News and industry insights on Commodity chemicals, such as acids, alkalis, and salts, used as building blocks in various industries.
European phenolics capacity constrained as INEOS Phenol delayed the Doel restart beyond 2027, keeping Gladbeck running and Antwerp in logistics mode. Salt shifted with Nobian commissioning a fully electrified MVR salt plant in Mariager, lifting capacity, while QEMETICA sells salt assets to K+S and launches a Resource Recovery unit.
Portfolio moves accelerated: Olin and Huntsman agreed an all‑stock merger creating OlinHuntsman, integrating chlor‑alkali feedstocks with downstream polyurethanes. OCI agreed to sell 50% of OCI Nitrogen to AGROFERT, transferring control after close. €60 million Brunsbüttel upgrade will debottleneck advanced aluminas for catalyst supports and lower carbon footprint.
Ammonia and hydrogen projects advanced. thyssenkrupp Uhde won pre‑FEEDs for Fuella’s two 400 kt/y green ammonia plants in Brazil. China’s Songyuan Hydrogen Energy Industrial Park ramped phase two for green hydrogen, ammonia and methanol. Europe progressed import/storage via LBC Vlissingen’s Green Energy Hub, and Brazil’s Fafen‑SE resumed ammonia and urea output.
Lower‑carbon base chemicals broadened. Evonik introduced mass‑balanced low‑carbon peracetic acid in Europe. ARLANXEO’s Baypren switched to ISCC PLUS‑certified chlorine from Covestro, cutting GWP about 20%. Lanxess adopted Borvida B‑acetone for circular acetone. Solvay’s unitary soda‑ash purge‑stream recycling patent was upheld by the EPO, enabling centralised multi‑country enforcement.
An ammonia converter cartridge and catalyst replacement at İGSAŞ increased output 13% and reduced energy intensity. Clariant launched SVHC‑free Exolit AP 422 A and expanded Daya Bay capacity for e‑mobility grades; BASF’s Geismar acetylene unit won the Energy Efficiency Award; Clariant’s FAMAX catalysts boosted formaldehyde yields at Yihua.
