Recent developments
Localized capacity builds
Chemicals supporting electronics and power added regional redundancy. Air Liquide will invest €200 million in Hiroshima for ultra‑pure gases to advanced fabs. Borouge International expands cable materials capacity in Korea, Sweden and the UAE. Evonik doubled Asian long‑chain polyamides via the PA12 polymerization reactor in Shanghai. To cut lead times for catalysts and coatings, Nouryon expanded Levasil colloidal silica at its Guangzhou site.
Battery value chains
Critical‑materials resilience advanced via circularity and localization. In Europe, TSR Group and BASF will cooperate on recycling end‑of‑life lithium‑ion EV batteries, linking dismantling, black mass and CAM. Upstream, Eni will invest US$70 million in Nouveau Monde Graphite for anode‑material options. Türkiye’s ASPİLSAN Enerji and South Korea’s Top Material agreed an LFP line and electrode exports. Aerospace composites stability improved under a five‑year carbon‑fiber supply agreement between Toray CMA and Syensqo.
Hydrogen and eFuels
Hydrogen and eFuels initiatives targeted bankability and infrastructure. The European Resilience Alliance for Clean Hydrogen & Derivatives launched to align policy and finance, while Gasunie and Fluxys signed a joint development agreement to build a cross‑border hydrogen transmission link. Power‑to‑liquid SAF advanced as Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank made an impact equity investment in Infinium, eFuels SEA launched a regional development platform, and Infinium’s Project Atlas won SABA procurement for bankable offtake.
Feedstock flexibility
Feedstock flexibility and domestic capacity progressed. Vietnam will convert the site’s existing steam cracker from naphtha to ethane to lower costs and volatility. In the US, Axens was selected as the technology licensor for the new Brownsville refinery processing light shale. European propylene resilience improved as the Kallo PDH2 propane dehydrogenation plant neared 2H26 start‑up. Brazil restarted the UFN III nitrogen fertilizers unit in Três Lagoas to reduce imports.
Services and distribution
Resilience also relied on services, training, and channel reach. Brenntag has been designated distributor for BASF’s Keropur fuel‑additive packages across Europe and Turkey, widening access. Bilfinger strengthened regional maintenance and turnaround capacity via the acquisition of Teknokon businesses in Türkiye. At scale, Honeywell will deploy connected services and digital performance monitoring with operator simulators at the Dangote Refinery. Flexible outsourced supply options were highlighted as Saltigo showcased custom chemical synthesis and scale‑up.
Risk and adjustments
Risk signals and adjustments persisted. Trinseo missed $22m in March interest, putting specialty and recycling assets at risk. The Port of Antwerp‑Bruges CEO Jacques Vandermeiren steps down, with an interim named. Upstream disruption included abnormal seismic activity in March at Boliden’s Garpenberg mine. In biomanufacturing, CELLforCURE is seeking a buyer for its Les Ulis site. To cut logistics exposure, Indaver and EcoWerf shift PMD transport to waterways.