Recent developments
Industrial emissions abatement
Emissions mitigation progressed in basic chemicals and adjacent value chains. thyssenkrupp Uhde’s EnviNOx technology at CSBP’s nitric acid plant cut N2O by over 98% and will roll out to two units, avoiding over 60,000 tCO2e/yr. A carbon capture solution for Holcim’s cement plant in Obourg targets 1.1 Mt/yr CO2 via hub transport. A €300 million grant-backed decarbonisation program at Lavera prepares for electrification, CCUS, and sustainable feedstocks.
Project pipeline advances
Fertilizer and syngas investments advanced. NEXTCHEM secured a €485 million contract for hydrogen, ammonia, urea and methanol technologies in West Africa, including ammonia–methanol co-production. BASF’s 'Winning Ways' strategy milestones included Zhanjiang Verbund startups, 2025 EBITDA of €6.6bn, higher 2026 free cash flow guidance, and lower capex.
Portfolio and M&A
Portfolio repositioning continued. Silox agreed to acquire selected hydrosulfite-related assets from BASF; BASF will end hydrosulfite production in Ludwigshafen while continuing other inorganics. Ercros’ board issued an unfavorable opinion on Bondalti’s takeover bid, citing leverage plans, CNMC sodium hypochlorite remedy, dividend changes, and unresolved valuation.
Capacity and costs
Competitive pressures shaped capacity. Solvay will reduce soda ash capacity at Torrelavega from 600 kt to 420 kt by Q3 2026, addressing oversupply and European energy and carbon costs, with up to 77 positions affected. BASF guided 2026 EBITDA of €6.2-7.0bn and flagged higher CO2 from Zhanjiang startup to be mitigated by efficiency measures.