ICIS - chemical podcasts

European oxo-alcohols and derivatives markets have been largely characterised by uncertainty and cautious market behaviour. Offtake from the coatings sector typically increases in spring, though sentiment is subdued as players struggle to plan amid ongoing global tariff uncertainty and ongoing wider economic weakness. Oxo-alcohols and butyl acetate reporter Marion Boakye speaks to acrylate esters...

LONDON (ICIS)--European Melamine Editor Melissa Hurley interviews Senior Editor Sylvia Traganida, Deputy Managing Editor Deepika Thapliyal, Market Reporter Joy Foo and Connor Phillips. Market factors to consider ahead of May: Asia Melamine market grappling with weak demand and increasing supply Asia exports dropped in March but expected to flow into Europe May/June Reduced melamine supply in Europ...

In this podcast, ICIS analyst Jasmine Khoo and Mason Liang talk about the current situation and outlook for the methyl methacrylate (MMA) market.

Asia propylene (C3) market is likely to see tighter short-term supply as China propane dehydrogenation (PDH) producers are now faced with surging propane import costs due to the US-China tariff hikes. While downstream demand and end-user consumption could be negatively impacted on tariff barriers.  In this chemical podcast, ICIS senior analyst Joey Zhou and analyst Seymour Chenxia discuss what cha...

Chemical companies need a razor-sharp focus on identifying and nurturing markets and customers as the trade war pulls apart decades of established ways of doing business.   -          Cheap material being offered to Europe from Asian countries outside China -          We are witnessing the breakup of the post-World War 2 Western Alliance -          CEOs now have 90-day window of opportunity for sc...

On the eve of his retirement, ICIS Think Tank podcast stalwart Nigel Davis and colleagues pick out key chemical industry turning points and point to the future.  -          Energy transition will have massive impact on chemicals -          Tariffs could drive era of deglobalization -          Chemicals journalism helps bring clarity to markets -          Editorial content and analytics explain wha...

SINGAPORE (ICIS)—With the implementation of import tariffs by the US, aromatics trade flow from Asia might see a shift, especially on the back of disparities in tariff rates on different countries. High volumes exported in Jan-Feb, slowdown from Mar onwards South Korea, possibly affected, as one of the major exports of aromatics to the US Global macroeconomic growth to witness a slowdown amid trad...

Join the ICIS content team to hear about some of the key discussions had at Plastics Recycling Show Europe on 1-2 April in Amsterdam.  Topics include: Impact of high feedstocks on recyclers' margins Impact of legislation across recycled polymers markets Updates on chemical recycling  Brands' positions on recycled content US tariffs - how will they impact Europe's recycled polymers markets?  If you...

Chemical companies all over the world will suffer if the new US tariffs trigger a full-blown trade war. -          Tariffs will be bad news for the US and for the global economy -          Europe polymers producers might get short-term relief if EU imposes tariffs on US polyethylene (PE) -          US tariffs means China may now target other countries -          Chemical industry will become more...

China’s domestic oxo-alcohols prices have recently rallied from low levels on expectations about supply reduction with the turnaround season approaching, but the sustainability and size of the price rise remains to be seen due to tepid demand recovery. 

SINGAPORE (ICIS) -- India’s PVC demand is expected to strengthen in the short term, driven by agricultural sector demand and restocking, but ample supply and policy uncertainties may weigh on market sentiment. Weak demand, high inventories pressure prices to multi-year lows ADD final findings delayed; uncertainty around implementation persists Oversupply concerns rise with new capacities, trade ba...

Fresh from the European Coatings Show 2025 in Nuremberg, Germany, ICIS looks over the key talking points and challenges facing the key sectors. The main challenges are the ongoing sluggish demand, coupled with the wider geopolitical volatility and economic headwinds. Attending ECS '25 for ICIS and speaking on this podcast are: Mathew Jolin-Beech on acrylic acid (AA), acrylate esters, and methyl me...

The new European Commission talks the talk on rescuing chemicals but has not yet turned words into action as deindustrialisation gathers pace. -          Change of tone from new Commission -          New strategic dialogue with chemicals on competitiveness -          Well intentioned, but not enough detail on action plan -          Conflict between competitiveness and Green Deal objectives  -     ...

