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The article reports that the commodity plastics industry across the world is enjoying a particularly favorable business environment and operating in a sellers' market due to the economic growth worldwide but uncertainties remain even for the polyvinyl chloride sector. Topics include the uncertainties include doubts over feedstocks, substitution, and recycling.

The article discusses the challenges for chemical and petrochemical companies in Latin American countries such as Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. Design and implementation of political, economic and energy reforms to enhance business condition, is mentioned. Construction of ports and airports to decrease budget deficit and investment security in infrastructure, is also emphasized. INSET: Positioned to profit from growing lithium demand.

The article discusses the positive financial performance of Europe-based petrochemical producers in 2017, highlighting the healthy sales growth driven by a continued increase in volumes. The favorable industry condition is partly attributed to the low price of crude oil. Petrochem investments in European assets has become a more viable option for investors.

The article reports on the European petrochemicals industry, as of September 2016. Topics include impact of low crude oil and naphtha prices on the industry; increase in profits of companies caused by the lower values of euro; decline in competitiveness of lighter feedstocks; effect of the Brexit referendum on the industry.

The article offers information on the implications of the trends in electronic consumer, electrical and automotive products on the growth opportunities of the engineering plastics industry.

The article discusses the Mexico's energy reform which has played a significant role in creating clearer incentives and mitigating feedstock risks for future petrochemical investment since its approval in 2014. It states that there are fears that Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador may attempt to reverse structural reforms approved by the Enrique Pena Nieto's administration, bringing uncertainty and risks to policy continuity as well as administrative delays.

The article offers information on the state of the petrochemical industry in Latin America. Topics discussed include the industry in Mexico will benefit from the expected economic growth in the U.S., the improvement of Brazil's petrochemical industry due to low prices of crude oil, but the political and economic crises in the country have depressed its domestic consumption, and the impending start-up of Ethylene XXI, a joint venture between petrochemical companies Braskem and Idesa.

The article focuses on the developments and other operations of the global plastics industry as of 2015. Topics discussed include the uncertain wealth in the industry, struggle of plastics producer with reduced industrial visibility and the decline in oil prices. The factors influencing plastics' supply-demand fundamentals such as crude oil price decrease, consumer spending and slow gross domestic product growth are noted.

The article discusses the opportunities and challenges faced by European petrochemical industry and the market for petrochemicals. Topics discussed include naptha crackers, advantages of supplying LPG by cracker operators, LPG supply by U.S.,demand and consumption of propylene, production of propylene and ethylene, ethane supply by U.S., opportunity in butadiene and global demand and supply of benzene. INSETS: Europe¿s regulatory framework remains a burden;Europe¿s PVC market consolidates.

The article focuses on the pressures facing producers of commodity plastics in Europe since the tough economic environment which continues to erode margins. To cope with sluggish domestic demand, restructuring has become a feature of the sector. The region's reliance on exports has increased against this background and despite lower operating rates. Competition from more advantaged regions is starting to limit export possibilities for suppliers.

The article discusses chemical firm Braskem Idesa's Ethylene XXI project highlights socioeconomic challenges and other issues of Mexico. Topics discussed include downstream polyethylene production lines at Braskem Idesa's site at Nanchital, need of making adjustments to its ethane production facilities, and views of Braskem's Cleantho B Leite on the same.

The article offers the author's insights on the profit margins of the petrochemicals industry in Europe in 2015. Topics discussed include various factors that affect the petrochemical margins include restocking-driven demand, weak euro, and low feedstock prices, the production of petrochemicals will likely to remain disadvantaged due to the dependence on crude-based feedstocks, and rationalization of olefins capacity.

The article looks at the biobased chemical sector in Brazil. Topics discussed include the opportunities provided by the sector to the petrochemicals industry, challenges faced by Brazil's biofuels industry and Braskem's green polyethylene (PE) produced from regular first-generation bioethanol, opportunities offered by biomass-derived chemistry to agribusiness.

The article discusses international developments in the plastics industry, as worldwide polymer usage grew to 222 million metric tons, based on an IHS Chemical report. Topics discussed include the rise of Latin America as a major plastics export market for plastics producers in the U.S. and Canada, propylene production growth and independence in China, and European petrochemical companies relying on renewable feedstocks for sustainable plastics production.

The article discusses report provided by IHS Markit which states that production capacity of China's Toulene diisocyanate (TDI) is likely expected to increase by the year 2019. Topics discussed includes China’s methylene di-para-phenylene isocyanate (MDI), Chemical industries and Shanghai Lianheng Isocyanate Co.

The article discusses how Gina Fyffe, the chief executive officer of shipping and trading company Integra (Singapore), has contributed to Integra's success. Fyffe is a veteran of the petrochemical industry and her interest in diversity goes back to her early career days at the former Exxon. She believes a more balanced gender, age and ethnic representation have benefits for a company.

The article presents a report from IHS Energy on rising ethane prices in 2017. According to IHS Energy, purity ethane at Mont Belvieu, Texas started to rise above Henry Hub natural gas prices in early 2016, and the premium remained to grow. IHS Energy stated that the price has to increase to incentivize recovery due to the sourcing of ethane's marginal barrel will take place further inland.

The article focuses on the impact of International Maritime Organisation ((IMO) 2020 compliance is extending beyond the shipping, transport, and logistics industries to the refining and chemicals segments. It mentions the technology for using methanol as a marine fuel is still being tested; and also mentions the extent of IMO 2020's impact on the transport and logistics sectors will become clearer in the coming months.

An interview with Fabian Gil, president of Dow Latin America, is presented. Topics discussed by Gil include the objectives of the Dow's projects in helping Argentina develops its nonconventional resources, the petrochemical products that can benefit from shale gas, and the projections on petrochemical and end-user consumption in 2017.

