Recent developments
Logistics and storage
To harden maritime logistics for low-carbon hydrogen carriers, Yara Clean Ammonia secured two ice-class, dual-fuel MGCs, lowering unit freight and opening reliable Northern Europe access. Regional offshore supply reliability advanced as Clariant Oil Services and Swire Energy Services opened a new bulk storage and transfer base in Dusavik, positioned for North Sea turnarounds. In North America, fuel import optionality improved via a long-term lease at the deep-water Belledune terminal by Greenergy and the Belledune Port Authority, adding tankage and rail connectivity. UPM Adhesive Materials is consolidating label stock production and converting its Nancy, France site into a distribution terminal to maintain Western Europe service levels despite overcapacity. Procurement risk management tightened as ORLEN obtained quality certification from the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, reinforcing governance for high-volume tenders tied to PLN 380bn of planned investment.
Digital and AI agility
Volatility response improved with OMP’s Unison Planning platform moving to the cloud at Evonik Oxeno, enabling faster multi-scenario optimization across Marl and Antwerp assets. Data-driven operations got a boost as Symrise launched its first global Data & AI Hub in Barcelona to accelerate analytics, automation, and rapid app development across its consumer ingredients portfolio. At an energy-system scale, ADNOC prioritized deploying AI to enhance operations while advancing domestic chemicals via TA’ZIZ and expanding trading reach, strengthening feedstock-to-derivatives resiliency.
Localized capacity builds
Formulation inputs were de-risked in Europe as Symrise opened a new production unit for Hydrolite 5 green in Granada, cutting Scope 3 transport and duplicating U.S. capacity. Battery supply chains gained regional options with Borealis’ new three-layer cast polypropylene (cPP) concept for pouch-cell laminates, aligning to EU strategic autonomy and safety requirements. Critical metals resilience advanced as Aurubis secured a €200 million loan from the European Investment Bank to expand copper refining in Bulgaria and complex recycling in Hamburg. SME decarbonization enablers scaled via the EIB Group’s €17.5 billion initiative, streamlining financing and servitised models to accelerate efficiency upgrades across Europe’s industrial base.
Circularity and traceability
Pipeline projects signaled upstream-to-downstream circularity, with Evonik's Next Markets Program targeting circular packaging, plastics recycling via pyrolysis, and automotive paint removal for high-grade recyclates. On-chain mass-balance transparency progressed as Mitsubishi Chemical adopted Circularise’s Product Traceability Platform to simplify credit management and provide ISCC PLUS-aligned data for customers.
Portfolio and regional ecosystems
In Japan, polyolefin competitiveness is set to consolidate as Mitsui/Idemitsu’s Prime Polymer and Sumitomo plan polyolefin business integration to rationalize assets, curb oversupply, and scale greener technologies. Local content and vendor readiness rose in Central Asia through the Local Value Shared Growth Forum in Atyrau, connecting 500+ Kazakh firms to upcoming petrochemical megaprojects and MAIRE’s procurement platform. African upstream reliability also improved as Azule Energy accelerated projects like Agogo FPSO and advanced gas solutions and biofuel studies alongside social investments in Angola.