Industry: Chemicals & Plastics

At the 2025 ADI Forum, Uday Turaga, CEO of ADI Analytics, shares his 2025 chemical industry outlook. Key challenges include low margins, overcapacity from China, and U.S. feedstock dynamics. He emphasizes the urgent need for restructuring, innovation, and new business models. U.S. innovation faces challenges, and virgin plastics remain cheaper. These and other issues are […]

Piercen Hoekstra, Analyst at ADI Analytics, discusses the 2025 chemicals outlook. Recovery is expected, fueled by specialty chemicals demand in energy storage, semiconductors, and healthcare, notably from electric vehicles. Petrochemical firms are prioritizing efficiency and digital adoption to combat oversupply. Learn more about this outlook at the 2025 ADI Forum.

Piercen Hoekstra, Analyst, ADI Analytics, discussed the potential impact of President Trump’s proposed tariffs on the chemicals industry, including a 10% tariff on Chinese goods and a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico. These tariffs, while less severe than initially proposed, could significantly increase costs for US chemical companies due to their reliance […]

In the February 2025 edition of the ADI newsletter, we noted how the oil market faced potential oversupply due to strong non-OPEC production. In contrast, the U.S. midstream sector was poised for growth, driven by increasing hydrocarbon exports and the development of new infrastructure. Global LNG prices were expected to rise due to strong demand, […]

In the February 2025 edition of the ADI chemicals newsletter, we covered how the global chemical industry anticipated a recovery in 2025, fueled by specialty chemicals and sustainable investments. Recent industry activities include new air separation unit in Japan by Air Liquide, strategic mergers and acquisitions like Mitsubishi Chemical’s pharmaceutical business sale to Bain Capital, […]

In the January 2025 edition of the ADI chemicals newsletter, we covered activities in the energy and chemical sectors, which include Toray starting CO3 membrane production in Japan, Vitol acquiring a stake in Waste Plastic Recycling, and BASF selling its Styrodur business. There were also feedstock deals involving green methanol supply to Hapag-Lloyd and Avantium.

The global transition towards sustainable energy has placed green fuels at the forefront of efforts to decarbonize aviation, maritime, and heavy industries. These green fuels — renewable diesel (RD), liquefied natural gas (LNG), hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol — promise a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels. However, mainstream adoption requires overcoming significant barriers, including scalability, infrastructure […]

In the 2024 November ADI chemicals newsletter, we discussed how the chemical industry is experiencing significant shifts, with battery recycling poised for exponential growth due to mineral scarcity and regulatory pressures. Concurrently, companies are strategically expanding production capacities and engaging in mergers and acquisitions to strengthen their market positions, while securing feedstock supply agreements to […]

The demand for lithium is on the rise due to its role as a crucial component in electric vehicle (EV) batteries and energy storage systems.  Major oil and gas companies such as Equinor and ExxonMobil are seizing opportunities in this growing market. ExxonMobil is constructing a lithium production facility in Arkansas and has recently secured […]

Selecting the site for a new hydrogen project, chemicals plant, or renewable energy facility can be a long and rigorous process. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is driving investment into new energy transition projects, but location is often a critical factor in a project’s success. Whether it’s the company’s first, second, or hundredth facility, finding […]

California signed the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act (SB 54) into law in June 2022 to reduce plastic waste generation and increase recycling in the state. The law sets plastic source reduction goals, imposing strict compliance, reporting, and fee requirements on manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of single-use packaging and other covered materials. […]

In the 2024 October edition of the ADI chemicals newsletter, the chemical industry is saw substantial developments, with significant investments in new plants for ammonia, polyethylene, and specialty chemicals, alongside a growing focus on sustainable practices like green ammonia production and advanced recycling. Legal challenges, such as California’s suit against ExxonMobil, highlighted increasing scrutiny of […]