ICIS - chemical podcasts

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

LONDON (ICIS)--Sluggish demand, a complex tariff landscape and geopolitical instability are key talking points in the Europe and US epoxy markets.In this podcast, Heidi Finch who covers the Europe epoxy market and fellow senior editor Tarun Raizada who covers the US epoxy market share insights on tariff uncertainty, ongoing demand and margin concerns in a troubled climate. Tariff and trade haze continue to cast shadows over the epoxy markets in both Europe and the US.* Demand remains fragile and cautious across regions, with limited restocking activity in Q1, no meaningful recovery expected in the first half of the year, some uplift hopes for H2. Pricing tension persists, amid margin concerns vs soft market conditions Europe bears the brunt of competition from South Korea,  due to EU anti‑dumping exemptions Possible EU review of anti‑dumping duties/SK ADD exemption could potentially level out the playing field *Since the podcast recording, Trump has called off his 10% tariff threat from 1 February on some EU countries over the Greenland dispute  following a productive meeting with  NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.Podcast editing: Zubair Adam

The whip shaw over tariffs relating to the Greenland dispute highlights the need for chemical companies to plan for a world of rising geopolitical instability. ·         Trump’s tariff swings deepen uncertainty for global chemical trade·         EU–US deal stalls, exposing fragile trade negotiation structures·         Davos leaders warn of weakening global institutions and alliances·         China presents itself as stabilising force amid shifting geopolitics·         Trade deals no longer guarantee protection from sudden policy shocks·         Tariff uncertainty threatens investment, planning and market confidence·         Chemicals growth areas include defence, recycling and water technologies·         Chemicals may need to develop strong regional championsIn this ICIS Think Tank podcast, Will Beacham interviews ICIS Insight Editor Tom Brown and Paul Hodges, chairman of New Normal Consulting. 

Despite widespread geopolitical instability around the world, the most severe period of crude oil oversupply ever will depress prices, latest ICIS forecasts show.   -          For 2026 global oil markets are in the largest period of oversupply we have ever seen-          Oversupply forecast by ICIS at 3 million barrels/day out of a roughly 100 million barrels/day market-          China oil demand growth has slowed drastically thanks to slowing economy and transition to electric vehicles-          OPEC is increasing supply, unwinding previous cuts-          Around 20% of global oil supplies pass through Strait of Hormuz so closing it could push prices above $100/barrel. -          End Q1/early Q2 Brent crude oil prices could decline under $60/barrel as fundamentals of oversupply take over from geopolitical concerns-          Overall prices could be 15% lower than in 2025, ICIS forecasts-          China-driven chemicals oversupply will persist in 2026-          Developing world outside China may become a driver of chemicals demand-          SABIC’s petrochemical sale ushers in new era of ownership by turnaround investors In this Think Tank podcast, Will Beacham interviews ICIS market development director John Richardson, ICIS Insight Editor Tom Brown and Ajay Parmar, head of oil markets for ICIS.  

Paul Hodges, chairman of New Normal Consulting, gives macroeconomic perspective on Europe's chemical decline. Gerard McElwee, EU chemicals law expert, explains REACH revision and One Substance One Assessment. Peter Sellar, regulatory partner, discusses CLP, classification debates and recycling rules. They focus on regulatory reform, reporting changes, chemical recycling and timelines for 2026.

December sees a quiet spell in the European oxo-alcohols and derivatives markets, marked by ample supply and a noticeable lack of demand. Insights reveal stable propylene costs and a softening butyl acetate market as major producers adjust supplies. Skepticism looms over a potential demand recovery by 2026, with ongoing geopolitical tensions and infrastructure uncertainties. Factors like low inventories and changing buyer behavior are reshaping market dynamics, while margin pressures and import competition pose challenges for European producers.

In the second of a two-part Sustainably Speaking podcast special, Helen McGeough, ICIS Global Analyst Team Lead for Plastics Recycling talks to long-standing veterans of the European recycling industry about the current state of the market and steps for the future.In Part 2, Helen is joined by Bernard Merkx who has an extensive background in the recycling industry and is the former President of Plastics Recyclers Europe, to take a look at the challenges still facing the recycling markets today, including: Risk of bankruptcies, high energy costs and price volatility to persist to 2027 New recycling capacities focused on packaging at the expense of the automotive and construction sector despite upcoming recycled content targets How imports into the EU remain essential in the short-term  Plus some calls to action for Europe’s recycling industry