Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Plant status: US TDI maintenance by Covestro through first week of May 2026
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Covestro Location: Bayport, Texas, US Product: Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) Capacity (tonnes/year): 120,000 Event start: Last week of March 2026...
Plant status: US Covestro operates MDI maintenance through early May 2026
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Covestro Location: Baytown, Texas, US Product: Polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (PMDI) Capacity (tonnes/year): 320,000 Event start: 23...
AFPM ’26: AFPM charts policy goals amid achievements, war
SAN ANTONIO (ICIS)--The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) has set several goals for 2026 that cover improvements to the nation's main chemical safety program and the conclusion...
Tight tonnage, geopolitical disruption leave chemical tanker rates unanchored
LONDON (ICIS)--The deep-sea spot chemical tanker market has entered an unusually tight phase, with reports of extremely limited tonnage out of the US Gulf Coast (USG) leading to the transatlantic...
INSIGHT: Latin America braces for chemicals cost spiral as war reshapes resin markets
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Latin America's chemical and petrochemical industries start the week facing a rapidly evolving cost shock driven by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with Brazil's packaging...
Dutch TTF prices largely steady despite Middle East conflict, Australia LNG outages
Modest May '26 TTF gains despite Iran threats, Australian LNG outages Traders surprised by muted response to geopolitical and supply risk Focus shifts to whether Kharg Island threats translate into...
DMT Europe March price indicator up amid sharp PX gains
LONDON (ICIS)--The March contract indicator for Europe dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) increased, according to ICIS calculations. The assessed March range was, therefore, up by €155/tonne on both...
Upstream volatility and logistical challenges plague Europe BDO market, with flexibility the key aim
LONDON (ICIS)--Heading into Q2, the European butanediol (BDO) market is facing even more challenges than it already was after the introduction of high provisional anti-dumping duties (ADDs) in...
FOCUS: Europe MMA and PMMA to face Iran war derived supply crunch in Q2
LONDON (ICIS)--Players in Europe's methyl methacrylate (MMA) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) markets are bracing themselves for a supply crunch through Q2 due to direct and indirect impacts of the...
European DEG spot prices surge 180% in March on Iran war shocks
LONDON (ICIS)--European diethylene glycol (DEG) spot prices recorded an unprecedented week‑on‑week surge in the week ending 27 March, propelled by tightening supply and soaring production costs...
Europe March PTA contract price soars amid war-driven surge in PX costs
LONDON (ICIS)--The Europe March purified terephthalic acid (PTA) contract has risen sharply, based on ICIS calculations. Consequently, the March PTA contract price is up by €268/tonne, to reach...
European toluene spot premiums stable on minimal activity
LONDON (ICIS)--European toluene spot premiums were stable in the week ending 27 March, on the back of dwindling demand and minimal activity. Gasoline prices remain high, given the elevated crude...
Italy, Iberia caustic soda prices rise for March on energy costs, tighter Med availability
LONDON (ICIS)--Italian and Iberian March caustic soda prices increased on average compared to February, as producers successfully passed through energy-related surcharges, and availability in the...
Europe mixed xylenes largely stable on dwindling demand
LONDON (ICIS)--The European mixed xylenes (MX) spot premium range was stable on both ends in the week ending 27 March, on the back of a dormant market. The gasoline price continued to rise in the...
Europe naphtha tightness deepens amid Middle East disruption, arbitrage shifts, and margin pressure
LONDON (ICIS)--European naphtha markets are entering a structurally tighter phase as Middle East supply disruptions, constrained arbitrage inflows, and refinery maintenance converge to tighten prompt...
Preliminary results suggest high lead levels can be found in discount children’s clothing
Tests of lead levels in 12 children’s t-shirts from various fast fashion retailers exceeds US federal limits
Growth in visitor numbers, full halls, clear future topics: analytica 2026 sets standards
Full halls, more visitors, highly satisfied exhibitors: analytica 2026, held in Munich from March 24 to 27, impressively demonstrated how innovative and forward-looking the international laboratory industry is. 1,135 exhibitors from 40 countries presented their
New treatments offer hope for neglected snakebite victims
Nina Notman meets the scientists developing recombinant antivenoms and small molecule inhibitors to save the lives and limbs of snakebite patients, who number in the their hundreds of thousands
New lithium-ion battery design could power longer-lasting electric vehicles and portable devices
A new battery design that could significantly extend the range of electric vehicles and the lifespan of portable electronics has been developed by researchers at the University of Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute (ATI). In a
A flagship for chemical production: BASF inaugurates world-scale Verbund site in China
BASF celebrated the official inauguration of its newly built, world-scale Verbund site in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province in southern China. Covering an area of around four square kilometers, it is more than a major BASF project