Company Dynamic

McKinsey’s $125 million Purdue payment shows opioid-era liability still extends beyond the drugmaker itself.

Sun Pharma’s planned $12 billion Organon bid could become the biggest overseas pharma acquisition by an Indian company.

Pharma experts warn that even with a ceasefire, Iran-related supply disruption could take months to unwind.

AstraZeneca India’s planned Bengaluru land sale shows how non-core assets can become strategic capital.

Lier Chemical reported stronger 2025 results and said its Guang’an base is now supplying chlorantraniliprole normally.

Amid the continued escalation of conflict in the Middle East, oil and natural gas production activities in the Persian Gulf region have largely come to a standstill. U.S.

• ExxonMobil

On April 2, India announced the removal of import tax on 40 petrochemical products, with the policy remaining in effect until June 30.

China plans to upgrade some petrochemical plants and phase out others by 2029, pushing the industry from scale toward efficiency.

Korea’s antitrust probe targets coordinated coatings price hikes, as rising costs clash with regulatory pressure and price stability concerns.

Evonik replaced Creavis with the Innovation Factory, aiming to move R&D projects into business and production within five years.

On April 7, an explosion struck the Jubail Industrial City in northeastern Saudi Arabia, causing widespread damage.

• Petrochemical

Henkel has agreed to acquire premium haircare brand Olaplex in a deal valued at approximately $1.4 billion, marking a significant step in its push into higher-end beauty categories.

• Henkel
• Olaplex

On March 31, 2026, Sadara Chemical Company—a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Dow Chemical—announced the complete suspension of operations at its large integrated petrochemical complex in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.

• Sadara

Starting April 1, 2026, Dow Chemical will double its polyethylene price increase in the U.S. and Canadian markets to 30 cents per pound.

• Dow chemical

BASF raised European standard amines by up to 30%, while LANXESS raised inorganic pigments by up to 20%, showing that cost pressure in European chemicals is continuing to spread from upstream into intermediates and functional materials.

XRG launched a squeeze-out for Covestro minorities at €59.46 per share, accelerating Covestro’s shift to concentrated ownership.

On March 26, German chemical giant BASF announced the full commissioning of its integrated Verbund site in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, with an investment of approximately €8.7 billion.

• BASF

Syensqo has announced the launch of an AI-developed coffee peptide ingredient, Re2 Coffea Arabica Peptide, designed for scalp care.

• Syensqo
• coffee peptide

BASF Hannong Chemicals Solutions (BHCS), a joint venture established by BASF and Hannong Chemicals, has announced the official start of operations at its nonionic surfactant production base in the Daesan Industrial Complex, Seosan City, South Korea.

• BASF
• BHCS
• Hannong Chemicals
• Nonionic Surfactant

BASF’s Ridivex is built to answer resistant corn weeds with faster knockdown and longer residual control.