Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Preliminary results suggest high lead levels can be found in discount children’s clothing
Tests of lead levels in 12 children’s t-shirts from various fast fashion retailers exceeds US federal limits
Growth in visitor numbers, full halls, clear future topics: analytica 2026 sets standards
Full halls, more visitors, highly satisfied exhibitors: analytica 2026, held in Munich from March 24 to 27, impressively demonstrated how innovative and forward-looking the international laboratory industry is. 1,135 exhibitors from 40 countries presented their
New treatments offer hope for neglected snakebite victims
Nina Notman meets the scientists developing recombinant antivenoms and small molecule inhibitors to save the lives and limbs of snakebite patients, who number in the their hundreds of thousands
New lithium-ion battery design could power longer-lasting electric vehicles and portable devices
A new battery design that could significantly extend the range of electric vehicles and the lifespan of portable electronics has been developed by researchers at the University of Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute (ATI). In a
A flagship for chemical production: BASF inaugurates world-scale Verbund site in China
BASF celebrated the official inauguration of its newly built, world-scale Verbund site in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province in southern China. Covering an area of around four square kilometers, it is more than a major BASF project
New paths for quantum technologies: Optical control of nuclear spins in molecules
A research team at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has made an important advance in quantum physics and materials research: For the first time, nuclear spins in a molecular material could be optically initialized,
AFPM ’26: US MMA supply to be tighter in Q2
SAN ANTONIO (ICIS)--US methyl methacrylate (MMA) is facing tighter supply heading into Q2, players said on the sidelines of this year’s International Petrochemical Conference (IPC). Activity was...
AFPM ’26: Canada has unlimited chem feedstocks amid war-driven shortages
SAN ANTONIO (ICIS)--Canada's Alberta province essentially has unlimited supplies of low-cost chemical feedstocks such as ethane, leaving the country among the very few that have avoided disruptions...
AFPM ’26: Geographic diversity of supply puts Alberta in spotlight amid Middle East crisis
SAN ANTONIO (ICIS)--With the Middle East crisis wreaking havoc on global petrochemical supply chains, geographic diversity of supply is increasingly in the spotlight for investment decisions, said...
AFPM ’26: All four reactors running at Roehm US MMA unit
SAN ANTONIO (ICIS)--Roehm is now running all four reactors at its US methyl methacrylate (MMA) unit in Bay City, Texas, according to the company on the sidelines of this year’s International...
AFPM ’26: TSCA chem safety program could get reforms in 2026
SAN ANTONIO (ICIS)--The US could fix what the chemical industry sees as shortcomings in the nation's main law that regulates chemical safety, an official with the American Fuel & Petrochemical...
AFPM ‘26: EPA final rule on RFS for 2026, 2027 to add costs for consumers – official
SAN ANTONIO (ICIS)--The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final rule on Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volumes will make fuel more expensive for all consumers, an official at the American Fuel...
AFPM ’26: UP, Norfolk merger would control half of US chem shipments
SAN ANTONIO (ICIS)--If US regulators approve the merger between Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern, then one railroad company would control half of all of the nation's chemical shipments and 41%...
Chevron says Wheatstone LNG could be offline for weeks, Woodside working on NWS LNG
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--US major Chevron said the Wheatstone LNG facility is still under repairs and could be down for weeks before full production resumes and the one Train offline at Gorgon LNG since 26...
AFPM ’26: Summary of Americas market stories
SAN ANTONIO (ICIS)--Here is a summary of chemical market stories, heading into this year’s International Petrochemical Conference (IPC). Hosted by the American Fuel & Petrochemical...
US nylon price increases emerge in the wake of global disruptions
HOUSTON (ICIS)-- Nylon price increases have emerged in North America due to volatile conditions observed in the markets. Rising energy and feedstock costs and volatile conditions stemming from the...
Chem tanker rates ex-US Gulf continue to soar, Asia-US container rates tick higher
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Rates for chemical tankers ex-US Gulf soared this week on most trade lanes assessed by ICIS, as they continue to face upward pressure. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East...
NYMEX: US gas futures climb despite limited shoulder season weather demand
US natural gas futures rose on 27 March, despite limited weather demand expectations heading further into shoulder season The April ’26 front-month contract settled at $3.095/MMBtu, up 3% from the...
US April methanol contract prices rise sharply as global disruption drives demand for exports
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US April methanol contract prices rose by 87-92 cents/gal from March as the conflict in the Middle East drives global demand for US material. Potential disruptions to trade flow...
ICIS US March PP contract prices finalize
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Contract prices for US polypropylene (PP) have been...