Industry trends
Sustainable Feedstocks & Circularity
Brand owners are operationalizing circularity with certified inputs and localized infrastructure. Reju secured funding for an industrial-scale Regeneration Hub at Chemelot Industrial Park to turn post-consumer polyester textiles into circular intermediates with ~50% lower CO2. In plastics, PureCycle signed a €40 million grant agreement to build a PP dissolution recycling plant in Antwerp expected to avoid 85% GHG versus virgin PP, while UBE’s UBECycle mechanically recycled PE/PA film grade obtained EU food-contact approval. Label recyclability is advancing too, with BASF's acResin UV 3532 for PET labels approved by RecyClass.
Decarbonization & Low-Carbon Technologies
Low‑carbon molecules and fuels are moving from pilots to financed projects and regional supply chains. Air Products’ liquid hydrogen facility in the Rotterdam port area is 65% complete toward Europe’s largest LH2 plant, while Topsoe signed a FEED agreement with Hynfra for a green ammonia plant at the port of Aqaba targeting >200 kt CO2e/yr avoided. In SAF, Velocys and SuMo commissioned a Fischer–Tropsch unit at SuMo’s Sustainable Molecules Facility to integrate waste gasification with FT synthesis, and the EIB granted a €500 million loan to convert selected units at Eni’s Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi refinery into a biorefinery (HVO/SAF from wastes).
Regulatory Reforms & Compliance Challenges
The EU’s sectoral policy dialogue in Brussels signaled demand‑side tools (low‑carbon concrete label) and stricter lifecycle disclosures under CPR revisions for cement decarbonization. Market entry is widening via standards: Nouryon obtained halal certification for selected personal care and cleaning ingredients, and BASF's acResin UV 3532 for PET labels earned RecyClass approval aligned with PPWR. In water treatment, Kemira completed a one‑month full‑scale trial of its chlorine‑free KemConnect DEX after EPA registration of performic acid, hinting at more chemistry shifts driven by evolving compliance and disclosure needs.
Digital Transformation & AI Integration
Companies are deploying on‑prem and enterprise platforms to boost uptime and verifiable carbon data. Siemens launched Drivetrain Analyzer Onsite for local Industrial AI condition monitoring under strict data‑sovereignty and latency constraints. Dow’s Carbon Footprint Ledger issues auditable PCF certificates and optimizes low‑GHG production routes, while WuXi Biologics rapidly transformed into a digitally‑native operator to shorten development timelines and lift margins. Park‑level upgrades, such as Sines as a European‑scale digital hub, reinforce location competitiveness.
Energy Transition Investments
Grid and renewables build‑outs continue alongside LNG ramp‑ups. Iberdrola/ScottishPower’s East Anglia TWO offshore wind farm (960 MW, €4.5bn) is under construction, and SP Energy Networks awarded >€3.5bn for Eastern Green Link 4, a 2 GW 525 kV HVDC interconnector. RWE secured planning permission for Nordseecluster B, bringing the cluster to 1.6 GW, while Golden Pass LNG produced first LNG from Train 1 ahead of exports in 2Q26.
Geopolitics & Regional Competitiveness
Security tensions and trade dynamics are reshaping operations, sourcing and capacity utilization. Sasol reported disruptions to gas and crude supply chains, temporarily shutting ORYX GTL and adjusting crude slates in South Africa, while PETRONAS is securing petrol and diesel as Hormuz risks raise costs for Malaysia. Import surges forced thyssenkrupp Electrical Steel will fully close its Isbergues plant for summer, and logistics to the Gulf prompted LKAB will temporarily shut pellet plant KK3.