European propylene oxide (PO) and styrene monomer (SM) will remain oversupplied following the closure of LyondellBasell and Covestro’s flagship complex in the Netherlands, but the erosion of local capacity is leaving markets increasingly fragile.  In this podcast, ICIS Insight editor Tom Brown speaks to Nicole Simpson , ICIS markets editor for PO, and Fergus Jensen , senior editor for styrene, abo...

In episode 2 of our new Sustainably Speaking podcast, ICIS' Senior Executive, Business Solutions Group John Richardson is joined by Mark Victory , Senior Editor for Recycling, Europe, and Helen McGeough , Global Analyst Team Lead for Plastic Recycling at ICIS to talk about the importance of investment in Europe's recycling industry.  Topics covered in this episode include:  Need for improvement in...

The Plastics Recycling Conference is underway in National Harbor, MD, and Senior Market Editor Emily Friedman and Senior Analyst Corbin Olson break down the key topics among discussions and presentations at the show: US recycling capacity for select polymers for food-contact applications remains under 10% Sustainability-driven grades continue to see 30-200%+ premiums on PCR Tariffs, legislative ch...

The chemicals sector M&A market could see the start of a revival this year, with private equity firms and other strategic investors keen to put war chests of capital to work in a muted growth environment, but political and economic factors remain a concern. In this podcast, ICIS insight editor Tom Brown speaks to Federico Mennella , managing director for industrials at investment bank DC Advis...

SINGAPORE (ICIS) -- Asia propylene (C3) editor Julia Tan speaks with Asia ethylene (C2) editor Josh Quah about the impact of recent tariff wars on downstream market sentiment, along with the markets' outlook for the second quarter. NE Asia C2 to see demand support from new PVC start-ups in China NE Asia C3 length to weigh on markets; import demand weak amid ample domestic supply New capacity start...

SINGAPORE (ICIS)-- Asia and Mideast isocyanates prices climbed rapidly immediately after the Lunar New Year holiday, followed by sharp corrections in mid to end-February. Ample supply has weighed on overall sentiment, and limited recovery in demand is expected for the rest of March.  Asia MDI, TDI prices fall after Lunar New Year holiday  Ample Asian supply to keep buyers in China, SE Asia cautiou...

Moves by Germany and across Europe to boost defence spending could give a significant uplift to the region’s beleaguered chemical industry. -          Need to maintain robust national or regional supply chains may benefit chemical industry in Europe, which is threatened with closures -          German defence/infrastructure spending boost could be 2% of GDP, larger than increase linked to German r...

LONDON (ICIS)--The Europe oxo-alcohols and derivatives markets have seen ongoing subdued market conditions in march, and also face the pressure of rising feedstock and production costs. Acrylate esters editor Mathew Jolin-Beech speaks with glycol ethers editor Cameron Birch and oxo-alcohols and butyl acetate editor Marion Boakye about conditions in these markets and expectations for the near futur...

Fresh US tariffs posing a big risk for PE, a chemical industry under threat of “extinction”, more Q4 results to pore over from EU polyolefins – there’s yet again plenty to digest for Europe polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) senior editors. Vicky Ellis and Ben Lake are joined by senior analysts Lorenzo Meazza (PE) and Emiliano Basualto (PP) to consider February trends, what to expect in Marc...

HOUSTON (ICIS)—US polyethylene terephthalate markets reporter Melissa Wheeler interviews Vice President of the North America PET/Polyester Chain, Antulio Borneo. PET market factors discussed include: Tariffs on Mexico and Canada imports and the impacts to the US PET market Supply and demand balance going into the peak summer season China’s antimony bans on exports to the US and the impact that wil...

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The northeast Asian propylene import markets have been weighed down by lengthening supply amid restarts at propane dehydrogenation (PDH) units. However, lower affordability levels from derivatives such as propylene oxide (PO) have also curbed import demand.  NE Asia propylene prices cool on weaker demand amid lower affordability levels Oversupply a central issue in northeast Asia...

BARCELONA (ICIS)--The European Commission’s Clean Industrial Deal may not be radical enough to reverse the decline of Europe’s petrochemical industry. Member states urged to lower energy bills by cutting taxes to legal minimums Improve infrastructure and connections to ease flow of renewable electricity €100 billion to support EU-made clean manufacturing, but questions over how chemicals can acces...