Industry News
Chemical Industry News
MOVES: GPCA secretary general Al Sadoun steps down; Aldhafeeri takes over
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association's (GPCA) secretary general Abdulwahab Al Sadoun will end his tenure after over 16 years, and Mater Aldhafeeri will take his place,...
Plant status: South Korea’s GS Caltex eyes restart of TDP unit
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: GS Caltex Location: Yeosu, South Korea Product: Toluene Capacity (tonnes/year): 460,000 Event start: 1H December 2025 Event finish: 2H January...
Breakthrough Start-Ups Honored at the ISC3 Innovation Challenge 2025
From cutting-edge chemical recycling and more sustainable polymers to renewable fuels, clean energy technologies, and low-carbon construction materials, the most promising innovators in Sustainable Chemistry pitched their ideas at the final of the ISC3 Innovation
Breakthrough in carbon-based battery materials improves safety, durability, and power
This research demonstrates a new way to make carbon-based battery materials much safer, longer lasting, and more powerful by fundamentally redesigning how fullerene molecules are connected. Today's lithium-ion batteries rely mainly on graphite, which limits
Atoms in the sunbath for a sustainable future
Cutting-edge research for a green future: As part of the MSCA COFUND project STAR (Sensing and Sensibility - Transcending Disciplines for a Responsible Future), Dr. Shanmugapriya Periyannan, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Siegen,
Plant status: China’s Shengyuanda shuts acetic acid plant
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Guangdong Shengyuanda Location: Guangdong, China Product: Acetic acid Capacity (tonnes/year): 1.5 million Event start: Around 2 January 2026...
China’s average MTBE plant run rate down to 59.5% on operational cut
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The average run rate of China’s methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) plants slightly dropped to 59.5% in the week ended 31 December 2025, with one plant running at a lower rate. A...
US December ’25 acrylate contracts unchanged month on month, demand remains soft
HOUSTON (ICIS)--December 2025 contract prices of glacial acrylic acid (GAA) and acrylate esters settled at a rollover. Contracts of GAA, butyl acrylate (butyl-A), ethyl acrylate (ethyl-A), methyl...
US December ’25 butac markets mostly stable with soft seasonal demand; price increase nomination emerges for January ’26
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US butyl acetate (butac) prices were mostly stable from November to December 2025. Although there was a 1 cent/lb ($22/tonne) drop on the high end of the contract range, prices were...
CDI US December styrene contract prices finalized
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Contract prices for US styrene have been finalized for December 2025. The large buyer contract price was finalized at 48.50 cents/lb and the blended contract price was finalized at...
NYMEX: US gas futures drop on milder early January weather forecasts
US natural gas futures dropped to close out the week, on milder weather demand in early January and strong supply The February ’26 front-month contract settled at $3.618/MMBtu on 2 January, down...
US December ’25 glycol ether spot prices unchanged for both E-series and P-series
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US spot prices of both E-series and P-series glycol ethers were unchanged in December, keeping the same levels from November. Spot prices for butyl glycol (BG), butyl di-glycol (BDG),...
CRUDE SUMMARY: Bearish sentiment infects crude prices on first trading session of 2026
Brent and WTI register around 20% losses in 2025 Global supply glut concerns to pressure prices this year Eurozone PMI falls to nine-month lows Escalating geopolitical tensions to remain wildcard for...
OUTLOOK ’26: Margin squeeze to discourage US oleochemicals imports into Q1
NEW YORK (ICIS)--US fatty acids and fatty alcohols markets are expected to remain under pressure in Q1 and potentially H1 as squeezed margins, sufficient supplies and below-average demand weigh on...
OUTLOOK ’26: US EG oversupply to continue into the new year
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Oversupply of US ethylene glycols (EG) is expected to continue into the new year as the market continues to grapple with weak demand and lower exports of US EG, as a result of tariffs...
OUTLOOK ’26: Blending mandates and fuel demand shape Brazil’s ethanol outlook for H1 2026
HOUSTON (ICIS)-Brazil's hydrous and anhydrous ethanol prospects for the first half of 2026 are influenced by ongoing price-parity and regulatory dynamics, growing supply capacity, and fundamentally...
WEEKLY GAS OUTLOOK: EU gas demand to hold firm in week 2 on cold weather
LONDON (ICIS)--European gas consumption is expected to stay supported in week 2 despite upward revisions to temperatures, which are still expected to be below seasonal norms. This comes following a...
Krk LNG operator to offer long-term capacity at February auction
Long-term capacity at Krk to be offered in February Tariffs for the terminal and grid increase for 2026 Krk to take on more pivotal regional supply role in late 2027 LONDON(ICIS)--LNG Hrvatska,...
OUTLOOK ’26: US etac, butac, glycol ethers expect low demand to continue
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Demand for US ethyl acetate (etac), butyl acetate (butac) and glycol ethers is not expected to improve significantly in 2026, with concerns about inflation, borrowing costs,...
WEEKLY POWER OUTLOOK: Cold snap lifts European front-week power contracts
LONDON (ICIS)--French, Italian, German, Hungarian and UK front-week power contracts all displayed bullish momentum as the market reopened on the morning of Friday, 2 January 2026, amid a spell of...