Chemicals sector executives are increasingly facing up to the idea that the sector is going through a process of reinvention, with no big recovery on the horizon and a return to pre-crisis normalcy less likely. Executives are now looking at what the next steps for the sector will be.

In this Think Tank podcast, Tom Brown interviews Paul Hodges, chairman of New Normal Consulting, Katherine Sale, ICIS head of editorial strategy, and Chris Barker, senior editor covering PVC and caustic soda, on impressions from the EPCA assembly.

According to attendees at the annual European Petrochemical Association (EPCA) conference in Berlin held during 7-10 October, consumption in 2025 is not expected to recover for mixed xylenes (MX), paraxylene (PX) and orthoxylene (OX), with various hurdles highlighted.

In this episode, market editors Zubair Adam (MX) and Miguel Rodriguez Fernandez (PX, OX) along with Rob Peacock, ICIS lead analyst for aromatics, share the sentiment captured after talking with various market players at the conference.

Ahead of the 3rd ICIS Recycled Polymers Conference in Berlin on 7 November, Senior Analyst for Recycling Egor Dementev discusses the challenges and opportunities for both mechanical and chemical recycling with Annick Meerschman, Innovation Director at CEFIC.

PLUS... 20 CEFIC members are entitled to receive 50% off their registration to the ICIS Recycled Polymers Conference by using code: ICISCEFICMEM

Offer is run on a first come first serve basis.

Topics covered include:

• Innovations driving plastic recycling in Europe
• Chemical recycling technology evolution
• Impact of legislation and regulation
• Challenges facing the recycling industry

Markets editor Stephanie Wix and reporter Meeta Ramnani join senior editor manager Vicky Ellis to pick out key themes ahead of the 29th plastics processing trade fair Fakuma in Germany, in this latest ICIS podcast.

They discuss the clash of pessimism and optimism for acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), the changing European landscape for polycarbonate (PC) given ADNOC's recent offer for Covestro, and pressure from cheap imports for PE and PP and engineering plastics polyacetal (POM) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

Fakuma runs from 15-19 October.

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The base oils market in UAE is likely to see an uptick in demand in Q4, with the impact of escalating tensions in the region on crude prices and Group I supply from Iran closely monitored in the weeks ahead.

• Impact of regional conflict on spot Group I supply from Iran to emerge
• Group II export offers from the US awaited, to offer clearer near-term market direction
• Persistent crude volatility may temper base oils uptake
• Currency woes in Africa may undermine finished lube exports

In this chemical podcast, ICIS editor Damini Dabholkar and senior editor manager Veena Pathare discuss recent market conditions with an outlook ahead in UAE.

ADNOC’s agreement to buy Covestro ahead of next week’s European Petrochemical Association (EPCA) annual meeting highlights the challenges and opportunities facing Europe’s beleaguered chemical industry.

- Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) to acquire Covestro for equity value of €11.7 billion

- ADNOC diversifies downstream from oil and gas

- Covestro global leader in polycarbonate (PC) and polyurethenes (PU)

- PC and PU struggles with poor demand from automotive, construction

- Covestro operating profit slumped from around Euros3bn in 2021 to near euros 1bn in 2023

- Covestro boasts strong sustainability-related product portfolio

- More M&A likely in Europe petrochemicals thanks to cheap bottom of cycle valuations

- Oil prices may collapse to $30/bbl if OPEC goes for market share

Connect with ICIS at EPCA 2024 in Berlin. ICIS will host a presentation at 2pm on Wednesday 9 October at Potsdam I, InterContinental Hotel.

Ahead of the approaching European Petrochemical Conference (EPCA) in Berlin 7-10 October, ICIS editors discuss market conditions in a variety of solvent markets.

- Market updates on methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), isopropanol (IPA), phenol, acetone, toluene, mixed xylenes, glycol ethers and propylene glycol ethers, butyl acetate and ethyl acetate.

- Trade flows and impact of freight rate movements

- Overcapacity versus low demand levels

- Upcoming maintenance programmes

In this episode, Jane Massingham talks to editors Nick Cleeve, Jane Gibson, Zubair Adam, Cameron Birch and Marion Boakye.

Ahead of the approaching European Petrochemical Conference (EPCA) in Berlin 7-10 October, ICIS editors discuss market conditions in the olefine and derivative chain.

- Market updates on propylene, ethylene, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), monoethylene glycol (EG), ethylene oxide (EO), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile, monopropylene glycol (MPG) and oxo-alcohols

- Trade flows and impact of freight rate movements

- Overcapacity versus low demand levels

- Upcoming cracker turnarounds

In this episode, Jane Massingham talks to editors Nel Weddle, Vicky Ellis, Melissa Hurley, Chris Barker, Nazif Nazmul and Nicole Simpson.