Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Changing the rules of global chemicals trade
Chemical dumping claims reflect US and China’s focus on national interests ahead of global markets
Plant status: China’s Jilin Petrochemical starts up ABS plant
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: PetroChina Jilin Petrochemical Location: Jilin, China Product: Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) Capacity (tonnes/year): 400,000 Event...
China braces longer winter heating season with ease, weak industrial demand
Longer-than-usual heating season with sufficient coal and gas storage - NDRC Industrial gas consumption and output continue to soften Gas demand more seasonal and peak-heavy with shifting demand...
Asia demand for refined glycerine weakens on downstream ECH slump, year-end lull
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia glycerine demand continued to weaken as buyers stayed on the sidelines, amid a sluggish downstream epichlorohydrin (ECH) market and year-end holiday lull. Slump in demand for...
Plant status: China’s Lianyungang Petchem shuts HDPE Line 1
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Lianyungang Petrochemical Location: Xuwei, China Product: High density polyethylene (HDPE) Capacity (tonnes/year): 400,000 (No 1) Event start:...
Plant status: China’s Sinochem Quanzhou shuts EVA for annual maintenance
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Sinochem Quanzhou Petrochemical Location: Quanzhou, Fujian, China Product: Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) Capacity (tonnes/year): 100,000 Event...
India PX import certification removal to lead to increased imports
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The removal of the quality control order (QCO) by the Indian government on imports of paraxylene (PX) has the country set to increase its imports in 2026. PX is predominantly used...
India rescinds BIS certification on toluene imports
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--India has withdrawn its quality control order (QCO) under the Bureau of India Standards (BIS) for imports of toluene with effect from 28 November. QCOs of other petrochemical...
BLOG: China POE expansion: What it means for global chemicals strategy
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Click here to see the latest blog post on Asian Chemical Connections by John Richardson: China’s polyolefin elastomers (POE) market is undergoing a dramatic shift. Once a niche,...
Plant status: China’s Shandong Befar Group to shut ECH units in early December
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Shandong Befar Group Location: Binzhou, China Product: Epichlorohydrin (ECH) Capacity (tonnes/year): 25,000 + 25,000 + 25,000 Event start:...
Merck Inaugurates Semiconductor Solutions Site in Taiwan to Support AI Growth
New site scales the fast-growing Thin Films business of Merck to meet accelerating AI demand after a record third quarter 150,000 m 2 site to produce critical materials for next generation of AI chips, creating
WACKER strengthens silicone business in China with new technology center for specialty silanes
To strengthen its specialties business, German chemical company WACKER and Chinese specialty silane producer and joint-venture partner SICO Performance Material have opened a new application development center for organofunctional silanes in Jining, China. The approx.
New highly efficient material turns motion into power – without toxic lead
Scientists have developed a new material that converts motion into electricity (piezoelectricity) with greater efficiency and without using toxic lead -paving the way for a new generation of devices that we use in everyday life.
Plant status: Japan’s Crasus continues to run VAM unit at reduced rate
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Crasus (formerly Resonac) Location: Oita, Kyushu, Japan Product: Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) Capacity (tonnes/year): 175,000 Event start:...
India withdraws import certification for seven more chemicals
MUMBAI (ICIS)--The Indian government has withdrawn quality control orders (QCO) for seven more petrochemicals, including two aromatics products, to continue easing the burden on domestic...
Roman-era ink reveals surprising chemical complexity
2000-year-old residue indicates the Romans wrote with iron-gall inks hundreds of years earlier than expected
Letters: December 2025
Readers highlight the cruelty of civet coffee, bid adieu to the Association of Public Analysts, and propose an alchemical Christmas gift
Azerbaijan fertilizers interactive trade map January-September 2025
LONDON (ICIS)--UN Comtrade has released Azerbaijan fertilizer trade data for January to September...
Urea sentiment weak as year-end buying slows
LONDON (ICIS)--Sentiment in the global urea market is set to remain weak through December despite tighter near-term supply after a recent Indian purchase, as buying activity has stalled in Europe and...
European toluene demand falls after recent hike
LONDON (ICIS)--Spot premiums for European toluene fell throughout the week ending 28 November. Premiums had been elevated in previous weeks on the back of increased demand, which has since died down....