Chemical Industry in Spotlight as Plastic Treaty Negotiators Debate Material Bans
July 31, 2025 - Global Plastic Treaty Negotiations Enter Critical Phase in Geneva As world leaders gather in Geneva this week for the resumed fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), the international community faces a pivotal moment in the fight against plastic pollution. With stark new data revealing the scale of the crisis,…
Strategic Investment Boosts Global Deployment of Plastic-to-Fuel Innovation
July 31, 2025 - Mitsubishi Chemical Backs Licella’s Plastic-to-Fuel Tech in Global Sustainability Push Mitsubishi Chemical Group has invested in Australian cleantech firm Licella Holdings through its U.S.-based venture arm, Diamond Edge Ventures, marking a strategic move to scale Licella’s patented Cat-HTR™ recycling technology worldwide. The advanced Cat-HTR™ process converts waste plastics and biomass into…
Adnoc-Covestro Takeover Faces EU Scrutiny Over UAE State Support
July 31, 2025 - EU Launches In-Depth Probe Into Adnoc’s Covestro Takeover Over Subsidy Concerns The European Commission has initiated a formal investigation into Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc)’s proposed acquisition of German chemical giant Covestro, citing concerns over potential market distortions from foreign subsidies. In a statement released today, the Commission expressed “serious…
Sri Lanka Court Slaps $1 Billion Fine for World’s Worst Plastic Pollution Disaster
July 31, 2025 – Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court Orders $1 Billion Compensation for Historic Marine Pollution Disaster In a landmark environmental ruling, Sri Lanka’s highest court has mandated the X-Press Pearl Group to pay $1 billion in damages for causing the world’s worst marine plastic pollution incident. The 2021 ship disaster released an estimated 70-75…
Nylon 2.0: Inside China’s Plan to Dominate the Next Generation of High-Performance Plastics
July 21, 2025 – Nylon 66 Revolution: How China’s Chemical Breakthrough is Reshaping Global Supply Chains A quiet transformation is underway in Shandong’s chemical industry as domestic innovation disrupts longstanding international monopolies in nylon production. Juheshun New Materials’ recent 2.7 billion yuan investment in Zibo reflects the seismic shift occurring in China’s specialty polymers sector,…
Trade War Fallout: New US Tariffs Could Cripple ASEAN’s Plastic Sector
July 21, 2025 – Plastics Industry Faces Supply Chain Upheaval as US Tariffs Reshape Asian Trade Flows The global plastics supply chain is bracing for disruption following the Trump administration’s sweeping tariff announcements targeting Southeast Asian imports. Effective August 1, 2025, new duties ranging from 25% to 40% will apply to plastic raw materials and…
ExxonMobil’s $10B China Bet Anchors Guangdong’s Chemical Industry Ambitions
July 21, 2025 – Guangdong Emerges as Global Petrochemical Powerhouse with ExxonMobil Project Launch China’s southern manufacturing hub has reached a new milestone in chemical industry development with the operational launch of ExxonMobil’s $10 billion Huizhou ethylene complex. The facility, now producing 1.6 million tonnes of ethylene annually, represents the first wholly foreign-owned petrochemical project…
From Trash to Trim: How Recycled Plastics Are Reshaping Auto Design
July 21, 2025 – Automotive Plastics Revolution: How Recycled PP is Driving EU’s Circular Car Vision The European automotive industry is undergoing a materials transformation as strict new sustainability regulations take effect. Under revised End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) directives taking effect in 2030, vehicle manufacturers must incorporate minimum 20% recycled plastics in new cars – with…
ADNOC’s Bold Reorganization Paves Way for Polyolefins Powerhouse Ambitions
July 21, 2025 – ADNOC Restructures Global Portfolio Through Strategic Share Transfer to Investment Arm Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has initiated a major corporate reorganization by transferring its 24.9% stake in Austrian energy group OMV to wholly-owned subsidiary XRG PJSC. The move forms part of the Emirati energy giant’s broader strategy to consolidate…
Market Shifts Force Wacker Chemie to Rebalance US and European Manufacturing Footprint
July 21, 2025 – Wacker Chemie Restructures US Operations While Expanding European Semiconductor Capacity In a strategic realignment of its global production network, Wacker Chemie AG has announced workforce reductions at its Charleston, Tennessee facility while simultaneously expanding high-tech operations in Germany. The Munich-based chemical giant will eliminate approximately 90 positions at its American site,…
