Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Malaysia rPET feedstock prices drop to year-low
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Sluggish downstream demand for recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) pellets have kept Malaysia recyclers to the sidelines, capping uptake of post-consumer bales, which are...
Plant status: Indonesia’s Pertamina eyes Nov start-up for Balikpapan RFCC
JAKARTA (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Pertamina Location: Balikpapan, Indonesia Product: Propylene Capacity (tonnes/year): 230,000 Event start: November 2025 Reason: Start-up Comments:...
Thailand rPET feedstock prices remain most competitive in SE Asia
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Post-consumer bottle bale prices in Thailand remained most competitive against neighboring markets including Malaysia and Indonesia. Assessed prices of feedstock bales in Thailand...
S Korea Sept petrochemical exports fall 2.8%; PMI back to growth
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--South Korea’s petrochemical shipments fell by 2.8% year on year to $3.71 billion in September, while semiconductor exports hit a record high for the month, official data showed on...
US government shutdown disrupts nonessential services for chems
HOUSTON (ICIS)--The US government shut down on Wednesday, which could disrupt some nonessential services for the chemical industry. Much of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will shut down,...
Plant status: S Korea’s Hanwha TotalEnergies restarts PX unit
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Hanwha TotalEnergies Petrochemical Location: Daesan, South Korea Product: Paraxylene (PX) Capacity (tonnes/year): 1.26 million Event start: 8-9...
New sensor identifies gases more accurately with a ‘speed camera’ system
From breath analysis to explosive detection: these applications require reliable electronic ‘noses’. Unfortunately, current technology often falls short. That is why researchers at KU Leuven have developed a flexible sensor platform that not only detects
NYMEX: Henry Hub prices rise amid mixed fall weather signals
Front-month US natural gas futures rose slightly on 30 September as some weather outlooks indicated the possibility that below-average temperatures could arrive in some regions The November Henry Hub...
US MA heading into Q4 on bearish note; no recovery until 2026
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US maleic anhydride (MA) is wrapping up Q3 on a bearish note ahead of a seasonal slowdown in Q4. Spot feedstock normal butane prices increased modestly in September with the onset of...
US epoxy resins bracing for increased friction during Q4
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Tension is growing between US epoxy resins buyers and sellers given recent tariff fallout, setting the stage for contentious discussions going into Q4. SEPTEMBER CONTRACTS ROLL...
Rebuilt supply chains must be resilient, agile, strategically aligned with business goals
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Global supply chains have been disrupted by a pandemic, the Red Sea crisis, and a new tariff landscape, and they must be rebuilt to be more resilient, more agile and should be...
US September barge acetone contracts decrease on lower feedstocks
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US September barge acetone contracts have decreased by 0.75 cent/lb ($17/tonne), according to sources. Contracts were assessed at 45.50 cents/lb DEL (delivered), a 21-month low. Spot...
Brazil’s Braskem short-term debt woes could ease by end of decade – Moody’s
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Braskem’s shareholders got yet another piece of bad news on Tuesday as credit rating agency Moody’s also downgraded its rating on the Brazilian polymers major’s short-term...
CRUDE SUMMARY: Crude weighed down by potential OPEC+ November hike, resumed Kurdish oil supply
Potential OPEC+ November output hike continues to weigh Restart of Kurdish oil output intensifies bearish sentiment US-backed Gaza peace proposal yet to be ratified by majority of global leaders...
US October benzene contract prices drop with falling spot prices
HOUSTON (ICIS)--On 30 September, the US October '25 benzene contract dropped 14 cents/gal from September. The October benzene contract is priced at $2.52/gal FOB (free on board) US Gulf...
EPCA ’25: Safety management a leading cause of Europe pyrolysis oil consolidation
LONDON (ICIS)--Safety management concerns have been a leading cause of cancellations in pyrolysis oil projects and bankruptcies seen across 2025, players said on the sidelines of the European...
EPCA ’25: Pyrolysis oil logistics infrastructure limiting cross border trade
LONDON (ICIS)--A lack of logistic infrastructure is a limiting factor for international trade of pyrolysis oil, market players confirmed on the sidelines of the European Petrochemical Association...
Argentina’s polarizing politics puts key reforms at risk, speeds up economy’s holdback – economist
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Argentina's mid-term elections are gaining in importance as a deciding factor which could make or break future governability as well as the viability of President Javier Milei's...
Alcoa to permanently shut Kwinana alumina refinery
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US alumina producer Alcoa has announced that it will permanently shut its Kwinana alumina refinery in Western Australia. The decision comes on the heels of a 2024 move to curtail...
Bulgaria signals halt to Russian gas transit by 2026, regional impact uncertain
Bulgaria signals end to Russian gas transit by 2026 This would terminate use of sole remaining route for Russian pipeline gas Traders warn of Balkan energy crisis, as transit agreements also set to...