ICIS - chemical podcasts

Europe butadiene (BD) editor Melissa Hurley discusses the current market conditions and challenges facing the global market with editors Ai Teng Lim, Stephanie Cervantes and BD analyst Gawaine Preston. BD Asia prices hit two-year lows in November due to heavy deep-sea imports from Europe, US, and South America. NE Asia received 250,000 tonnes of deep-sea cargoes in first three quarters of 2025 (up...

As the year draws to a close, weak underlying demand persists in the European acetone, phenol and derivatives chain in a fragile macro climate, compounded by year-end inventory and working capital considerations.  Other headwinds include global overcapacity led by Asia and profitability struggles in Europe in the face of high costs which have led to rationalisation plans in Europe in the chain and...

Chemical markets across Asia are seeing more trade flows from low cost producers such as China and the US as competition grows amid rising overcapacity. -          Asia downstream markets not expected to recover until 2027/8 -          Low cost producers such as US, China, competing for market share -          US tariffs, sanctions disrupting regional chemical markets -          Moves in China, So...

Senior Editor Vicky Ellis is joined by colleagues Senior Editor Ben Lake and Markets Editor Anne-Sophie Briant-Vaghela to discuss the a generally weak October polymer market.    They also discuss the outlook for November, in what has been a disappointing year for many in the polymer business. 

Senior Editor Vicky Ellis is joined by colleagues Senior Editor Ben Lake and Markets Editor Anne-Sophie Briant-Vaghela to discuss the a generally weak October polymer market.    They also discuss the outlook for November, in what has been a disappointing year for many in the polymer business. 

With low-carbon fuels facing multiple challenges including poor demand, feedstock constraints and policy uncertainty, catalysts can help solve technology roadblocks in this emerging global market. Biofuels face competition from electrification and hydrogen Feedstock shortages hinder scale-up of biofuels Shell and BP cancel major biorefinery projects in Rotterdam, Netherlands Sustainable Aviation F...

HOUSTON (ICIS) -- US ethylene glycol (EG) and ethylene oxide (EO) markets reporter, Melissa Wheeler is joined by Vice President of North America polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/polyester chain, and Senior Data Analyst for US EO acrylonitrile and PX, Monica Losey, to discuss operating rates on the US EO and EG markets for the remainder of the year and potential factors contributing to reducing or...

LONDON (ICIS)-- European oxo alcohols and derivatives markets remained largely unaffected by recent port strikes and maintenance shutdowns, with supply chains holding steady throughout October. Demand, however, continues to be weak due to macroeconomic and geopolitical pressures, keeping spot interest low. Glycol ethers and acrylate esters also saw minimal disruption, with stable pricing and subdu...

Carolina Perujo Holland , ICIS analyst for R-PET and Caroline Murray , senior editor for virgin PET spoke to GSI Plastics CEO and founder Francesco Zanchi and general manager, Chiara Zanchi about the state of the markets and where they are headed in 2026 

Following another successful K Fair in Dusseldorf in October, ICIS Senior Analyst, Plastics Recycling and Sustainability, Alexandra Tawton-Tomczyk is joined by Mark Victory and Matt Tudball , Senior Editors for Recycled Plastics in Europe, and Ben Monroe-Lake , Senior Editor for Polyethylene (PE) and Polypropylene (PP) Europe to discuss some of the topics covered during the event.  Under discussio...

Latest economic statistics from China suggest its economy is still flagging, meaning it will continue to export excess chemicals capacity into global markets.  -          China’s economy is sputtering as country deals with excess domestic capacity and ruptured property sector -          Global chemical markets likely to see more flows of cheap material from China, undermining prices and margins - ...

SINGAPORE (ICIS) -- Asia styrene prices continued to be under pressure, while downstream margins began to recover. Downstream polymer margins stabilise after SM corrections 2026 contract discussions could progress slowly, greater focus on FOB China China's major role in Asia SM remains under spotlight amid further supply expansion In this chemical podcast, Asia styrene editors Luffy Wu and Aviva Z...

The European base oils market is facing key challenges with strong capacity growth and a transition from Group I to Group II and Group III, while re-refined base oils have been growing in popularity due to consistent quality, attractive prices and their circular aspect. The ICIS base oils team attended the 60th UEIL Congress in Italy, engaging with key players in the industry on the latest market...

