In an exclusive email interview with Ahlam Rais, Marco Mensink, Director General of Cefic (European Chemical Industry Council), discusses Europe’s chemical market challenges, explains the underlying causes of recent plant closures, and outlines Cefic’s key recommendations for revitalizing the sector.

Co-located at BASF’s largest refinery catalyst production site globally, in Attapulgus, Georgia, the company has launched a new R&D center for advancements in refinery catalysts. Product development and advanced Fluid Catalytic Cracking testing are at the core of the laboratory’s work.

Aternium has chosen Siemens Energy to carry out a Front-End Engineering Design study for a clean hydrogen production facility. The Feed study will focus on optimizing the design, standardization, and engineering aspects of the facility to ensure it meets the highest safety, environmental and operational standards.

Sabic has announced a public auction for 141 lots of industrial assets sourced from its production facilities in La Aljorra, Murcia, Spain. With the public auction, the company aims to optimize inventories and responsibly manage excess stock.

Adnoc has deployed Taurob’s heavy-duty inspector robot at its Taweelah Gas Compression Plant in the UAE. The robot will be responsible for conducting routine inspections in hazardous environments at the site.

Few industries are as diverse as the water and environmental sector. Keller Pressure sensors are used in a wide variety of applications in this sector. For example, they are utilized to determine flow rates and regulate water levels.

Solvay has extended its global framework agreement with IMI to accelerate the deployment of connected industrial sensors across its global manufacturing sites. With this move, Solvay aims to improve cost-efficiency, safety and environmental performance of its operations.

Under a MOU signed between BASF and Sevnce Robotics, both the companies will explore potential applications of Sevnce’s robotic and intelligent inspection solutions at BASF sites.

Emerson has launched its new industrial AI platform – Aspentech AVA. The solution is specifically designed for industrial companies to accelerate AI adoption across the enterprise for measurable business impact.

Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical Company (Satorp) has awarded a seven-year General Maintenance Services contract to KBR, with a three-year extension option for its strategic petrochemical expansion complex in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.