ICIS - chemical podcasts

LONDON (ICIS)--European melamine editor Melissa Hurley, looks at the global situation for melamine with Joy Foo and Connor Phillips and what might happen in the second half of the year.  Anti-dumping investigation from US Cornerstone Chemical may levy impact on industry Q3/Q4 Chinese supply to lengthen, eyes on new capacities; signs of freight rates to SE Asia, India easing  European supply curtailed; impact offset by ongoing slow demand conditions Additional reporting from Market Reporter Joy Foo and Connor Phillips.

The podcast dives into the alarming second quarter financial results in the chemical sector, highlighting persistent downturns in sales and profitability. Experts discuss Europe's struggle with overcapacity and high production costs linked to China. BASF faces significant income drops and warns of upcoming challenges. There's a strong emphasis on the need for radical business model transformations, shifting from traditional approaches to service-oriented strategies. The talk wraps up with insights on a cautious future amidst a changing global landscape.

The podcast dives into Japan's petrochemical industry, highlighting its shift from basic chemicals to specialty products and innovative low carbon technologies. Aging infrastructure and high feedstock costs are pressing challenges, prompting the closure of older crackers. Japan's push for sustainable materials like bio-naphtha and the licensing of recycling technologies reflect its responsiveness to market demands. European leaders are encouraged to learn from Japan's proactive strategies, especially in fostering competitiveness and navigating global challenges.

Typhoon Gaemi will test the resilience of the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply chain, causing temporary shipment delays and port closures.

CHENGDU (ICIS) -- Asia’s epichlorohydrin (ECH) market has been relatively flat in recent months, a situation that has been prolonged by the persistent supply overhang in Asia and the lack of demand outlets.  Weak performance in derivative epoxy resins market to endure Reduced run rates likely to remain a key response from ECH makers Upcoming capacities to add pressure on a structurally long supply picture In this podcast, markets reporter Michelle Liew discusses trends in the Asia ECH market, as well as the near-term outlook.

SINGAPORE (ICIS) -- China's installed capacity of gas power generation is projected to surpass 150 GW by 2025, representing roughly 6% of the country's total installed power generation capacity. This presents substantial investment prospects within China and aligns with the nation's ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Hydrogen, often regarded as a potential fuel for blending with natural gas, offers a promising avenue for reducing emissions from power generation. In this podcast, ICIS senior LNG analyst Xu Fei will delve into the mechanics of hydrogen-fueled gas turbines and their potential to significantly cut carbon emissions.

Senior Editor for PET, Caroline Murray, and Senior Editor for Recycling, Matt Tudball talk about the current state of the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and recycled PET (R-PET) markets and the uncertainties both face for the rest of the year. These include: PET feedstock situation High freight costs impacting availability Capacity growth in Asia Upcoming recycled content targets for R-PET Limited availability of food-grade R-PET pellets

SHANGHAI (ICIS)—In this podcast, markets reporter Shannen Ng discusses how northeast Asia’s methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) supply is expected to remain tight as Q3 progresses, however, poor demand expectations in the Asian import markets for the rest of this quarter remain. Polymeric MDI sentiment in SE Asia, India supported by tight supply Monomeric MDI particularly sluggish and expected to remain so Weak demand outlook for China’s downstream construction and automotive sectors

In this discussion, Josh Quah, an Asia ethylene market expert, and analyst Aliena Huang dive into the intricacies of ethylene arbitrage between the US and Asia. They reveal how recent storms and affordability issues may hinder spot trades, while term arrivals for July remain strong. The pair also explores the unique dynamics affecting the US-China arbitrage, seasonal trends, and the impact of global logistical challenges like congestion at the Panama Canal, hinting at a return to normalcy later this year.

SINGAPORE (ICIS) -- In this podcast, ICIS analysts Patricia Tao, Lewis Unstead and Aliena Huang delve into how the upcoming CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) will impact China’s export-oriented manufacturing sectors and hydrogen’s crucial role in its low-carbon economy. China's national energy law draft includes hydrogen, a shift towards low-carbon  Move comes ahead of EU's CBAM CBAM to affect global trade, particularly for high-emission products