Industry News
Chemical Industry News
GAS ALERT: Rehden storage facility to be fully merged into Speicherzone Nord from July
LONDON (ICIS)--German operator SEFE Storage will fully merge Rehden, the country’s largest storage facility, into the Speicherzone Nord point from 1 July, creating a new "Speicherzone Nord...
WEEKLY POWER OUTLOOK: Strong wind forecast in week 23 bearish for European power prices
Well-above-average wind forecast in Germany, France, UK in week 23 Low solar output could provide a floor to prices in the same countries Above-average temperatures continue across most of Europe...
German gas-grid operators urge reassessment of national storage regulation
German TSOs propose emergency reserve, supply commitment Low inventories, price signals still hinder storage injections in Q2 2026 Middle East conflict continues to drive European risk including for...
MOVES: Arkema appoints new COO
LONDON (ICIS)--Arkema has appointed Laurent Tellier as its new chief operating officer (COO), effective 1 July, the French chemicals company said on Friday. Tellier is currently Arkema’s senior...
Europe June acetone MMA contract tracks softer propylene
LONDON (ICIS)--The June acetone MMA contract price has edged lower, tracking some slight easing in the upstream propylene contract price for June. This marks a change in direction after four previous...
WEEKLY GAS OUTLOOK: Middle East talks to remain key Week 23 European gas price driver despite bearish fundamentals
LONDON (ICIS)--While shifting fundamentals may alter demand, headlines will likely remain the key driver of European gas prices during week 23. Wet, windy conditions across much of Europe will ease...
Low spot buying appetite sends Europe methanol prices down 7%
LONDON (ICIS)--European methanol spot prices fell by 7% due to lack of buying interest amid healthy availability. Spot physical trading seen in the week on an FOB Rdam basis: Day Deal (€/tonne)...
AkzoNobel rejected attempts to cut in on Axalta merger
€13 billion counter-offer by Nippon Paints and Sherwin-Williams ‘undervalues’ the company
Closure of the Strait of Hormuz exacerbates cost pressure in the chemical industry
The chemical-pharmaceutical industry got off to a weak start in 2026. Seasonally adjusted production fell by 2.8% in the first quarter. This was almost 6% lower than in the previous year. The main reason for
Ben Zhong Tang: ‘If you have to do something, try to do it well’
The polymer chemist on finding love for a subject, working with others and staying optimistic
Röchling Strengthens Profitability Once Again Despite Headwinds
The Röchling Group remained resilient in a challenging market environment during the 2025 financial year and increased its profitability despite a slight currency-related decline in turnover. With turnover of 2,547 million euros (–1.7 per cent),
Biobased spintronics: Sustainable magnetic field sensors – printed
Magnetic field sensors are found in automobiles, smartphones and security systems. But many of these components are made of materials that are neither health- nor environment-friendly and are complex to produce. In Nature Communications, an
PFAS-free non-stick coatings: Fraunhofer IFAM and Plasmatreat launch technology transfer
Plasmatreat GmbH and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM are expanding their collaboration specifically in the field of environmentally friendly coating technologies. The focus is on technology transfer and the rapid
APIC ’26: PODCAST: Asia olefins, vinyls players mull over surging China exports
FUKUOKA, Japan (ICIS)--In this podcast, ICIS editors Josh Quah, Joy Foo, Ai Teng Lim and Jonathan Chou discuss ongoing developments in Asia olefins and vinyls markets on the sidelines of Asia...
APIC ’26: Diverse C2 value chain keeps BASF-YPC output high – exec
FUKUOKA, Japan (ICIS)--The BASF-YPC facility in the east Chinese city of Nanjing has remained at a high operational rate since the Middle East conflict broke out in March, as its ethylene (C2) value...
East China MEG inventories decline on limited imports and higher offtakes
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Monoethylene glycol (MEG) inventories in east China decreased to 591,000 tonnes on 29 May, down by around 12.3% from 22 May, ICIS data showed, largely due to limited import arrivals...
Oil prices fall on reports of US-Iran nearing ceasefire extension deal
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Crude oil prices fell by more than $1/barrel on Friday on reports that the US and Iran are close to reaching a deal extending their ceasefire for 60 days. At 04:00 GMT, both Brent...
APIC ’26: Plant status: S Korea’s UAC PX restart time still unclear
FUKUOKA, Japan (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Ulsan Aromatics (UAC) Location: Ulsan, South Korea Product: Paraxylene (PX) Capacity (tonnes/year): 1 million Event start: End-March 2026...
Plant status: Malaysia’s PETRONAS restarts butac plant following maintenance
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Petronas Chemicals Location: Kerteh, Terengganu, Malaysia Product: Butyl acetate (butac) Capacity (tonnes/year): 50,000 Event start: 26 March...
Plant status: China’s Jiangsu Hongwei Chemical shuts its PO plant for maintenance
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Jiangsu Hongwei Chemical Location: Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China Product: Propylene oxide (PO) Capacity (tonnes/year): 200,000 Event...