Chemicals News Today

Methanol prices remained firm but volatile during August as the Chinese market showed signs of recovery following July’s correction. Supply uncertainty, plant maintenance, lower inventories and Middle East geopolitical risks supported prices, while seasonal downstream weakness and higher imports limited upside. Indian prices remained elevated amid cautious buying and replacement-cost pressures.

Haldia Petrochemicals will inaugurate a ₹6,000-crore phenol and acetone facility in West Bengal by October 2026, boosting India's domestic chemical and manufacturing capacity.

India's massive infrastructure expansion requires balancing execution speed with long-term durability. Adopting advanced construction chemicals, concrete admixtures, and waterproofing technologies is vital for asset performance and sustainability over 50 to 100 years.

Chambal Fertilisers commenced commercial production of High Density Ammonium Nitrate at its Rajasthan facility on August 20, 2026, boosting its technical chemicals portfolio and expanding industrial market reach.

India's chemical sector is shifting from scale to process control via continuous chemistry, enhancing efficiency, reducing waste, and strengthening sustainability across specialty chemicals and advanced intermediates.

India's chemical reactor market is projected to grow through 2035, driven by diverse process industries like pharmaceuticals and petrochemicals, emphasizing industrial upgrading, trade exposure, and specialized equipment demand.

Chambal Fertilisers commenced commercial production of Technical Ammonium Nitrate at its Gadepan facility in Rajasthan, marking a major milestone in the company's industrial manufacturing expansion.

Indo Borax and Chemicals has agreed to acquire a 64.26% controlling stake in Kronox Lab Sciences for Rs 246.12 crore, marking a major expansion in the speciality chemicals sector.

Galaxy Surfactants signed a partnership growth charter with Unilever, building on a 45-year relationship to advance bio-based alternatives, low-carbon technologies, and supply chain resilience.

In June 2026, Canada exported 527,305 mt of sulphur and 123,140 mt of sulphuric acid, while importing 1,035 mt of sulphur and 11,160 mt of sulphuric acid, showing mixed MoM and YoY trends.