
The Trump Tariffs
China’s chemical industry is diversifying markets, boosting innovation, and strengthening supply chains to counter US tariffs and maintain export resilience.
China’s chemical industry is diversifying markets, boosting innovation, and strengthening supply chains to counter US tariffs and maintain export resilience.
US multinational energy company ExxonMobil has started up two new chemical production units at its Baytown, Texas, manufacturing facility. The $2 billion expansion is part of the company’s long-term growth plans for its US Gulf Coast refining and chemical facilities.
Shell is reviewing operations in Singapore, with a view to repurposing, selling or decommissioning assets in Bukom and Jurong Island. The energy and chemicals giant will also “high-grade and right-size” its energy and chemicals parks in Europe, which could mean plant closures.
The Chinese chemical distribution market is very likely the largest in the world. To be successful in this competitive market, foreign distributors in particular need to consider some important aspects.
Historically, China’s chemical industry has mainly been located in coastal provinces, with Shandong as the biggest and Jiangsu as the second biggest province by chemical sales, while the coastal regions of Hebei, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Liaoning and Guangdong are also among the top ten producers of chemicals.
Industry 4.0 sparks intensive discussions within the chemical industry. The question is whether this is really new or just a fancy label for some well-known practices.