Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Global PET: Oversupply, tariff risks set cautious tone for 2026
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Global polyethylene terephthalate (PET) markets are unlikely to see meaningful relief from supply‑demand imbalances through 2026. Asian PET prices begin 2026...
MARGINS: Higher feedstock costs drive Europe naphtha-based PE margins down
LONDON (ICIS)--Margins at naphtha-based polyethylene (PE) plants in Europe fell week on week on higher feedstock costs, ICIS Margin Analysis showed on Monday. Operators using liquefied petroleum gas...
GAS ALERT: Deutsche Regas files DET state aid challenge against European Commission
LONDON (ICIS)--Germany’s Deutsche ReGas has filed a legal challenge against the European Commission’s approval of state aid granted by Germany to state-owned DET for its FSRU-based LNG import...
Funding boost for Grangemouth whisky waste-to-chemicals firms
Governments hope £9 million in grants will help MiAlgae and Celtic Renewables replace oil-refining jobs
Plant status: Napetco methanol unit in Marsa Brega, Libya in shutdown
LONDON (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Napetco Location: Marsa Brega, Libya Product: Methanol Capacity (tonnes/year): 330,000 Event start: Estimated December Event finish: January...
Plant status: Socar methanol Karadagh plant shut down for Jan-Feb
LONDON (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Socar Location: Karadagh, Azerbaijan Product: Methanol Capacity (tonnes/year): 561,000 Event start: January Event finish: February Reason: Planned...
GAS ALERT: Locational spreads activated as French gas grid congestion persists in week 4
LONDON (ICIS)--French gas grid operators Terega and NaTran have activated several decongestion mechanisms for 19, 20 January, including locational spreads and suspension of available capacities, to...
Europe chemical stocks fall on renewed trade war fears
LONDON (ICIS)--European chemicals stocks plummeted in early Monday trading on fears of fresh tariffs on some countries and the prospect of revived EU duties on US imports amid ongoing tension over...
MARGINS: Europe naphtha-based MEG margins down on higher feedstock costs
LONDON (ICIS)--Margins at monoethylene glycols (MEG) plants in Europe fell week on week on the back of firmer feedstock costs, ICIS Margin Analysis showed on Monday. Conversely, operators based on...
INSIGHT: CBAM stifles fertilizer markets amid lack of clarity on carbon price, exemptions
BARCELONA (ICIS)--The EU’s flagship climate legislation, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), has thrown fertilizer markets into a state of confusion since it went live in January 2026....
TTF prices plunge on Monday morning as weather runs turn milder
TTF prices drop on warmer weather runs compared to Friday Geopolitical situation also seen as bearish in near term Some traders see drop as reversion to more rational price level LONDON (ICIS)--The...
Intra-Europe chemical tanker spot rates mixed
LONDON (ICIS)--Intra-Europe chemical tanker spot freight rates were mixed in the week ending 16 January, with some rates unchanged and others softening, based on market feedback. Recent deals for...
Europe MX demand rises on seasonal stockbuilding
LONDON (ICIS)--The European mixed xylenes (MX) spot premium range rose again in the week ending 16 January as demand rose on the back of restocking, which is typical at this time of year. Mon Tue
INSIGHT: Europe 2026 duty-free VAM quota projected to expire in Q3, acetic acid quota to last whole year
LONDON (ICIS)--European duty-free quotas for acetic acid and vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) have been set for 2026 at the same levels as the previous year. This means that duty-free imports will most...
Asia to Europe chemical tanker spot rates rise again
LONDON (ICIS)--After a substantial rise in spot freight rates for chemical tanker shipping from Asia to Europe previously, further uplift was seen in week ending 16 January, based on market feedback....
MARGINS: Europe naphtha-based cracker margins fall, LPG-based margins increase
LONDON (ICIS)--Naphtha-based cracker margins in Europe fell week on week on the back of firmer feedstock costs, while operators based on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) posted an increase amid lower...
The toxic chemistry behind skin bleaching products
The global skin-lightening market is worth over $10 billion and growing, but the unregulated products driving it contain dangerous chemicals linked to serious health risks. Zahra Khan speaks to the scientists and advocates trying to
EDL Anlagenbau expands management team
Daniel Oryan and Luis Villalobos are set to jointly assume leadership of EDL Anlagenbau Gesellschaft mbH. Luis Villalobos, who had led the company’s Project Execution Division since April 2023, was appointed as an additional Managing
Composing Nanomaterials – with AI and Chemistry
LMU researcher Professor Alexander Urban and his team have developed a tool that could revolutionize the design of new materials. Synthesizer is a platform that combines automated chemical synthesis, high-throughput characterization, and data-driven modeling. The
A new sustainable raw material for chemistry
A research project conducted by the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung shows how biomass can be used as a raw material for chemical products instead of petroleum. The scientists have now published their exciting findings in the