Plant Watch
Nouryon expands production capacity for colloidal silica in China
April 13, 2026 — Nouryon (Amsterdam, the Netherlands; www.nouryon.com) is expanding production capacity for colloidal silica at its manufacturing site in Guangzhou, China to serve fast-growing segments like emissions-control catalysts, electrical steel coatings and non-stick coatings.
Indorama to build $525-million fertilizer and chemical plant in Egypt
April 10, 2026 — Indorama Corp. (Singapore; www.indorama.com) signed a contract to establish a major phosphate-fertilizers and chemicals manufacturing complex in Egypt, with an initial investment of $525 million. The first phase of the project will have a production capacity of up to 600,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr), focusing on phosphate fertilizers and a range of related inputs and chemical products. Approximately 80% of the output is expected to be exported.
New chemical-recycling facility planned alongside Vitol refinery in Rotterdam
April 8, 2026 — WPU, the plastics recycling business of Vitol B.V. (Geneva, Switzerland; www.vitol.com), plans to build a new chemical-recycling facility for end-of-life plastics at the Port of Rotterdam, alongside Vitol’s petroleum refinery. The new plant will have the capacity to process 80,000 m.t./yr of post-consumer end-of-life plastic, increasing WPU’s total recycling capacity to 100,000 m.t./yr.
Linde to construct new ASU in North Carolina
April 3, 2026 — Linde plc (Woking, U.K.; www.linde.com) will build, own and operate a new facility for the supply of industrial gases in Garysburg, N.C. The new air separation unit (ASU) will produce liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon, serving customers in the region. Acquisition of land and equipment for the new site has begun and the plant is expected to start up at the end of 2028.
INOX Air Products commissions high-purity liquid oxygen plant in Tamil Nadu
April 3, 2026 — INOX Air Products (INOXAP; Mumbai, India; www.inoxairproducts.com) commissioned an ultra-high purity (UHP) liquid oxygen plant in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, a major industrial hub in South India. The facility produces 6N grade (99.9999% purity) UHP liquid oxygen, with a capacity of 17 m.t./d (500 Nm³/h), catering to the requirements of semiconductor and solar-cell manufacturers. In India, most UHP liquid oxygen is typically imported to meet domestic demand.
Röhm implements new PMMA chemical recycling process
March 30, 2026 — At its Worms site in Germany, Röhm GmbH (Darmstadt, Germany; www.roehm.com) is using a new recycling technology for the first time on an industrial scale. The technology enables the processing and upgrading of chemically recycled methyl methacrylate (MMA). The starting material is polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), which is depolymerized into high-quality MMA.
BASF inaugurates Verbund site in Zhanjiang, southern China
March 26, 2026 — BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) announced the full inauguration of its new world-scale Verbund site in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province in southern China after several years of commissioning and startup activities. The first production plant to begin operation at the Zhanjiang site was for engineering plastics in 2022; it was followed by a thermoplastic polyurethane plant in 2024. At the end of 2025, BASF began production on several value chains and successfully ramped up the site’s main steam cracker.
Wacker starts up expanded silicone emulsions complex in India
March 24, 2026 — Wacker Chemie AG (Munich, Germany; www.wacker.com) announced that a new production manufacturing complex for silicone emulsions went into operation at the company’s Panagarh site in India. The facility produces silicones for the cosmetics and personal-care industries. The new plant will increase Wacker’s silicone-emulsion production capacities in India significantly.
BASF Hannong JV starts up non-ionic surfactant plant in South Korea
March 24, 2026 — BASF Hannong Chemicals Solutions Ltd. (BHCS), the joint venture (JV) between BASF and Hannong Chemicals, announced the inauguration of its new non-ionic surfactant (NIS) site located in the Daesan Industrial Complex in Seosan, South Korea. The non-ionic surfactants produced at the new facility are used in a wide range of industries, including agriculture, cosmetics and personal care, as well as in polymer and polyurethane foam stabilizers.
Amyris completes new production line at fermentation plant in Brazil
March 24, 2026 — Amyris, Inc. (Emeryville, Calif.; www.amyris.com) completed construction of a new production line at its flagship precision fermentation plant in Barra Bonita, Brazil, adding to its three existing lines at the site. Adding to the plant’s three existing 2 × 200m3 lines, the new line has a 2 × 80m3 configuration.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Syensqo and Shell collaborate on low-carbon ethylene oxide
April 10, 2026 — Syensqo S.A. (Brussels, Belgium; www.syensqo.com) and Shell Chemicals Europe B.V. have joined forces to supply mass-balanced, low-carbon ethylene oxide (EO) solutions for the agricultural and industrial markets, enabling reduced product carbon footprint. Syensqo intends to introduce EO-based solutions made with Shell Chemicals’ lower-carbon feedstocks, which deliver up to 51% lower carbon footprint versus conventional EO, enabled through the use of carbon capture credits.
Glencore acquires 45% stake in South Carolina recycling plant
April 10, 2026 — Glencore Ltd. (Baar, Switzerland; www.glencore.com) has acquired a 45% stake in an aluminum recycling and remelting plant near Charleston, S.C. Glencore had previously provided funding to the facility. The remaining 55% stake will be held by Alumicore, who will also operate the plant.
TotalEnergies and Masdar form $2.2-billion renewable-energy JV
April 7, 2026 — TotalEnergies SE (Paris; www.totalenergies.com) and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar (www.masdar.com) have signed a binding agreement to establish a $2.2-billion 50-50 JV that will merge their onshore renewable activities in nine countries across Asia. The JV will have a portfolio capacity of 3 GW of operational assets and 6 GW of assets in advanced development that are expected to be operational by 2030. Each partner will contribute assets of comparable value. The JV will be headquartered in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).
Orlen completes acquisition of Grupa Azoty Polyolefins
April 6, 2026 — Orlen S.A. (Płock, Poland; www.orlen.pl) concluded a preliminary agreement to acquire all shares of Grupa Azoty Polyolefins S.A. (GAP). The transaction involves acquisition of all GAP shares for a total value of PLN 1.35 billion (around $37 million).
Samsung Biologics acquires GSK manufacturing site in Maryland
April 3, 2026 — Samsung Biologics Co. (Incheon, South Korea; www.samsungbiologics.com) completed its acquisition of a manufacturing facility in Rockville, Md. from GSK plc (London; www.gsk.com), marking the company’s first manufacturing presence in the U.S. The site comprises two manufacturing plants with a combined 60,000-L capacity, supporting clinical and commercial biologics production. With this addition, Samsung Biologics’ total global manufacturing capacity increases to 845,000 L.
BASF to sell Aseptrol chlorine dioxide business to Oxidium
March 24, 2026 — Oxidium Technologies, LLC will acquire BASF’s Aseptrol technology portfolio. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Originally acquired by BASF from Engelhard in 2006, the Aseptrol chlorine dioxide product line is widely used in water-treatment applications, such as purification and disinfection. ■
Mary Page Bailey