 2023 and less than a year after receiving its full banking license. Plata´s growth makes it the fastest digital bank in history to reach this benchmark, and puts it on par with some of the world’s fastest growing leading AI companies, underlining Plata’s own AI and tech capabilities.

Plata reaches this goal after having reached more than 4 million customers in Mexico and having launched operations in Colombia at the beginning of September. In Mexico, Plata is now the fourth credit card issuer in the country by number of customers, and the only digital bank with a full product suite including credit, debit, investments, and small business banking. Plata’s growth is also nearing profitability, which is expected to be reached for its Mexico business within the next 6 months.

Plata changed the rules by building a universal financial platform powered by its own technology from day one. By setting up its core banking system, the company proved that regulated financial institutions can scale at AI-like speed without undermining operating performance.

“By building our own technology from scratch, we proved that a bank can move at AI company speed without compromising anything. Now we are ready to accelerate our innovation, make finance effortless and accessible for everyone.” Neri Tollardo, CEO of Plata.

As digital adoption accelerates across Latin America, Plata´s performance sets a new benchmark for financial infrastructure scaling, financial adoption, and operational efficiency in emerging markets.

About Plata

Plata is the fastest-growing financial institution in Latin America and the largest private digital bank by customer volume. In less than three years, we reached a valuation of $3.1 billion with 4 million active credit card customers and crossed $1 billion in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR). Backed by $1.5 billion in equity investment, 1.5 in financing, and a workforce that includes 800 in-house developers, in Banco Plata we have built our own technological ecosystem, which includes a core banking system, CRM, and an app focused on simplifying the financial experience.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/plata-reaches-1-billion-arr-milestone-becoming-the-fastest-digital-bank-ever-302912970.html

SOURCE Plata

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Trends International Announces Kenneth Smith as President and Chief Executive Officer

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39 minutes ago

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October 19, 2026

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Experienced executive to lead company’s next phase of retail, digital commerce and strategic growth

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Trends International, LLC, a leading publisher and manufacturer of licensed posters, calendars, stickers, wall art and social stationery products, today announced that Kenneth Smith has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, effective May 2026.

Smith will spearhead the company’s overall strategic direction and growth initiatives across its retail, wholesale, e-commerce, licensing and direct-to-consumer businesses. In his role, Smith will oversee Trends International and its portfolio of digital businesses, including Art.com and AllPosters.com.

Smith’s appointment comes as Trends International enters a new phase of expansion focused on broadening its retail presence, accelerating e-commerce, strengthening strategic customer relationships, developing new products and licenses, and pursuing partnerships and business opportunities.

“I am honored to lead Trends International and build on the strong foundation established by the company, its founders and its talented employees,” said Kenneth Smith, “We have an exceptional portfolio of brands, licenses, products and customer relationships, and we see significant opportunities to grow the business. Our focus will be on strengthening our retail partnerships, accelerating our digital businesses, developing innovative products and creating new strategic opportunities that deliver value for our customers, consumers, licensors and partners.”

Expanding Retail and Digital Footprint
Under Smith’s leadership, Trends International will continue to invest in its core retail business while broadening its digital commerce capabilities.

The company is focused on deepening relationships with major retailers, expanding distribution, improving merchandising, and developing new product platforms designed to create incremental sales opportunities.

Trends will also continue to build Trends Digital, bringing together the company’s e-commerce capabilities and creating a platform for future digital growth and potential e-commerce acquisitions.

The company’s digital portfolio includes Art.com and AllPosters.com, providing consumers with access to millions of images, posters, prints, wall art, and complementary décor.

“Trends has a tremendous opportunity to build upon its heritage while positioning the company for the future,” Smith said. “We are focused on growth, but equally important is how we achieve that growth — through strong customer partnerships, disciplined execution, innovation and a culture that empowers our people to succeed.”

Strategic Priorities
Smith’s leadership agenda includes several key areas of focus:

Retail growth — Expand relationships and sales with major national retailers and specialty channels.Product innovation — Develop new product formats, displays and seasonal programs that create incremental retail opportunities.Digital commerce — Accelerate the growth of Trends Digital, Art.com and AllPosters.com.Strategic partnerships — Forge new licensing, brand and business partnerships that expand the company’s market opportunity.Operational excellence — Improve organizational alignment, processes, technology, and execution across the company’s businesses.Talent and culture — Build a high-performing organization focused on accountability, innovation, customer service and sustainable growth.

“Kenneth brings a strong combination of leadership, customer focus and business development experience to Trends International,” said Phil St. Jean, Founder and Co-Executive Chairman of Trends International. “His vision for the company and his commitment to our customers, employees and partners make him the right leader for this next chapter. We are excited about what the future holds for Trends International and its businesses.”

About Kenneth Smith
Kenneth Smith is an experienced business executive with a background in sales leadership, strategic account development, business development, customer relationships, and organizational transformation. Throughout his career, Smith has focused on developing strategic growth initiatives, building high-performing teams, and creating long-term partnerships with major customers and business partners.

As president and chief executive officer of Trends International, Smith is responsible for the company’s overall strategy, growth, organizational leadership and business performance.

About Trends International
Trends International, LLC is a leading publisher and manufacturer of licensed posters, calendars, stickers, wall art and social stationery products. Established in 1987, Trends built its business around strong partnerships between licensors, retailers and licensees. Today, the company delivers a broad portfolio of licensed and proprietary products distributed through major retail, specialty, and digital channels.

Art.com, acquired by Trends International in 2023, is a leading online specialty retailer of high-quality wall art and complementary décor. The business offers millions of images and products through its digital commerce platform and interactive visualization tools.

AllPosters.com, part of the Trends International family of businesses, offers consumers a broad selection of posters, prints and wall décor.

For more information about Trends International, Art.com, AllPosters.com or Kenneth Smith, contact:

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SOURCE Trends International

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