Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Atomic manipulation enters the mesoscale as 40,000 atoms repositioned in single crystal
Electron beam method used to create ’a new form of engineered artificial matter’
Plant status: Vietnam’s NSRP eyes PX unit restart in H2 May
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Nghi Son Refinery & Petrochemical (NSRP) Location: Nghi Son, Vietnam Product: Paraxylene (PX) Capacity (tonnes/year): 700,000 Event start:...
Plant status: China’s BASF Zhanjiang restarts its cracker
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: BASF Zhanjiang Location: Guangdong, China Product: Ethylene, propylene Capacity (tonnes/year): 1 million for ethylene and 400,000 for propylene...
Oil heads for weekly gain on Hormuz strain amid stalled US-Iran talks
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Oil prices climbed in early Friday trade toward a weekly gain as market concerns over fresh vessel attacks persisted despite Iranian reports that about 30 ships had successfully...
Isomer MX S Korea export prices down on weak demand, upstream losses
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Isomer grade mixed xylenes (MX) spot export prices from South Korea softened on 14 May, weighed down by expected losses in upstream values and pessimistic demand conditions in...
China major producers’ polyolefin inventories fall on tight supply for some grades
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The combined polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) inventories of Chinese state-owned petrochemical giants Sinopec and PetroChina fell on tight supply, market sources said. On 15...
Plant status: China’s Wanhua shuts cracker for maintenance
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Wanhua Petrochemical Location: Yantai, Shandong, China Product: Ethylene, propylene Capacity (tonnes/year): 1.2 million for ethylene, 500,000...
Asia TiO2 spot price continues stable run
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Titanium dioxide (TiO2) spot indicative prices in Asia were stable so far on Friday. Buy and sell indications remained in the range of $2,500-2,600/tonne FOB (free on board) China,...
China’s Sinopec OX list price down CNY100/tonne, uneconomical downstream margins
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China's Sinopec list price for its domestic orthoxylene (OX) was down by Chinese yuan (CNY) 100/tonne week on week to CNY9,300/tonne EXWH (ex-warehouse), despite slight rebounds in...
Asia PMMA spot import prices stable-to-soft amid sluggish demand from China
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) spot import prices were assessed stable-to-soft in the week ended 14 May, reflecting range-bound indications for the southeast (SE) Asian import...
LEVACO invests in Brazil
LEVACO Chemicals continues to expand its presence in Latin America: LEVACO Brasil Ltda. moved to a new office in São Paulo on April 1, 2026 and officially opened the location at the end of April.
Trilateral chemical region: Why interconnection is both a strength and a risk
DECHEMA e.V. from Germany and VITO/Energyville from Flanders (Belgium) have published the final report of the project 3C-VaCS (Trilateral Chemical Region – Value Chain Structures). The report analyses the current state of the chemical industry
DELO Achieves Record Revenue
DELO generated record revenue in its completed fiscal year (ending March 31, 2026). Sales of €264 million represent growth of eight percent compared to the previous year. Despite challenging global economic conditions, DELO continues its
Recovering critical materials from batteries
As global demand for electric vehicles and energy storage grows rapidly, securing sustainable supplies of critical battery materials has become a strategic priority worldwide. A new study from the European Patent Office and the International
Panama Canal schedules June maintenance as backlogs, higher auction rates emerge
HOUSTON (ICIS)--The Panama Canal has scheduled maintenance on the east lane of the Gatun Locks from 9-17 June as the waterway is experiencing backlogs on both ends, largely driven by the ongoing...
NYMEX: US gas futures edged higher following gas storage injection in line with expectations
Front-month US natural gas futures edged up on 14 May following the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) gas storage report The June 2026 Henry Hub contract on NYMEX settled at $2.894/MMBtu, up...
Brazil’s plastic processors caught in ‘opposing forces’ as resin prices surge up to 100% – Abiplast
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Brazil's plastics processing sector is being squeezed between surging resin costs and powerful buyers unwilling to absorb price shocks, the country's plastics processors trade group...
CRUDE SUMMARY: Oil prices rebound as US-China summit expresses wish for Strait of Hormuz to remain open
Reports of Iran allowing passage of Chinese vessels through Hormuz eases prices China mulls purchase of US crude after sales stopped in May 2025 More difficult US-China topics likely to be addressed...
Plant Status: US Huntsman schedules MDI turnaround for May-June 2026
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Huntsman Corporation/Rubicon Location: Geismar, Louisiana Product: MDI Capacity (tonnes/year): 500,000 Event start: 15 May 2026 Event finish: 13...
Trinseo will focus on strengthening balance sheet, committed to Asia business
NEW YORK (ICIS)--Trinseo will focus on strengthening its balance sheet as part of its long-term strategy as it moves through and emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It also plans to maintain its Asia...