Polyurethanes
Overview
Polyurethanes are a feature of everyday life. They’re present in our furniture, bedding, clothes, shoes, buildings, and cars. The journey from base chemicals such as propylene or benzene to end-use polyurethanes involves multiple steps and chemical products. Argus can help you to navigate this complex and volatile value chain and make better commercial decisions around sales, marketing, distribution and procurement.
Argus’ polyurethanes services give you in-depth global and regional pricing insight, including feedstock analysis, in single, concise and integrated reports. In addition to pricing, you get access to global industry news and analysis of key economic drivers on a weekly basis. We cover isocyanates, propylene oxide, propylene glycols and polyols.
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Latest polyurethanes news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global polyurethanes industry.
Covestro's 1Q chemical sales dip on lower Asian volumes
Covestro's 1Q chemical sales dip on lower Asian volumes
London, 6 May (Argus) — German chemical firm Covestro's sales volumes were 0.4pc lower in the first quarter compared with the same period last year, as a 2.4pc fall in the Asia-Pacific region more than offset increases elsewhere. The firm's sales revenue decreased by 0.9pc on the year to €3.48bn. Pricing was stable in most regions but declined in North America. Covestro's performance materials segment — which includes standard MDI, TDI, long chain polyols, standard polycarbonate resins and basic chemicals — had a 2pc year-on-year drop in sales volumes and a 0.7pc fall in sales revenue. Commenting on the evolving trade war between the US and China, Covestro said there are "unclear consequences" to the "erratically imposed" tariffs. No conclusive evaluation is possible, it said. If tariffs lead to volumes remaining in the Asia-Pacific region or coming to Europe, it could cause price and margin erosion, the firm said. Covestro will follow a "local for local" strategy, it said, aiming to keep most production within the region it is produced. The company flagged risks from global economic volatility, which it expects to dampen core industries such as the automotive, construction and electronic sectors. The furniture sector has already been affected, with the risk of a further slowdown, it said. Covestro has modified its outlook for core sectors compared to its February guidance. It now expects the automotive sector to grow by 2.4pc in 2025, down from the previously forecast 2.7pc. It expects the construction sector, a key end use for MDI, to rise by 0.5pc, up from 0.2pc previously forecast. However, within that, it expects residential construction to decline by 2pc, compared with a 1.5pc fall previously expected. It expects the soft furnishings, a major end use for TDI, to grow by 1.3pc year on year, down from the previous forecast of 2.4pc. By Laura Tovey-Fall Send comments and request more information at [email protected] Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
EU opens anti-dumping probe into China adipic acid
EU opens anti-dumping probe into China adipic acid
London, 20 March (Argus) — The European Commission has opened an anti-dumping investigation into imports of adipic acid from China. Two European chemical producers, Germany's Lanxess and Italy's Radici Chimica lodged a complaint with the commission claiming distortions in China's chemical market that could result in dumping of product in export markets. Interested parties have until 29 March to request a hearing with regard to the opening of the investigation and until 20 April to comment on the complaint. China shipped 111,800t of adipic acid to the EU in 2024 according to customs data, up by 10.1pc year on year and 60pc higher than the 2019-2023 average exports of 70,000t/yr. German chemicals giant BASF is to end adipic acid production at its Ludwigshafen site this year, it said in August, commenting at the time on the "changed market environment." By Laura Tovey-Fall Send comments and request more information at [email protected] Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Dow to share European polyurethanes plan in April
Dow to share European polyurethanes plan in April
London, 13 March (Argus) — US chemicals firm Dow will provide some details about its plans for its European business next month, chief financial officer Jeff Tate said today. The company announced a strategic review of its European polyurethane assets in October, which is due to be completed by mid-2025. The firm will share some decisions in its first-quarter earnings call scheduled for 24 April and more decisions will be shared at the second-quarter earnings call in July, Tate said, promising "incremental updates". Dow's sales volumes in Europe are 20pc lower than pre-Covid, Tate said. But energy costs have risen. "We feel it's prudent to take action around our footprint in Europe. Because we don't see that recovering any time soon," Tate said. The focus will be on Dow's more commoditised products, "particularly those which are more energy intensive", Tate said. That means polyurethanes in particular, and also siloxanes, he said. Olefins and plastics and packaging are not directly under consideration, Tate said, aside from one-off decisions such as the idling of one of its three crackers at Terneuzen in the Netgerlands through delayed maintenance. Prolonged weak consumer demand, geopolitical uncertainty and its effect on energy costs, and a high level of regulation have all affected Europe's global competitiveness in the petrochemicals sector, Tate said. Dow's strategic review is part of a wider pattern in the European petrochemicals industry. LyondellBassell announced a similar review in May 2024 and although it has not yet formally announced any resulting decisions, unions last week agreed a plan for the closure of the Lyondell-operated Maasvlakte POSM unit by 1 October. By Laura Tovey-Fall Send comments and request more information at [email protected] Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Unions agree on Maasvlakte POSM petchem unit closure
Unions agree on Maasvlakte POSM petchem unit closure
London, 6 March (Argus) — Dutch union FNV said today that it has reached agreement with global chemicals company LyondellBasell on a plan to close the firm's propylene oxide-styrene monomer (POSM) plant in Maasvlakte and cut workforce. Based on the agreement the plant would close by 1 October, FNV said. A vast majority of union members at LyondellBasell voted in favour of the proposed plan, FNV said. The vote closed on 5 March. Unions had been in negotiations with LyondellBassell which operates the plant, regarding a plan to reduce the plant's workforce. "The company and the trade unions have come to an agreement on severance pay," FNV said today, but did not comment on how many workers will be made redundant or retained at the site, which employs approximately 160 people. LyondellBasell declined to comment, only reiterating what it said in February about no definitive decision being made. German producer Covestro, which jointly owns the facility, also declined to comment further today. The Maasvlakte POSM facility has 315,000 t/yr of propylene oxide (PO) capacity and 640,000 t/yr of styrene monomer (SM) capacity, but it has been idled since December 2024. The plant has been intermittently idled several times in recent years, reflecting a structural surplus in Europe's PO and SM production capacity. By Laura Tovey-Fall Send comments and request more information at [email protected] Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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