In brief
Project Updates and Milestones
- Velocys and SuMo commission Fischer–Tropsch unit at Wednesbury for UK waste-to-SAF
- Golden Pass LNG (QatarEnergy/ExxonMobil) achieves first LNG production
- Phelan Green selects Honeywell UOP FT Unicracking for Saldanha eSAF
- Air Products advances Rotterdam liquid hydrogen facility
- Reju secures €135m NIKI funding for Chemelot textile regeneration hub
- Sinopec Begins Construction of Petroleum Engineering Pilot Platform
- Topsoe signs FEED deal with Hynfra for Jordan green ammonia
More Project Updates and Milestones news →
New Projects and Expansions
- Petrobras and Finep launch R$30m biorefining R&D call
- Petrobras discovers pre-salt oil in Campos Basin
- RIFT secures EU Innovation Fund grant for Alpha One
- PureCycle secures €40M Innovation Fund grant for Antwerp PP recycling plant
- Celtic Renewables renews circular partnership with Rosebank Distillery
- MAIRE/Nextchem awarded early engineering and equipment contract for 60,000 t/y SAF plant in Indonesia
- EIB lends €500m to Eni for Sannazzaro biorefinery conversion
More New Projects and Expansions news →
Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships
- OMV Petrom: Krum‑1 on Han Asparuh Block drilled to 3,500 m, no significant gas
- RWE sells Swedish wind portfolio to Aneo
- BASF acquires AgBiTech
- SOCAR at EGYPS 2026 (9th Egypt International Energy Conference & Exhibition)
- Gestamp signs 10-year renewable PPA with Iberdrola for 660,000 MWh
- BASF launches Butyl and 2‑Ethylhexyl Acrylate RE with Avery Dennison
- Mitsubishi Chemical transfers KMC MMA monomer stake in Taiwan to CPDC
More Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships news →
Innovation and Product Development
- Kemira completes first US full-scale trial of chlorine-free KemConnect DEX
- Umicore opens Shanghai innovation center
- Sumisho Venture Partners launches ¥10 billion fund
- Messer 2025 results: €4.5bn revenue, €1.4bn EBITDA, €747m investments
- OMV and XRG form Borouge International
- LanzaTech Q4 & FY2025 Financial Results
- Johnson Matthey DPFi DPF earns Canadian CSA certification
More Innovation and Product Development news →
Operational Changes and Investments
- Mitsubishi Gas Chemical to End Polycarbonate Production at Kashima Plant
- Mesabi Metallics secures $520M Breakwall financing to advance U.S. DR iron-ore project
- Iberdrola awards €3.5bn contracts for Eastern Green Link 4 HVDC subsea interconnector
- UPM opens Adhesive Materials terminal near New Delhi
- Itabus fleet adopts Enilive HVO
- Dow’s Carbon Footprint Ledger wins 2026 CIO 100 Award
- PETRONAS Monitors Malaysia’s Fuel Supply
More Operational Changes and Investments news →
Sustainability and Environmental Initiatives
- Meva Energy secures EBC certification for Kisa biochar
- BASF launches biomass‑balanced Ultrason® P 3010 BMB PPSU
- Covestro at Techtextil 2026: sustainable, productivity-focused textile solutions
- Symrise launches Cellexora MD: plant‑derived exosomes for skin regeneration
- PPG showcases electrocoat and digital innovations at ECOAT 26
- UBE obtains food-contact approval for UBECycle recycled PE/PA films
- Iberdrola/ScottishPower advances 960 MW East Anglia TWO offshore wind project
More Sustainability and Environmental Initiatives news →
Financial Performance and Strategy
- Nouryon raises global ketone peroxide prices up to 30%
- OCI Global sells OCI Ammonia Holding to AGROFERT
- Lilly to acquire Centessa Pharmaceuticals for OX2R sleep‑wake portfolio
- Holcim acquires majority stake in Cementos Pacasmayo
- LANXESS hikes sulfur-based product prices 40%
- BASF Pharma Solutions raises prices up to 20% for excipients and selected APIs
- Eastman raises ester prices effective April 1, 2026
More Financial Performance and Strategy news →
Executive Appointments and Governance Changes
- Dr. Faisal Alfaqeer appointed SABIC CEO
- Genmab names Margarida Duarte GM, Europe & Emerging Markets
- Topsoe elects employee representatives to Board
- Eneve acquires Nemon to enter Iberian market
- Siemens USA appoints Ann Fairchild President & CEO
- Takeda proposes new board slate and nominates Julie Kim as CEO
- ADNOC and OMV appoint executive team for Borouge Group International AG
More Executive Appointments and Governance Changes news →
Regulatory and Compliance Updates
- GSK's bepirovirsen accepted for regulatory review in China for chronic hepatitis B
- Merck enlicitide decanoate, an oral PCSK9 inhibitor, reduces LDL‑C more than guideline non‑statins at 8 weeks
- GSK’s Exdensur approved in China for severe eosinophilic asthma
- LKAB raises mineral resources by 900 million tonnes to 7.2 billion tonnes
- Merck: WINREVAIR Phase 2 CADENCE shows proof‑of‑concept in CpcPH‑HFpEF
- Takeda’s Zasocitinib: Once‑daily pill achieves rapid, durable clearance in plaque psoriasis
- GSK bepirovirsen accepted for EMA review for chronic hepatitis B
More Regulatory and Compliance Updates news →
Workforce and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
- Sasol — Middle East developments and business impact
- Avangrid completes 250,000-panel Tower Solar installation in Oregon
- LKAB cuts Kiruna production
- LKAB releases 2025 Annual and Sustainability Report
- Fondazione MAIRE presents Climate Goals study in Berlin
- thyssenkrupp Electrical Steel extends Isbergues production cuts amid import crisis
- EU dialogue on cement industry's low‑carbon transition
More Workforce and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) news →