ICIS - chemical podcasts

Tom Brown, ICIS insight editor who tracks markets and policy, and Paul Hodges, longtime chemicals industry advisor, report from the Antwerp summit. They describe a sense of crisis in Europe’s chemicals sector. They discuss calls for swift federal-style powers, reversing regulatory gold-plating, creating pan-European energy and capital solutions, and coalition routes to act quickly.

LONDON (ICIS)--Europe’s phenol, acetone and derivatives markets have entered 2026 under pressure, with weak demand and rising costs shaping the markets.Jane Gibson covering the Acetone and phenol editor Jane Gibson is joined by Mat Jolin-Beech covering MMA, Heidi Finch senior editor covering the European BPA and epoxy resins, Sam Lovatt covering PC and Michele Bossi - analyst for the chain.

Mark Victory, senior editor covering recycling and regulatory shifts in chemicals. Valentijn De Neve, CEO of BlueAlp and president of Chemical Recycling Europe, experienced in deploying chemical recycling tech. They discuss the SUPD mass balance decision for chemically recycled PET, end-of-waste status for pyrolysis oil, investment needs amid regulatory gaps, and demand targets for recycled materials to 2030 and 2040.

Improving sentiment in manufacturing, especially in the US, raises hopes of a turning point, but industry needs strong action to save it, especially in Europe. -          Big jump in US purchasing manager indices (PMIs) with Europe and China moving in the right direction-          New report by Roland Berger highlights Europe’s chemicals crisis-          Rising costs, poor demand, continue to pressurise margins-          New Antwerp Declaration expected next week -          Storms, cold weather bring chaos to Europe, disrupting logisticsIn this ICIS Think Tank podcast, Will Beacham interviews ICIS Insight Editor Tom Brown and Paul Hodges, chairman of New Normal Consulting. 

LONDON (ICIS)--A mix of regulatory changes, feedstock volatility and global economic factors is transforming the global oleochemicals market.In this latest podcast, senior editors Helen Yan, Eashani Chavda and Lucas Hall and joins markets editor Nazif Nazmul to share the latest developments and expectations ahead of the Palm and Lauric Oils Conference (POC) being held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 9-11 February. Asia crude glycerine up on Indonesia export tax hike to 10% Adequate US oleochemical supply catering to relatively soft demand Europe fatty alcohols C12-14 spot prices rise by double-digits, bolstered by PKO spikes

Is China’s polyethylene market heading for a crash or a recovery? In the latest ICIS podcast, senior industry analyst Joanne Wang sits down with Amy Yu ,  Asian PE lead from Analytical team to dive into the "tug-of-war" defining 2026. Together, they break down how the 6.2 million-tonne capacity surge is clashing with sudden price shocks caused by Middle East tensions.

Europe’s chemical distributors’ margins are under pressure as geopolitics roils the global economy, but they are also flexing to new business models for future growth.-          Cost inflation impacting margins for distributors – logistics, energy, labor, working capital -          Tougher to pass price increases to customers-          Intense competition from cheap imports into Europe-          Economic uncertainty affecting customer confidence-          New business models needed as the old global world order changes -          Distributors, being less asset-heavy, are well placed to adapt to changing trade flows and tariffs-          Unstable tariff regimes are bad for demand due to the uncertainty they create-          Tariffs can cause a whiplash as flows redirected to other regions

Join Egor Dementev, lead of the ICIS EMEA Recycling Analytics team as he asks Director General of the German Plastics Packaging Association, Martin Engelmann and ICIS Senior Editor, Recycling, Mark Victory about the nuances of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), and why companies need to take action well ahead of the 2030 targets.Key topics covered include:  No political signs suggest PPWR will be delayed or weakened PPWR roles and responsibilities are complex and often misunderstood Lack of clarity around regulatory details creats uncertainty for industry Companies must act now despite unknowns, especially ahead of 2026 deadlines Recyclability and recycled content will be central to future requirements

Cameron Birch, glycol ethers editor who analyses supply, imports and weather impacts. Marion Boakye, oxo-alcohols and butyl acetate editor tracking European supply, demand and pricing. They discuss a sluggish start to 2026, sparse spot trading and restocking hopes. Topics include butyl acetate availability, Asian arbitrage closures, feedstock and gas concerns, and maintenance-driven supply effects.

SINGAPORE (ICIS) -- China's domestic acrylonitrile (ACN) prices fell to over five-year lows early this year. Overcapacity, weak demand and sustained margin pressure loomed over the value chain, encouraging players to rebalance. In this chemical podcast, Asia ACN editors Seymour Chenxia and Corey Chew take a look at recent China and broader Asian ACN market movements, discuss the short-term forecast, supply-demand fundamentals and trade flow outlook for 2026. NE Asia ACN prices decline on tepid demand and overcapacity in Jan Short-term pressure may ease as negative margins weigh on run rates Exports emerge as the long-term option to mitigate China oversupply