Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Plant status: China’s ZPC increases phase I BPA unit run rate
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Zhejiang Petroleum & Chemical (ZPC) Location: Zhejiang, China Product: Bisphenol A (BPA) Capacity (tonnes/year): 240,000 Event start: 25...
China average BPA plant run rate climbs to 78%
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s bisphenol A (BPA) plants were running at an average rate of 78% in the week ended 27 September, ICIS data showed. The average run rate rose week on week, attributed to...
Mosaic restores production at Canada potash mines but has faced US tropical weather impacts
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US fertilizer producer Mosaic has announced that the production challenges caused by electrical issues in Canada have been resolved and production has returned to normal at their...
US ethylene price drop continues as supply increases on unit restarts
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US ethylene EPC and Choctaw prices continued to decline this week as supply is lengthening after cracker outages. Additional plants that have been down in the two regions are set to...
LatAm international PE prices steady to lower on competitive US offers
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--International polyethylene (PE) prices were assessed as steady to lower following competitive offers from the US. Domestic PE prices dropped in Mexico while being unchanged in other...
Despite tight supply, US styrene prices trend lower
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Styrene spot prices continued to decline on weak demand. North American supply overall is tight due to several outages, but derivative demand remains soft. LyondellBasell shut its two...
Mexico PP domestic prices fall on lower feedstock costs
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Domestic polypropylene (PP) prices in Mexico were assessed over a wider range. Some spot prices have already fallen following the drop in the propylene feedstock, while others...
US September truck acetone contracts roll over in softening market
HOUSTON (ICIS)--ICIS assessed US September Gulf Coast and Midwest truck acetone contracts at a rollover. Lower and higher prices were heard but not widely confirmed. Separate price increases were...
MOVES: Potash developer Emmerson announces resignation of CFO Wyn
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Potash developer Emmerson has announced the resignation of their chief financial officer Jim Wyn. The UK-based company said Wyn has accepted another opportunity and will depart on 30...
Hurricane Helene flooding halts US fertilizer production, loadings
HOUSTON (ICIS)--The fertilizer industry took a strong hit from Hurricane Helene, which left flooding in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, an essential fertilizer hub, as well as in Georgia. Activities...
US imports of R-PET flake challenged by pending dock strike, increased duty
HOUSTON (ICIS)--As indicated in the latest US plastic scrap trade data, imported recycled polyethylene terephthalate (R-PET) flake demand remains strong, feeding the fiber and packaging end markets....
SHIPPING: US ports file unfair labor practice charge with regulator, but ILA strike is imminent
HOUSTON (ICIS)--With the midnight Monday strike deadline rapidly approaching, negotiations between US Gulf and East Coast ports and the labor union representing dockworkers remains at an impasse,...
Hurricane Helene to disrupt bale collection throughout south
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Though US plastic bale markets are steady at present, collection across much of the south and southeast is expected to be delayed due to severe weather and other remnants of Hurricane...
US R-PET market experiences first price increase iniative
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Within virgin plastics markets, increase initiatives are well established. Producers typically issue customer letters stating increases as applied to specific channels of resin sales....
CRUDE SUMMARY: Oil bounces around ahead of Brent expiry
Oil falls and then rebounds on concerns of oversupply in Q4 and Q1 2025 Falling greenback slows price falls following US inflation data US oil rigs fell by four to 484 - Baker Hughes LONDON...
Celanese sees growth opportunity in low carbon, recycled and bio-based materials – CEO
NEW YORK (ICIS)--Celanese sees a major growth opportunity in low carbon, recycled and bio-based materials, its CEO said. In January 2024, the company announced it started running a carbon capture and...
Nearly a quarter of US Gulf oil remains shut in
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Nearly a quarter of US oil production in the Gulf of Mexico remains shut in following Hurricane Helene, a government agency said on Friday. The following table shows the disruptions...
Canada GDP grew 0.2% in July, chemicals rose 4.1%
TORONTO (ICIS)--Canada’s real gross domestic product (GDP) grew 0.2% month on month in July, following no growth in June, according to data by federal agency Statistics Canada on Friday. The...
Canada labor union announces 3-day strike at Port of Montreal
TORONTO (ICIS)--Canadian dockworkers’ labor union Syndicat des debardeurs said on Friday that it has issued a 72-hour notice for a three-day strike next week at two container terminals at the Port...
Europe PE pipe contract prices flat to weak in September
LONDON (ICIS)--European contract prices for high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe grade were soft to flat in September. Prices for PE100 Black pipe grade dropped €10/tonne on the ICIS low and...