Chemicals, Plastics & Rubber

Frankfurt – November 10, 2026 -- Haltermann Carless, a specialty chemicals producer with roots dating to 1859, is restructuring its organization by separating individual business areas and cutting complexity. The aim is to withstand high energy costs, growing regulatory requirements and global competition, according to CEO Peter Friesenhahn.

Haltermann Carless separates business units and clarifies responsibilities

The restructuring combines the separation of individual business areas, a reduction in complexity and a clearer allocation of responsibilities. Resources are to go only where long-term growth is possible and where the company's own competencies create concrete value.

Malmö – November 09, 2026 -- Rosti Group has acquired Alvi Group, lifting its combined revenue to EUR 450 million and its workforce to about 3,000 employees. The Swedish plastic injection moulding and contract manufacturer closed the deal on November 2, 2026. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Alvi adds EUR 50 million to Rosti's EUR 400 million base

Alvi's five sites in Leksvik (Norway), Tyresö (Sweden), Wrocław (Poland) and Suzhou (China), along with about 400 employees, now belong to Rosti. The deal adds Norway to Rosti's footprint and expands its capabilities in Sweden, Poland and China. Rosti already operates across the USA, Europe and Asia.

In Leksvik, toolmaker Industriverktøy continues as Rosti Industriverktøy.

Mannheim – November 08, 2026 -- The VAA Stiftung awarded three early-career researchers its Excellence Prize, worth EUR 5,000 each, at the VAA annual conference in Mannheim on 6 November 2026.

The foundation is run by the VAA, the association representing specialists and executives in chemicals and pharma. It presents the prize once a year for innovative research in chemistry, pharmacy and process engineering.

Three dissertations target CO2 conversion and carbon materials

Dr. Arne Nisters of Technische Universität Darmstadt won for his dissertation on nanoporous phosphine macroligands as solid catalysts for the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide.

Dr. Niklas Ortlieb of the University of Freiburg was honored for a toolbox for tailored, porous, nitrogen-doped 3D carbon nanospheres that enables rational bottom-up electrode design.

Delray Beach – November 06, 2026 -- The global epoxy diluents market will grow from USD 1.42 billion in 2026 to USD 1.86 billion by 2031, a CAGR of 5.5%, according to MarketsandMarkets. Asia Pacific already accounted for 48.5% of the market in 2025.

Diglycidyl ethers hold 31.1% share as the largest product type

Diglycidyl ethers led by product type in 2025 and are forecast to keep the largest share through 2031. Formulators favor them because they lower viscosity, are compatible with epoxy resin systems, and take part in curing, which helps preserve the mechanical strength, adhesion, and chemical resistance of the cured product.

Willich – November 06, 2026 -- Consultancy Santiago Advisors is calling for a fundamental restructuring of the German chemical industry. Partners Dr. Juan Rigall and Dr. Hermann Schiegg say high energy and labor costs, regulatory demands and structural shifts in global markets threaten Germany's competitiveness as an industrial location. They want action from both companies and policymakers.

China's strength and US market closure reshape competitive conditions

The consultants name three priorities: realigning global site strategies, accelerating innovation and deploying digital technologies. China's strong position in global chemicals and growing protectionism in the US market are changing the competitive landscape. Customers, meanwhile, show only limited willingness to pay the extra cost of more sustainable raw materials and products.

Cologne – November 06, 2026 -- The share of women holding executive-level positions among surveyed professionals in Germany's chemical and pharmaceutical industry rose to 27 percent, up from 23 percent in the previous survey, according to the VAA Equal Opportunities Survey 2025.

VAA survey records four-point gain in executive-level roles among women

VAA, the association representing specialists and managers in chemicals and pharma, conducted the survey in summer 2025. It was the eighth edition. VAA has run the poll on the professional situation of female and male specialists and executives every five years since 1990.

More than 1,100 VAA members took part, roughly one-third of them women. The 27 percent figure refers to women among the participants who hold executive-employee status.

Wayne, Pa. – November 05, 2026 -- Ecovyst Inc. (NYSE: ECVT) reported third-quarter 2026 sales from continuing operations of $308.6 million, up 51% from $204.9 million a year earlier, and raised its full-year Adjusted EBITDA guidance to $208 million-$212 million from $195 million-$207 million.

Calabrian acquisition and sulfur pass-through drive the revenue increase

Sales rose $103.7 million year over year. Higher volumes and pricing contributed, as did the Calabrian sulfur dioxide business acquired on June 30, 2026. Average selling prices climbed mainly because of roughly $67 million in pass-through of higher sulfur costs and favorable contractual pricing for regenerated sulfuric acid. Regenerated sulfuric acid volumes grew on strong demand and less customer downtime.

Leuna – November 05, 2026 -- The Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes (CBP) is giving companies access to a multi-purpose pilot plant and to its site infrastructure for customer-owned demonstration plants. Firms can test chemical processes under near-industrial conditions without building a costly facility of their own.

The center targets the gap between laboratory results and industrial production. The gap is widest for processes that use CO2 or renewable resources as feedstock, where suitable test infrastructure is often missing. CBP's Dr. Holger Wondraczek says the core challenge lies less in developing new technologies than in proving they work reliably and economically at industrial scale.

Ottawa, ON -- Claigan Environmental will run two identical webinars on September 18, 2026, to help manufacturers budget for restricted materials compliance requirements taking effect in 2027.

Two sessions scheduled same day due to expected demand

Claigan will hold back-to-back one-hour sessions at 10am and 2pm on September 23, each including a question-and-answer segment. The company cited anticipated demand as the reason for scheduling duplicate webinars rather than a single event.

London – September 17, 2026 -- BASF retook the top spot in the ICIS Top 100 Chemical Companies ranking with $70.0 billion in 2025 sales, even as sector-wide net profits collapsed 81.9% year-on-year.

BASF overtakes Sinopec to lead global chemical rankings

The Germany-based producer displaced China's Sinopec, which posted $66.3 billion in sales for second place. US-based ExxonMobil ranked third at $53.4 billion, followed by PetroChina at $42.1 billion and Dow at $40.0 billion, according to the annual ICIS Chemical Business ranking, which converts figures to US dollars using year-end 2025 exchange rates.