Industry: Chemicals & Plastics

Chemical industry summary  With the Q2 earnings season in sight, financial analysts are forecasting flat year-on-year earnings results from any chemical companies, with a relative balance of puts and takes from last year’s performance. However, it is likely that industry leaders will note some encouraging signs on the horizon, with several industries seeing modest improvement […]

Pipeline corrosion management is being improved through advanced operational practices and technologies, as demonstrated in this case study.

Chemical industry summary Recent news for global chemicals has been dominated by M&A. This week, Westlake Chemical announced that the board of its acquisition target Axiall has agreed to sell the company for the significantly improved offer of US$33 per share representing an enterprise value of US$3.8 billion. This valuation is a 31% increase from […]

ADI Chemical Market Resources has completed a strategic assessment of short-chain linear alpha olefins (LAOs)—key comonomers like 1-butene, 1-hexene, and 1-octene used in LLDPE, HDPE, POEs, and POPs. LAOs also serve as feedstock for synthetic lubricants, plasticizers, surfactants, and solvents. The report explores shifts in LAO technologies, including production routes such as ethylene oligomerization and […]

ADI Chemical Market Resources (ADI CMR) presents an in-depth study of polyethylene catalyst technologies, focusing on the evolving use of Ziegler-Natta, chromium, and metallocene catalysts in low-pressure LLDPE and HDPE production. The report examines how catalyst selection and reactor configurations impact resin properties tailored for specific applications. With patent expirations enabling broader access and licensing, […]

ADI Chemical Market Resources conducted a strategic study on the growing use of polyolefins in the global automotive industry. Polypropylene (PP) is the most widely used polyolefin due to its lightweight, durability, and excellent processing properties. Polyethylene (PE) is used to a lesser extent. Elastomeric polyolefins, including TPOs, TPVs, and R-TPOs, are used for flexibility […]

Chemical industry summary The first quarter of the 2016 financial reporting season has been concluded with results generally consistent with forecasts. US-based paint and home supply companies generally reported improved results on a year-on-year basis, with high gross margins due to a benign raw material cost environment. Commodity chemical producers report softer year-on-year revenues but […]

Chemical industry summary Mergers and acquisitions and cost savings activities dominate the chemical industry as companies continue to grapple with shrinking demand and softening chemical margins. The proposed merger of US chemical giants DuPont and Dow Chemical appears to be proceeding well with minimal significant anti-trust issues. There are reports that BASF will make a […]

Chemical industry summary Chemical companies are currently releasing quarterly and full-year 2015 earnings results. Thus far, earnings reports have been a mixed bag as viewed with last year’s results. All companies are reporting year-on-year decreases in revenue as a consequence of the global energy price deflation. However, different sectors of the industry are reporting earnings […]

Chemical industry summary Lack of confidence in global chemical demand and weakness in the energy sector have spurred a generally gloomy outlook for global chemicals in 2016. The continuing weakness in the Chinese demand, especially for commodities, has resulted in weakness in global stock markets and especially on the Shanghai Exchange. Very high global inventories […]

Chemical industry summary  As witnessed by record inventory, the global oversupply of crude oil continues to weigh on expectations for a price recovery in the near term. This is both a supply and a demand-driven problem with consensus expectations indicating that 2016 is highly unlikely to show significant improvement in energy pricing. Companies in the […]

Chemical industry summary Publicly traded US commodity chemical producers reported surprisingly good financial results for the recently completed third quarter. Margins in Q3 for the US polyolefin chain decreased sequentially with polymer prices falling more than feedstock costs. However, for Europe, the story was reversed with declining oil and naphtha prices falling faster than olefins […]