Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Some voices conspicuously silent when it comes to Trump’s science policies
Research-intensive universities have been targeted in an unprecedented and unrelenting manner since Donald Trump retook the White House on 20 January. In April, nearly a third of the 6000-plus members of the US National Academies
BASF completes commissioning of Zhanjiang cracker in China
LONDON (ICIS)--BASF has completed the start-up of the cracker at its new Zhanjiang, China, Verbund site, the Germany-based producer said on Wednesday. The 1 million tonne/year cracker will be the...
Venezuela crisis boosts case for new Canada oil export pipeline
TORONTO (ICIS)--While the sudden change in Venezuela's leadership will likely have only little immediate impact on Canada’s oil producers, it strengthens the case for building a new export...
Austrian state lender backs OMV green hydrogen plant with funding of €123m
LONDON (ICIS)--OMV and Austria’s federal promotional bank Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (aws) have signed an agreement that will guarantee production funding of up to €123 million for its...
Summary of 2026 Europe Outlook Stories
LONDON (ICIS)--Here are the 2026 Europe Outlook stories which ran on ICIS news from 22 December 2025 to 2 January 2026. OUTLOOK ’26: Europe PE to face shifting dynamics, with market adjustment...
MOVES: Thailand’s IVL reorganizes management structure following D.K. Agarwal retirement
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Indorama Ventures Ltd (IVL) is reorganizing its management structure following the retirement of deputy group CEO D.K. Agarwal, the Thai producer said on Wednesday. Sanjay Ahuja, an...
Plant status: India’s GNFC shuts TDI plant for unplanned maintenance
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers (GNFC) Location: Dahej, India Product: Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) Capacity (tonnes/year): 50,000 Event start:...
Plant status: China’s Wanhua Chemical shuts BDO plant
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Wanhua Chemical Location: Sichuan, China Product: 1,4-butanediol (BDO) Capacity (tonnes/year): 100,000 Event start: Early January 2026 Event...
US CX January contract slides lower with energy costs
LONDON (ICIS)--The US cyclohexane (CX) contract price for January 2026 decreased by more than 4% from December. US CX January contracts were valued at $3.01/gal FOB USG. The US CX contract price is...
Eurozone inflation softens to 2% in December on lower energy pricing
LONDON (ICIS)--Inflation in the eurozone cooled slightly month on month to 2% in December, driven by a decline in energy pricing compared to the previous month, according to flash data from...
Plant status: Taiwan’s CPDC Kaohsiung capro plant operating at 70-75%
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Caprolactam China PC Dev Corp (CPDC) Location: Kaohsiung, Taiwan Product: Caprolactam (capro) Capacity (tonnes/year): 200,000 (No 3) Event...
Eurozone construction contraction eases on stronger German activity
LONDON (ICIS)--The eurozone construction downturn eased slightly month on month in December after the German market marked its first increase since April 2022. The eurozone construction sector...
Ball-milled sodium provides easy access to organometallic reagent
Solvent-free organosodium is a promising alternative to lithium reagents
China average BDO plants’ run rate up on plant resumption
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The average run rate of butanediol (BDO) plants in China rose as Sichuan Tianhua and Shaanxi Heimao resumed normal operation. Meanwhile, Chongqing Jianfeng restarted BDO plant in...
ICIS TTF Early Day assessments: 7 January 2026
- Heavy snow in northwestern Europe hinders land and air traffic; shipping yet to be affected - Power outage in Berlin due to attack on city's power cable over weekend will end on Wednesday -
Plant status: Kuwait Aromatics shuts PX unit for maintenance
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Kuwait Aromatics Location: Shuaiba, Kuwait Product: Paraxylene (PX) Capacity (tonnes/year): 870,000 Event start: Early January 2026 Event...
Asia’s plasticizers demand crimped by sluggish construction
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The Asian plasticizers markets will continue to see weak demand in 2026 as economic data suggests subdued construction activity, where plasticizers are primarily applied in. While...
No major South Korea SM plant maintenance planned in 2026, supply to be stable
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The major styrene monomer (SM) makers in South Korea are not planning for any scheduled plant maintenance in 2026. Major active SM plants in South Korea: Producer Location Capacity...
ICIS starts tracking India’s growing imports of glacial acrylic acid
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--India’s imports of glacial acrylic acid (GAA) are projected to see a strong and steady growth, prompting ICIS to track the market on a weekly basis starting December 2025. ICIS...
Plant status: S Korea’s Hanwha shuts two TDI lines; third line at 50%
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Hanwha Solutions/Chemical Location: Yeosu, South Korea Product: Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) Capacity (tonnes/year): 150,000 (combined nameplate...