Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Plant status: Iran’s Kaveh Methanol Company shuts plant on gas issue
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Kaveh Methanol Company Location: Dayer, Iran Product: Methanol Capacity (tonnes/year): 2,300,000 Event start: Mid-December 2025 Event finish:...
GRAPHIC DETAIL: LNG arrivals could cap risk for depleting Spanish storage sites
Spain's underground storage sites 76% full, LNG stocks 69% full on 11 December (ICIS data) Spain must rely on steady LNG arrivals to avoid storage depletion in Q1 2026 Contracted LNG capacity, higher...
MEGlobal’s Jan MEG ACP down by $30/tonne
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--MEGlobal has nominated its January 2026 monoethylene glycol (MEG) Asian Contract Price (ACP) at $580/tonne, a company source said. The January nomination is $30/tonne lower...
UK power January ’26 at discount to Dutch, German contracts, but imports from France likely
UK power January ’26 contracts at discount to Dutch, German counterparts, but at premium to French prices Weather, transmission outages key UK power price drivers through front month, UK likely to...
Plant status: China’s Shandong Chengtai to shut MTBE plant for maintenance
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Shandong Chengtai Chemical Location: Weifang, Shandong, China Product: Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) Capacity (tonnes/year): 135,000 Event...
China BPA average plant run rate largely stable at 70.2%
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The average run rate of China’s bisphenol A (BPA) plants was at around 70.2% in the week ended 12 December 2025, largely stable with the last reporting period, ICIS data showed....
China’s average run rate of PO plants falls to 69.8% on operational cuts
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s propylene oxide (PO) plants posted an average run rate at 69.8% in the week ended 12 December 2025, down by 1.1 percentage points from the last reporting period, ICIS data...
Biodegradable polymers: Andreas Künkel receives the Meyer-Galow Prize for Industrial Chemistry 2025
Professor Dr. Andreas Künkel, BASF SE, Vice President, Head of Biodegradation & Microplastics Research is awarded the Meyer-Galow Prize for Industrial Chemistry 2025. He receives the prize for the further development of structural and functional
Chemical recycling: a must-have for the future of the site
A new Conversio study shows: Germany could recycle significantly more plastics. Chemical processes offer additional opportunities as a supplement to mechanical recycling - especially for waste that can hardly be recycled to a high standard
SABIC expands PPE oligomers capacity for AI and 5G data-center PCBs
SABIC has announced another incremental expansion phase for the production of its specialty oligomers based on polyphenylene ether (PPE) technology. The commitment builds on previous capacity increases in Asia and meets with the rapidly growing
USTMA lowers 2025 tire forecast in December
HOUSTON (ICIS)--The US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) in December lowered its forecast for 2025 tire sales but still expects total sales slightly above last year’s record. In July, the...
Asia-US container rates mostly lower as soft demand outweighs efforts to tighten capacity
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Rates for shipping containers from east Asia and China to the US were mostly lower this week as efforts by carriers to tighten capacity to support rates have not been enough to offset...
TCL begins pre-commissioning and pre-startup of new US MA plant
HOUSTON (ICIS)--A subsidiary of Thirumalai Chemicals Limited (TCL) has begun pre-commissioning and pre-startup of its new facility in West Virginia, according to a company press release. TCL...
US FMC to end production at unspecified plants
HOUSTON (ICIS)--FMC is ending production and manufacturing at some of its sites as part of a comprehensive plan intended to cut costs, the US-based agrochemical producer said on Friday. In all, FMC...
NYMEX: US gas futures ease with widespread bearish temperatures
Front-month US natural gas futures eased on 12 December on warmer weather outlook The January 2026 Henry Hub contract on NYMEX settled at $4.113/MMBtu, down nearly 2.8% from the previous session Per...
CRUDE SUMMARY: Brent benchmark sliding close to five-year lows as $60 level looms
Weakening benchmarks factoring in Ukraine-Russia peace progress US proposals for “special economic zone”, Ukrainian resistance likely Bullish factors may provide support at $60/barrel level US...
Europe BPA spot prices stable to soft, amid year-end lull
LONDON (ICIS)--Europe bisphenol A (BPA) spot prices are stable to soft this week, amid largely well managed supply in the face of a very slow year-end period Domestic spot liquidity is very low, amid...
US BD September production from crackers falls on operating rates, feedstocks
HOUSTON (ICIS)--The daily rate of US butadiene (BD) production from steam crackers in September fell from the prior month as operating rates fell, according to data from Jacobs Consultancy. The...
US propylene production declined following derivatives markets
HOUSTON (ICIS)--The daily rate of US propylene production from steam crackers dropped for the second consecutive month, according to data from Worley Consulting, formerly Advisian. Total propylene...
Global chemical credit risk rises for 2026 as trough conditions persist – Fitch
NEW YORK (ICIS)--Continuing overcapacity and an elusive demand recovery will lead to growing credit risk in the global chemical sector in 2026, according to credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings....