ICIS - chemical podcasts

Recycled Plastics senior analyst Andrea Bassetti and US Recycled Plastics senior editor Emily Friedman discuss the main takeaways from the latest round of corporate quarterly earnings calls, as they relate to the US recycled plastics industry.

Senior Editor for Recycling Matt Tudball asks Carolina Perujo Holland, Senior Analysts for Plastics Recycling, and Travis Klein, Senior Analyst for PET how the European markets compare to other regions in terms of competitiveness, impacts of regulation and feedstock costs, and what they'll be covering in their presentation at the ICIS PET Value Chain Conference. The ICIS PET Value Chain Conference runs from 6-7 March in Amsterdam. Click here to register and see the full agenda.

SINGAPORE (ICIS) --The Trump administration swiftly withdrew financial support for its hydrogen sector, while China is accelerating hydrogen expansion with strong policy backing. In this podcast, ICIS hydrogen analysts Patricia Tao and Anita Yang discuss how these developments could gradually shift the global hydrogen market’s center of gravity over the next three to five years.

Europe’s petrochemical sector is in the midst of a crisis which EU leaders can solve through bold actions, according to Ilham Kadri, president of Cefic and CEO of Syensqo. - More than 11 million tonnes of European chemicals capacity slated to close- Decline can be reversed with strong EU political action - Simplify bureaucracy, lower energy costs, finance low carbon transition- EU needs to stimulate demand for low carbon products, create level playing field against global competition - Time to turn words into action through EU Clean Industrial Deal, new chemicals strategy- Chemicals CEOs in Europe need to examine their portfolios to identify where they can win against global competitors- Europe has a lot to offer – cutting edge technology, talent- Region needs a strong economy and that is only possible with strong chemical industry

What with tough financial results from some producers, the threat of tariffs and upstream price wobbles, 2025 already has a lot to discuss for Europe polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) senior editors. Vicky Ellis and Ben Lake look back on January trends and what's being tussled over for February in contract talks.They touch on LyondellBasell's Q4 results, Dow CEO Jim Fitterling's downbeat view on demand, early February market trends and ICIS' article about the SE Asia PE plant shutdowns deemed necessary for rebalancing.Podcast edited by Will Beacham

LONDON (ICIS)--Relatively stable demand expectations is anticipated to be met with evolving global supply dynamics within the European acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and acrylonitrile (ACN) markets in 2025.In this latest podcast, Europe ABS report editor Stephanie Wix and her counterpart on the Europe ACN report, Nazif Nazmul, share the latest developments and expectations for what lies ahead. Geopolitics-led macroeconomic challenges dampen prospects of demand resurgence Balanced-to-long supply dynamics anticipated to endure Players assess impact of EU ADD investigation on ABS imports from South Korea, Taiwan ABS is the largest-volume engineering thermoplastic resin and is used in automobiles, electronics and recreational products.ACN is used in the production of synthetic fibres for clothing and home furnishings, engineering plastics and elastomers.

Senior Editor, Recycling, Matt Tudball talks to Helen McGeough, Global Recycling Analytics Team Lead about some of the key topics that will be discussed at the upcoming ICIS PET Value Chain Conference on 6-7 March in Amsterdam. Topics include: Improving the supply chain for recycled PET Getting access to good-quality feedstocks Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) growing in Europe Impact of high feedstocks on R-PET prices Spreads between virgin PET and R-PET

As US president Donald Trump revives his trade war, business leaders may seek certainty by switching to local and regional supply chains.- Businesses need stability, certainty to make investment decisions- Trade war could drive more national/regional industrial and chemical supply chains - But reshoring can be very expensive and time-consuming- New technologies such as 3-D printing and AI support local production- Export-dependent US chemicals have a lot to lose from a trade war - US exported more than 10 million tonnes of polyethylene (PE) to Europe in 2023

In a changing financial and political landscape, the global base oils market is wavering between new capacity from the east and closely watching the US for new developments. 2025 looks set to pose new questions for investors and market can see changes at the touch of a key stroke. A widening spread between approved and unapproved Group III material A wave of new capacity, with plants particularly in Singapore and India adding competition to Group I A tight supply of Brightstock and shifting spread between domestic and export volumes The US dollar rally making Euro purchases more costly Potential for US tariffs on Canada and Mexico and possible impact on crude flows ICIS experts Samantha Wright, Mike Conolly and Sophie Udubasceanu discuss the top five drivers to watch in 2025.Base oils are used to produce finished lubes and greases for automobiles and other machinery.

Women are under-represented in the chemical industry and companies are missing the benefits diversity bring to leadership teams. - It could take 50 years for women to achieve gender equality - Women under 30 have closed the gender pay gap- But inequality increases at more senior levels- Burn out is a major problem for female executives- Companies with diverse workforces out-perform - Women deterred from choosing roles which are male-dominated- Chemical industry only has 30% female workforce globally - More flexible working arrangements very important - Women in Chemicals aims to help females achieve their ambitions

LONDON (ICIS)--European oxo-alcohols and derivatives markets have been slow to start up in the new year as familiar factors suppress consumption.Players were hoping for reasonable restocking activity this month, following the destocking period that took place in late Q4 2024, but spot activity has been below expectations for many players down the value chain.Oxo-alcohols & butyl acetate reporter Marion Boakye speaks to acrylate esters reporter Mathew Jolin-Beech and glycol ethers reporter Cameron Birch about conditions down the oxo-alcohols value chain.

Detailed modelling by Europe’s principal chemicals trade association analyses different potential routes and technologies as the industry moves towards its aim of carbon neutrality by 2050. - Report aims to guide chemicals to 2050 EU Green Deal goal of climate neutrality- Takes into account Scope 1, 2, 3, embedded carbon and end of life emissions- Modelling covers many types of technologies - Industry will compete with other sectors for access to scarce resources- Report models the huge level of investment required Click here to download Cefic’s report “The Carbon Managers: Modelling Possible Pathways for the EU Chemical Sector’s Transition Towards Climate Neutrality and Circularity with iC2050.”ICIS interviews Florie Gonsolin, director industrial transformation projects at Cefic.

Asia BDO editor Corey Chew and European BDO editor Yashas Mudumbai discuss the long supply and low demand conditions across the two regions, and whether regular trade flow will resume after the Lunar New Year holidays.

SINGAPORE (ICIS) – Asian spot market for butadiene (BD) saw a bullish start to 2025, as prices in both Chinese yuan and US dollar terms surged dramatically.In this latest podcast, ICIS senior editor Ai Teng Lim and industry analyst Elaine Zhang come together to discuss the factors moving prices and to take a peek into what may lie ahead for downstream demand. Domestic China prices surge on supply factors, raising imports too Uncertainties prevalent on whether downstream demand will hold out Supply outlook uneven between China and wider Asia

At the end of 2024, the European bioplastics industry met to discuss innovations, barriers to growth and the future outlook for production capacity, demand and changes in legislation. ICIS Recycling Analyst Alexandra Tomczyk attended the conference and updates us on the current state of play for the bioplastics market. Some of the key takeaways included: Global capacities are set to grow rapidly in the next 5 years It’s unclear how the rise of bioplastic packaging will impact the goals set in Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations Bioplastics are only one of a range of tools needed to improve the sustainability of plastics

A ceasefire in the Gaza conflict could potentially end attacks in the Red Sea, reopening the Suez Canal and normalising the Asia-to-Europe container shipping route. - Gaza ceasefire could stop Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping- Route via Cape of Good Hope takes 10 days longer than Suez Canal- Reopening Suez would add 10 days of chemicals inventory to the market- Europe would be open to more Asia exports- Freight rates could fall as container capacity is freed up - ‘Stunning’ levels of overcapacity expected in China in 2025- New Cefic report highlights need for new Europe industrial deal for chemicals

Chemicals leaders must plan for a year in which powerful trends will alter the markets they serve, promising another period of rapid change across the industry landscape. - Global overcapacity will get worse this year, ICIS Supply & Demand data shows- Depressed demand set to continue- Donald Trump tariffs may change trade flows, fuel inflation- China economy will continue to struggle- Disinformation will make it difficult to navigate trends- Look for pockets of growth from low carbon agenda

SINGAPORE (ICIS) -- Asia ethylene editor Josh Quah and analyst Aliena Huang talk about the Asia outlook for ethylene arbitrage cargoes for 2025 with markets editor Damini Dabholkar. Ethylene loadings from US in December continue to favour southeast Asia destinations More intra-Asia tradeflows between northeast and southeast Asia expected for H1 2025 Increasing ethane competitivity and demand may curtail US ethylene exports to Asia

LONDON (ICIS)--The European oxo-alcohols and derivatives markets have been subdued in December with a focus on managing inventory targets into year-end with destocking already underway.The winter demand has also been sluggish amid wider challenging economic and geopolitical pressures.Heading into 2025, the outlook is one for the challenges of 2024 to largely persist, with demand not expected to dramatically improve.Acryalte ester report editor Mathew Jolin-Beech is joined by glycol ethers report editor Cameron Birch, oxo-alcohols editor Nicole Simpson, and butyl acetate editor Marion Boakye to discuss the current market conditions and to look forward into 2025.

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia's oxo-alcohols market continues to face challenges amid capacity expansions in China. Weak demand from downstream plasticisers sector Upstream support from propylene unlikely Demand recovery to take some time In this latest podcast, ICIS senior editor Julia Tan speaks with ICIS analyst Lina Xu to share the latest developments and expectations for what lies ahead next year.

BARCELONA (ICIS)—European polyethylene (PE) markets face growing pressure from cheaper imports, highlighting the impact of rising overcapacity driven by China and the US. - Plants in Europe operating at technical minimum levels- Minimal stocks held amid plentiful supply- Demand poor across most end uses, packaging stronger- Europe will see more PE imports as global overcapacity grows- More polymer plant closures are likely in Europe and other high-cost regions- US has more to lose from trade war as it is a major exporter of PE to China- Trade flows could change dramatically if tariff walls go up- Supply/demand imbalance may take up to nine years to correct

Plastics and chemical producers need to find more effective ways to tackle the problem of plastic waste after UN treaty negotiations ended without agreement at the weekend. - Consumer demand will drive improvements in plastic waste management- Chemical companies need to reconnect with brands/consumers- We will move out of the current ‘trough of despair’ about recycling - End of globalization may mean national/regional treaties are more effective- UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee concluded in Busan, South Korea, on 1 December, with no definitive agreement- Around 100 countries backed proposals, with a small number of hold-outs

LONDON (ICIS)--European monoethylene glycol (MEG) editor, Melissa Hurley, explores the global glycol situation with Judith Wang, Cindy Qiu, Melissa Wheeler. China inventory levels could remain limited near term; domestic supply increases on plant restart Bearish demand outlook to weigh on Asia market Asia, Europe annual contract discussions tough Heavy Q1 US turnaround could limit imports into Asia/Europe and bolster discussions

MUSCAT (ICIS)--In this special edition of the ICIS podcast, Asia deputy news editor Nurluqman Suratman speaks with ICIS market development executive John Richardson on the sidelines of the 18th Annual Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals (GPCA) Annual Forum in Muscat, Oman, on the current issues facing the regional industry. Ongoing issues over a UN plastics treaty highlights divide between major producers and smaller players Upcoming US tariffs may change trade flows, dynamics for Middle East Global oversupply remains in focus as China's demand growth slows

LONDON (ICIS)--The European oxo-alcohols and derivatives markets have seen subdued performance into November with availability now healthy across markets and underlying demand still underperforming.Focus is now on managing inventory targets into year end with destocking already underway. The autumn in general has been slower than many had hoped.Glycol Ethers report editor Cameron Birch speaks to Oxo-Alcohols editor Nicole Simpson, Acrylate Esters editor Mat Jolin-Beech and Butyl Acetate editor Marion Boakye about the current conditions in these markets and expectations for the near future.

The plasticizers market is globalized with Europe dependant on imports of dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP) from northeast Asia, Turkey and the US. However, global trade flows are shifting as US DOTP dumping investigations are progressing into the final stages and Trump’s election is bolstering US trade protectionism Europe plasticizers editor Nicole Simpson speaks to US editor Daniel Lopes about the future of the plasticizers market against a backdrop of falling US feedstock costs, growing US protectionism and economic challenges.

Two liquids-to-chemicals project announcements by Saudi Aramco highlight a new source of rapid capacity growth which will add to global overcapacity.- Middle East oil and gas companies want to push liquids-to-chemicals as demand for transport fuels declines- Aramco aims to convert around 4 million bbl/day of crude oil into chemicals by 2030 versus about 1 million barrels/day currently- Demand growth will not be sufficient to meet rising supply - More closures will be needed to balance the market

LONDON (ICIS)--November’s polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) prices have eased in the face of dispiriting demand and as maintenance season comes to a close in Europe.ICIS senior editors Vicky Ellis and Ben Lake weigh up what's behind the November trends, how forex and logistics might be affecting the markets, and what’s coming for December.They also discuss ICIS coverage of European PE, PP players adapting value propositions in the face of an evolving market, and Think Tank’s podcast episode: Trump trade war will drive end of globalisation for chemicals.Editing by Will Beacham

Europe adipic acid and downstream nylon 6,6 markets face bleak prospects for demand in December, followed by a broadly flat outlook in 2025, with overall weak consumption from key derivative markets. Over the past few months, very slow demand and ample supply has continued to dominate European markets alongside rising costs of production. In this latest podcast, ICIS editors Meeta Ramnani and Marta Fern share the latest developments and expectations for what lies ahead. Seasonal destocking to weaken buying interest further in December Demand could stay low in 2025; recovery depends on macroeconomic factors Q1 2025 could bring restocking; its magnitude unclear Asian adipic acid import volumes likely to increase in Q1

European chemical producers may have to keep paying high energy prices as geopolitical instability impacts sentiment more than the fundamentals of supply and demand. - Europe spot electricity prices up 76% this year, ICIS TTF gas price up 40%- Fear drives markets more than fundamentals which remain bearish- Demand is reduced compared to five-year average, supply plentiful- Above average temperatures forecast into December in Europe- Gas storage around 90%, well above 5-year average- New sources of US, Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) due onstream in 2025- Renewable energy will ramp up quickly in Europe- Donald Trump may increase LNG supply by unfreezing projects

Donald Trump’s proposed tariff hikes on major trading partners could spark a trade war which will drive the end of a globalised chemicals economy plus more local and circular supply chains. - US-China trade war would drag on economic growth- World may return to more national and intra-regional trade- Trump could help drive the end of deglobalization- Development of more local, circular chemical supply chains- Chemicals Q3 financial results show some volume growth- But industry still in the bottom of a trough - Lack of growth from automotive, construction

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Southeast Asia's propylene market faces significant challenges in 2025, with additional supply expected and freight rates continuing to impact downstream demand. In this latest podcast, ICIS senior editor Julia Tan speaks with senior analyst Shariene Goh to share the latest developments and expectations for what lies ahead next year. High freight rates likely to remain key challenge to PP exports, which could weigh on propylene demand Southeast Asia to take price direction from northeast Asia Net deficit for Indonesia despite Indonesia's LINE project

European Senior Editor for Recycling, Mark Victory, and Helen McGeough, Global Analyst Team Lead for Plastic Recycling at ICIS join Senior Editor for Recycling Matt Tudball to discuss their highlights from the recent 3rd ICIS Recycled Polymers Conference that was held in Berlin on 7th November. Topics covered ranged from ICIS' own outlook for the recycled markets, panel discussions on collection systems and the ever-popular chemical recycling sector, plus electrical and electronic waste and EU regulation 2022/1616 around food contact. Some of the key takeaways included: Unexpected positivity despite challenging market environment The need for strong collaboration through the recycling chain Regulatory uncertain still a core challenge for the recycling market

China's oxo-alcohols market will see supply glut recently in the face of intensive new plant start-ups, but tepid downstream demand. Net import volumes may plunge in the short term because of overseas plant turnrounds and rising domestic supply, but whether this could sustain still depends on overseas plant operations and import arbitrage opportunities.

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Several ICIS market experts share insightful facts related to their respective plastics markets, amid conversations with industry professionals at PackExpo '24. Though each market comes with a host of uncertainties, the broader US plastic packaging industry continues to navigate mixed demand and various supply challenges in 2024 and beyond. Bottled beverage sector made up 15% of all US packaging revenue in 2023. US polyethylene terephthalate (PET) production to remain 3 billion lbs short of domestic demand in 2025. US polystyrene (PS) production has been impacted by outages since July 2024. US polypropylene (PP) prices have been volatile, with price movements 11 out of the last 12 months. US polyethylene (PE) inventories are the highest they have been since May 2023. US recycled PET (R-PET) market facing onslaught of imports. 2Q2024 PET scrap import volumes were above 125 million lbs.

LONDON (ICIS)---Relatively flat demand trends and evolving global supply dynamics evident in H2 2024 are expected to largely persist within the European acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and acrylonitrile (ACN) markets in Q1 2025.In this latest podcast, Europe ABS report editor Stephanie Wix and her counterpart on the Europe ACN report, Nazif Nazmul, share the latest developments and expectations for what lies ahead. Macroeconomic challenges expected to continue limiting ABS and ACN demand through Q4 into Q1 2025 ABS and ACN availability likely to remain lengthy Import-led ABS competition could increase in Q1 2025 ABS is the largest-volume engineering thermoplastic resin and is used in automobiles, electronics and recreational products.ACN is used in the production of synthetic fibres for clothing and home furnishings, engineering plastics and elastomers.

Market forces and long-term trends such as global overcapacity and sustainability will have more impact on chemical companies than who wins the US presidential election.- Chemical companies driven more by long-term trends than government policy- Consumer demand for more sustainable products will drive chemical markets- US relies heavily on exports for its low-cost polymers- Donald Trump promises to hike tariffs by 10-20% on all imports, 60% on Chinese imports- Trump may ease US chemicals regulation, Kamala Harris may tighten- Questions over investments in the green transition

More chemical industry leaders are making bold strategic decisions to combat a multi-year downturn, driving their companies to focus on areas where they can seize a competitive advantage. - China-driven overcapacity could imbalance global supply/demand until 2030- Need for large-scale capacity closures to balance market- Companies can choose to focus on commodities or become specialty/low carbon players- CEOs waking up to the need for a radical examination of their assets and strategies- A trickle of announcements about closures and restructurings turning into a flood- Leaders such as BASF, Dow, LyondellBasell, Versalis take bold steps to reduce their commodity footprint in EuropeThis is the audio podcast version of a special ICIS Think Tank Live webinar recorded on 30 October.

LONDON (ICIS)--Throughout October, demand in the European oxo-alcohols and derivatives markets has been slow-paced and below initial expectations.Sluggishness is expected to persist throughout the remainder of Q4, influenced by various factors including wider economic weakness, geopolitical tensions, and end-of-year destocking.Butyl acetate reporter Marion Boakye speaks to oxo-alcohols reporter Nicole Simpson, glycol ethers reporter Cameron Birch and acrylate esters reporter Mathew Jolin-Beech about market dynamics down the oxo-alcohols value chain.

LONDON (ICIS)--Demand in EU and US epoxy markets remains sluggish, in a still difficult climate, but players are eagerly awaiting anti-dumping duty (ADD) decisions which could provide some domestic demand support into 2025.Senior editor Heidi Finch, who covers the Europe epoxy market, and fellow senior editor Tarun Raizada, who covers the US epoxy market, share insights on key topics discussed at a recent industry event, current market sentiment and near-term expectations. Markets muted in Q4 so far, still fragile climate US market subdued ahead of November duty announcements US players in wait-and-watch mode, no major supply/demand forecasting taking place Slight degree of optimism in US epoxy for 2025, but year-over-year growth expectations tempered EU likely to gain share into 2025, due to the ADD case EU macroeconomics improving slowly, but fundamental recovery likely to take longer, geopolitics major risk Podcast editing by Will Beacham

Weak demand continues to be a concern in the European acetone and phenol chain and in the wider chemicals industry and Q4 will remain tough, in view of year-end considerations, but when will demand turn a corner?Europe ICIS editors Jane Gibson (acetone and phenol), Heidi Finch (bisphenol A and epoxy resins), Meeta Ramnani (polycarbonate), Mathew Jolin-Beech (methyl methacrylate) and ICIS senior analyst Michele Bossi (aromatics and derivatives) discuss current market conditions, in view of residual macro and geopolitical headwinds, although easing interest rates and the trade defence investigation for epoxy brings some hopes and opportunities in Europe.

US recycled plastics Senior Editor, Emily Friedman and Americas recycled plastics Analyst, Josh Dill, reflect on their experiences and key takeaways from the 2024 Paper and Plastics Recycling Conference held in Chicago, Illinois this week.Listen in as they dive into various topics regarding material recovery facilities (MRFs), extended producer responsibility (EPR), recycled content brand committments, chemical recycling and more.

SINGAPORE (ICIS) – Asian methanol markets were driven more by sentiment than changes in fundamentals, in recent weeks as market participants reacted to escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. However, some supply changes in coming months are expected to alter the market landscape in Q1 2025. Gas shortages in Q4 lead to expectations of lower supply China market sees correction after post-holiday exuberance Downstream demand tepid, expected to see slight recovery in Q4 In this chemical podcast, ICIS markets editor Damini Dabholkar and senior analyst Ann Sun discuss recent market conditions with an outlook ahead in Asia.

The overall winner of this year’s ICIS Innovation Awards - BASF, Linde and SABIC’s electrically-heated steam cracker furnace - could have a massive impact on overall chemical industry emissions if the technology is widely adopted. - World’s first electrically-heated steam cracker at demonstration stage- Cuts CO2 emissions by up to 95% compared with natural gas-fired crackers- Linde, BASF, SABIC win shows strength of partnerships- Challenges include obtaining sufficient renewable energy, financing for scale up- Financial risks can be reduced by converting one furnace at a time

Markets Editor Stephanie Wix is joined by Senior Editor Manager Vicky Ellis, markets reporter Meeta Ramnani, and Senior Analyst Jincy Varghese, as they discuss the key trends from the 29th Fakuma plastics processing trade fair in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in this latest ICIS podcast.They explore discussion topics heard at the event last week, from the highest concerns to the lowest expectations. They also explain the clash of pessimism and optimism between markets including acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), and also engineering plastics polyacetal (POM) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

SINGAPORE (ICIS) – The short-term demand outlook for recycled polymers from Asia remains sluggish especially for low-value grades, due to multiple factors - mainly poor economics and brand users’ preference of cheaper virgin plastics. Upcoming regulation in deep-sea fails to support Asia r-PET exports Asia r-PE, r-PP remain traded mostly in domestic markets Investments into recycling continue across Asia despite weak demand In this chemical podcast, ICIS senior editor Arianne Perez discusses recent market conditions with an outlook ahead in Asia.

Join Global Analyst Team Lead for Recycling Helen McGeough as she looks ahead to the 3rd ICIS Recycled Polymers Conference on 7 November in Berlin and tells Matt Tudball what she's looking forward to seeing from the diverse group of topics and presenters, including: Waste collection challenges and developments ICIS study on penetration rates of recycling in the wider virgin polymer market Chemical Recycling and its impact on the market Investment in recycling for low carbon solutions Prices of feedstocks impacting the recycled polymers chains 3rd ICIS Recycled Polymers Conference | EuropeHotel Palace Berlin, Germany | Conference: 7 November Training: 6 NovemberYou will be able to hear from out ICIS experts on the following session: Set the scene with ICIS: The European plastics recycling market landscape Panel discussion: Waste collection challenges and developments ICIS insight on pricing trends for plastics, mixed plastic waste and pyrolysis oil To discover more and register you place click here > https://events.icis.com/website/11605/home/

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--With 2025 contract discussions for Asia ethylene underway at the olefins trade conference in Xiamen, China, ICIS markets editor Josh Quah outlines what’s at the top of the list of concerns for players as they look ahead to the coming year. Players may take steps to hedge against unpredictability of deep-sea cargoes China’s new capacity takes shape, but lengthy domestic supply may not yet spillover to the import-export market Greater interest from producers to study the feasibility of incorporating ethane as part of cracker feedstock slate

Chemicals sector executives are increasingly facing up to the idea that the sector is going through a process of reinvention, with no big recovery on the horizon and a return to pre-crisis normalcy less likely. Executives are now looking at what the next steps for the sector will be.In this Think Tank podcast, Tom Brown interviews Paul Hodges, chairman of New Normal Consulting, Katherine Sale, ICIS head of editorial strategy, and Chris Barker, senior editor covering PVC and caustic soda, on impressions from the EPCA assembly.

According to attendees at the annual European Petrochemical Association (EPCA) conference in Berlin held during 7-10 October, consumption in 2025 is not expected to recover for mixed xylenes (MX), paraxylene (PX) and orthoxylene (OX), with various hurdles highlighted. In this episode, market editors Zubair Adam (MX) and Miguel Rodriguez Fernandez (PX, OX) along with Rob Peacock, ICIS lead analyst for aromatics, share the sentiment captured after talking with various market players at the conference.