Company Dynamic

Nowhere is the pressure greater than in the beauty and personal care sector, where everything—from bottles to leak-proof dispensers—relies heavily on plastics.

South Korea, the world’s largest importer of naphtha, is preparing for a sweeping restructuring of its petrochemical industry amid a crushing supply glut.

Europe’s petrochemical sector is undergoing an unprecedented wave of olefins capacity cuts, as producers facing sustained downturns and bleak short-term outlooks finally take drastic action.

South Korea’s petrochemical sector suffered a sharp setback in August, even as semiconductors and automobiles hit record highs.

Evonik announced it will consolidate its infrastructure operations at the Marl and Wesseling chemical sites in Germany into a new industrial services company named SYNEQT GmbH, which will officially begin operations on January 1, 2026.

On September 4, Borealis announced it will invest more than €100 million in a new polypropylene (PP) compounds production line at its Schwechat site in Austria.

Novo Nordisk has announced the launch of a major restructuring plan, which will involve cutting about 9,000 employees worldwide—over 11% of the company’s total workforce.

• Novo Nordisk

Cyclohexane is a widely produced organic liquid, yet many people confuse it with cyclohexene.

• cyclohexane

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Company, and Saudi Aramco have officially announced the establishment of a joint venture — Fujian Sino-Aramco Refining & Petrochemical Company.

• Sinopec
• Saudi Aramco

A practical FAQ explaining how benzoic acid and benzoates differ, where they are used, and what food safety agencies advise.

• benzoate
• benzoic acid
• benzoate vs benzoic acid for food preservation

Global private equity firm KKR has agreed to acquire Samhwa Co., a leading South Korean cosmetics packaging manufacturer, from TPG in a transaction valued at 733 billion won (approximately $528 million).

• KKR
• Samhwa

According to multiple media reports citing people familiar with the matter, U.S. energy giant ExxonMobil is in early discussions with advisers about selling part of its chemical assets in the U.K. and Belgium.

• ExxonMobil

American materials technology giant DuPont recently announced that it will sell its aramid business to Arclin, a TJC portfolio company, for a valuation of approximately $1.8 billion.

• DuPont
• Arclin
• aramid

Japanese coatings giant Kansai Paint is raising product prices to cope with mounting cost pressures.

Jotun Coatings has formed a strategic partnership with CSSC Materials South China, a unit of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, to jointly expand industrial coatings business in the South China region.

Germany’s Covestro is making a strategic acquisition to bolster its high-end coatings business.

Specialty chemicals maker Lanxess is cutting costs and capacity after a weak second quarter.

Japan’s Asahi Kasei is significantly boosting output of a critical electronics material amid surging semiconductor demand.

BASF has enacted sweeping strategic changes, simultaneously shedding legacy assets and funneling capital into new growth areas.

Global chemical giant BASF is undergoing major strategic shifts, simultaneously streamlining old businesses while pouring resources into new growth areas.