Ongoing weak demand pressure, rising import trends, and interest in recycling sets the tone at K in Dusseldorf, Germany, one of Europe’s key downstream plastics industry events. Markets editor Stephanie Wix and markets reporter Sam Lovatt unpack the highlights and major talking points from K in this podcast, focusing on Europe acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polystyrene (PS), expandable pol...

Asia olefin players open their 2026 contract talks at a trade conference Xi’an, China, this week, with fundamentals in oversupply and supply pressure likely to ramp up in 2026. Asia ethylene will continue grappling with oversupply from new capacities in 2026 Arbitrage flows could be here to stay with supply imbalances in southeast Asia Asia propylene wrestles with propane challenges, squeezed marg...

With the problem of plastic pollution growing, especially in Asia, an innovative project by Borealis and partners aims to build scalable, low-cost municipal waste systems in regions where infrastructure is lacking. Indonesia is the world’s second-largest source of ocean plastic Project STOP targets unmanaged waste in Indonesia 13,300 tonnes of plastic collected since 2017 launch Project STOP aims...

Political leaders in Europe must boost availability of cheap energy and deregulate or risk deeper deindustrialization, according to Peter Huntsman, CEO of Huntsman.   -      AI will require vast amounts of cheap energy, Europe disadvantaged -      EU energy policies have closed access to huge reserves of oil and gas -      Europe has outsourced manufacturing, often to more polluting regions -     ...

European phthalic anhydride (PA) reporter Gabrielle Jordan and plasticizers reporter Marion Boakye discuss market developments into Q4, highlighting key talking points from the European Petrochemical Association (EPCA) annual meeting held from 22–25 September in Berlin, Germany. Demand in both markets is expected to remain subdued into 2026, with sentiment for the coming year projected to closely...

SINGAPORE (ICIS)- In this chemical podcast, Senior editors Emily Friedman and Arianne Perez discuss the implications of recently added reciprocal tariffs on the recycled PET (R-PET) markets in the US and Asia. US buyers continue navigating supply needs, tariff cost sharing Asia prices fall to record lows as US-bound exports contract US short term fundamentals unchanged, though prices gradually mov...

SINGAPORE (ICIS) – Fatty alcohols mid-cuts C12-14 are expected to see sluggish demand in the near term amid the festive holidays in some countries in Asia. Meanwhile, its substitute linear alkyl benzene (LAB) is likely to see some supply lengthening in 2026, even as demand conditions continue to be optimistic. New LAB capacities in China, India and Mideast slated for Q4 2025 and Q1 2026 Fatty alco...

LONDON (ICIS)--In the wake of the European Petrochemical Association (EPCA) conference in Berlin, Germany, players are looking inward to find the levers for growth in the face of expectations that the industrial downturn will continue to drag on.    In this ICIS Think Tank podcast, ICIS insight editor Tom Brown interviews Paul Hodges, chairman of New Normal Consulting.    

According to attendees at the annual European Petrochemical Association (EPCA) conference in Berlin, Germany held during 22-25 September, consumption for polyols and isocyanates for the rest of 2025 is not expected to recover with similar expectations going forward.  In this episode, European markets editor Zubair Adam for isocyanates and polyols and Rob Peacock, ICIS lead analyst, discuss sentime...

European Group I base oils volumes have been locked in a downwards trend as a domestic oversupply build up in inventories over the summer while export volumes continue to see some tightness especially on heavier grades. Is Exxon Mobil's newly opened Singapore plant expansion the answer to that supply gap? And how are flows expected to change? Sophie Udubasceanu, Sam Wright and Michael Connolly dis...

BERLIN (ICIS)--In a special podcast recorded on the sidelines of European Petrochemical Association (EPCA) event in Berlin, Insight Editor Tom Brown talks to Europe News Editor Morgan Condon and Market Development Director John Richardson about sentiment on the sidelines of this year’s meeting.

US recycled plastics Senior Editor Emily Friedman, US PET Markets Reporter Melissa Wheeler, Vice President of the Polyester Chain, Antulio Borneo, and Senior Recycled Plastics Analyst Andrea Bassetti discuss the implications of recently added reciprocal tariffs on the US virgin polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and recycled PET (R-PET) markets including: Immediate spot price impacts across virgin a...