The article discusses energy industry of Brazil. Topics discussed include elimination of political and economic uncertainty in Brazil, increasing confidence indicators such as business sentiment and consumer confidence, and views of Fernando Musa, chief executive officer (CEO) of petrochemical producer Braskem, on the same.

The article reports on the final decision of petrochemicals company Shell Chemicals to proceed with its investment for an integrated ethylene and polyethylene (PE) complex near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It presents the view of Graham van't Hoff, executive vice president (vp) of Shell Chemicals, on the project which will include an ethane cracker and three polyethylene units, highlighting the advantage offered by its location for making expansions in the chemical sector.

The article reports on the delay of the initial public offering (IPO) of Spanish multinational oil and gas company Compañia Española de Petroleos (CEPSA) following stock market decline.

The article reports on the dilemma facing the new government of Mexico over the existing ethane-supply contract between suppliers Petróleos Mexicano and Braskem-Idesa.

The article discusses the country Argentina which is making regional integration dialogue with neighboring Chile and Bolivia to support additional upstream investments as a way of addressing the insufficient domestic demand to monetize vast unconventional gas reserves and negligible conventional gas storage. It states that the country has succeeded in attracting foreign investment to develop its vast unconventional reserves in the Vaca Muerta shale play.

The article discusses the chemical distributor GTM in Sao Paulo which has provided an overview to Chemical Week of the Brazilian and regional markets and the challenges ahead. with a committment to a $l-billion sales target by 2020. It states that the company moved its headquarters from San Jose, Costa Rica to Sao Paulo following its acquisition of quantiQ in 2017.

The article reports on the rise of price levels in the acetone market in Europe in August 2018, citing data from HIS Markit. It discusses the assessment of the gross price of acetone per metric ton and the propylene contract price increase, lower operations and production losses observed during the month, and logistical challenges due to hot weather.

The article reports that Oxiteno has started commercial operations at its alkoxylation plant in Pasadena, California, which will produce nonionic surfactants and specialty alkoxylates.

The article reports on the plan of Cargill to construct a pectin production facility in Brazil in 2019 which has abundant supply of citrus fruit.

The article reports on the reduction of butadiene supply due to steam cracker outages that cause the limited availability of crude feedstock in Europe.

The article reports on the decision of Air Products and Chemicals Inc. to invest millions to construct, own, and operate a coal-to-syngas factory in Hohhot, China to supply syngas to Jiutai New Material.

The article informs that Kansas-based Invista has started engineering work for a previously announced adiponitrile (ADN) plant in China and mentions firm's plans to build an ADN plant at its site in the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP) at Caojing.

The article informs that Braskem has reported 547 million reais in net profit for second quarter of 2018, reflecting a depreciation of the Brazilian currency against the dollar, and mentions that scheduled plant turnarounds in the U.S. and Mexico also contributed to the EBITDA decrease.

The article informs that Methanex has signed agreements with Pan American Sur, Wintershall Energia and other companies for additional supply of natural gas for Methanex's methanol production in Chile through June 1, 2020. It mentions views of John Floren, president of Methanex, on how contracts will allow two-plant operation in Chile. It also reveals that Chemours reported a 75 percent increase in net income.

The article reports that prices for nylon-6,6 chip fiber-grade resin are continuing to move up across all regions.

The article focuses on the move of Bain Capital, a private equity firm, to acquire DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals.

The article offers information about the move of LyondellBasell Industries to acquire Odebrecht’s controlling stake in petrochemical firm Braskem.

The article offers information on a fire incident at a section of Alpek’s purified terephthalic acid plant in Altamira, Mexico as mentioned in a company filing with the Mexican stock exchange. Other information about the impact of the incident on the company's production at the site as well as the move of Alpek to assess the extent of the damage and the rerepairseeded is presented.

The article focuses on the plan of BASF to construct a large, integrated production site in Guangdong, China.

The article reports on the acquisition of Mondo Minerals, an integrated producer of industrial talc additives, by specialty chemical firm Elementis.

The article offers information on a definitive agreement signed by private equity firm Bain Capital to acquire Italmatch Chemicals from rival private equity firm Ardian.

The article focuses on the European Commission's approval for the acquisition of the company National Titanium Dioxide by Tronox with the condition for Tronox to divests its business.

The article presents information regarding the initiatives of the rubber company Arlanxeo for upgrading the production of its synthetic rubber in France and Brazil.

The article reports on the planning of chemical firm Ineos to build a cracker and propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit in northern Europe. Topics discussed include increase in the demand and price of petrochemicals, shipping of ethane by the company from the U.S. and seeking of financial incentives by the company from British government.

The article discusses how the international plastics recycling industry has been affected by China's policy that ended processing plastic wast imported from Western countries.

The article reports on a potential acquisition of the chemical company Braskem by LyondellBasell Industries. Emphasis is given to topics such as discussions with controlling shareholder Odebrecht company, polypropylene capacity and production in Brazil, and dependence on Petrobas petroleum company as a supplier of ethane, propane, and refinery off-gas.

The article reports that private equity firm SK Capital will acquire SI Group, a developer and manufacturer of plastic additives and intermediates.

The article reports that Lowe's will phase out paint-removal products containing methylene chloride and n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) from its worldwide product selection by the end of 2018.

The article reports that Bayport Polymers (Bay-Pol) organized the official ground-breaking ceremony for designing an ethane cracker at the Total Port Arthur Refinery.

The article reports that Ineos is constructing an ethyleneoxide (EO) and dervative facility on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

The article reports that the European Union is likely to ban ten single-use plastic products and fishing gear that together account for 70% of the marine litter in Europe.