Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Sustainable laboratories: Recovering metals
How to scavenge platinum group metals from laboratory waste
Sustainable laboratories: Best lab practice
How to encourage better environmental practices across a department and influence the next generation of researchers
Electrochemistry unleashes untapped potential of strained rings to build molecules
One pot technique achieved functionalisation at up to four sites
New AI system extracts numerical data from academic texts, freeing researchers from routine tasks
Numbers are the language of science—yet in research articles, they are often buried within the text and difficult to analyze. Researchers at Jülich have developed an AI system that automatically identifies these numbers, categorizes them,
Starch Instead of Plastic: Colombian Startup Reinventing Fruit Packaging
For its contribution to Sustainable Chemistry, Natupla (Natural Plastic) was recognised as Start-up of the Month by the International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3) in September 2022. The Colombian start-up, which had been founded just
Deep brines in northern Germany could be among Europe’s largest lithium resources
In the joint project RoLiXX ("The Rotliegend as a lithium resource in the North German Basin - from EXploration to EXtraction"), researchers are investigating whether lithium can be extracted sustainably and economically from very saline
CHINAPLAS ’26: Cost management in spotlight amid Mideast supply shock
SHANGHAI (ICIS)--At the 38th International Exhibition on Plastics and Rubber Industries (CHINAPLAS 2026), cost management will take center stage. Producers pursue cost-cutting strategy amid Mideast...
MOVES: Westlake names Jonathan Baksht as CFO
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Westlake has appointed Jonathan Baksht as senior vice president and CFO, effective 15 June, the US-based vinyls and polyethylene (PE) producer said in a government filing on Monday....
NYMEX: US gas futures edge higher with cool spring weather ahead
Front-month US natural gas futures rose slightly on 20 April, reflecting some gains in European gas prices and a cooler bent to the forecast The May Henry Hub contract on NYMEX settled at...
US corn now 11% planted with soybeans at 12%
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US farmers have completed 11% of their corn plantings with soybeans at 12%, according to latest US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Crop Progress Report. The current pace of the corn...
Widening gap in container rates suggest shippers are uncertain; Strait of Hormuz closed
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Widening spreads between high and low costs for shipping containers on various trade lanes indicates uncertainty on both sides of the trade, largely because of the war in the Middle...
Plant status: SABIC performs planned maintenance at US PC plant
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: SABIC Location: Burkville, Alabama, US Product: Polycarbonate (PC) Capacity (tonnes/year): 300,000 Event start: 2 March 2026 Event finish: 30...
CRUDE SUMMARY: Crude advances on rising concerns of retaliation from Iran
US seizes Iranian vessel over the weekend, increasing tensions across Middle East Kuwait declares force majeure on oil output unable to comply with customer needs IMF forecasts possible global...
Europe jet fuel supply risks intensify as loss of Middle East flows exposes structural import dependence – IEA
LONDON (ICIS)--European jet fuel markets are entering a critical phase of tightening supply as the loss of Middle Eastern exports disrupts global trade flows, with the International Energy Agency...
Europe E&P series prices extend gains in H2 April amid limited spot availability
LONDON (ICIS)--Spot prices for E&P series glycol ethers continue to see consolidation at higher levels in the market into the latter half of April as availability constraints continue to bite...
Europe MMA prices stabilize despite supply tightness
LONDON (ICIS)--The Europe methyl methacrylate (MMA) market has seen spot prices stabilize despite ongoing supply tightness. Unchanged prices come as there have been growing concerns among buyers...
Pakistan PP prices stable to firm, PE stable to soft amid US-Iran ceasefire talks
DUBAI (ICIS)--Pakistan polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) prices followed mixed price directions during the week ended 17April, tracking offers mostly from Chinese-origin material, and limited...
GAS ALERT: Austrian regulator consults on 2027 gas tariffs
LONDON (ICIS)--Austrian energy regulator E-Control has opened a consultation on proposed changes to Austria’s gas tariffs applicable for 2027. The majority of the proposed changes are relatively...
Interest falls in PRISMA monthly capacity bookings for May
Bookers opt for lower capacity levels amid market volatility Little profit incentive as spreads barely cover transport costs at some points Booking of 16mcm/day for Algerian imports to Italy bucks...
Brazil’s IG4 seals debt-for-equity deal for Novonor’s Braskem stake, pledges financial restructuring
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--IG4-backed investment funds have agreed to acquire Novonor's controlling stake in Braskem through a debt-for-equity exchange, handing IG4 over half the company's voting capital at...