October 14, 2026

Categories

Investing in Growth, Innovation, and the Future of Specialty Chemicals

At Ethox Chemicals, we have always believed that growth should be sustainable, fiscally responsible, and reactive to our customer and market demands. Today, we are proud to announce a major milestone in our company’s history: the completed construction of a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Pasadena, Texas.

This greenfield facility, built from the ground up, represents one of the most significant investments in Ethox’s history and underscores our commitment to providing customers with reliable supply, expanded capacity, and continued innovation for decades to come.

Expanding Capacity to Meet Growing Demand

The new Pasadena plant will serve as a strategic expansion of our existing manufacturing operations in Greenville, South Carolina, with a primary focus on ethoxylation and propoxylation.

For decades, our Greenville facility has been the foundation of Ethox’s reputation as a trusted specialty chemical manufacturer. As customer demand continues to grow across a wide range of markets and applications, the Pasadena facility will provide meaningful additional capacity, supply chain resilience, and operational flexibility to support our expanding customer base.

By adding new production capabilities alongside our established assets, we are strengthening our ability to deliver the products, technical expertise, and responsive service that our customers have come to expect from Ethox.

A Purpose-Built, Greenfield Facility

Unlike a retrofit or acquisition, the Pasadena plant was designed and constructed as a true greenfield project. Built from the ground up, the facility incorporates modern manufacturing technologies, advanced process design, and infrastructure engineered specifically to support the next generation of surfactant production.

This approach allows us to create a facility optimized for efficiency, safety, product quality, and future scalability, ensuring we can continue meeting our customers’ evolving needs in the years ahead. 

Backed by 88 Years of Family Ownership

This investment is also a reflection of the strength and stability of our parent company, Syntha Group.

For 88 years, Syntha Group has proudly remained a family-owned American company. Throughout generations of growth, market changes, and industry evolution, the company has maintained a long-term perspective focused on building lasting relationships, supporting customers, and investing in the future.

The new Pasadena facility represents the next chapter in that legacy.

As part of the Syntha Group family, Ethox is uniquely positioned to make investments that support long-term growth rather than short-term results. This project reflects our confidence in the markets we serve, our commitment to our customers, and our belief in the future of American manufacturing.

Building the Next 88 Years

While this facility expands our manufacturing footprint today, its true purpose is preparing Ethox for tomorrow.

For nearly nine decades, Syntha Group has built a reputation for integrity, customer focus, and operational excellence. With the addition of our new Pasadena facility, we are making an investment designed not only for the next several years, but for the next 88 years and beyond. It reinforces our commitment to growing alongside our customers for generations to come.

We are excited about what this new chapter means for Ethox, our customers, our employees, and the communities we serve.

To learn more about the markets we serve, our equipment, and our chemistries, download our Manufacturing Capabilities Brochure.

https://blog.ethox.com/ethox-announces-completion-of-new-manufacturing-facility-in-pasadena-texas

Source

      

Tosoh to Take Full Ownership of HDI Producer Nanyo Kasei

Tosoh Corporation announced plans to acquire the remaining 50% ownership stake in Nanyo Kasei Co., Ltd. from Asahi Kasei Corporation, making the HDI monomer producer a wholly owned Tosoh subsidiary. The transaction is expected to close on March 31, 2027.

Nanyo Kasei, established in 1980 as a joint venture between the two companies, manufactures hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) monomer, a key raw material used in high-performance coatings, adhesives, and specialty polyurethane applications.

The acquisition is intended to strengthen Tosoh’s supply security for HDI monomer and support the continued growth of its HDI derivatives business. The move is particularly significant following the September 2026 startup of Tosoh’s new HDI derivatives production facility, which will require a stable and reliable supply of upstream feedstock.

The transaction highlights ongoing efforts by chemical manufacturers to increase vertical integration and secure critical raw material supply chains in specialty chemical markets.

https://www.tosoh.com/news-press/news-releases/2026/tosoh-to-acquire-shares-of-nanyo-kasei-and-make-it-a-wholly-owned-subsidiary

Source

      

However, for now, the agency can only reimburse businesses that submitted a valid importer of record number by July 30.

Published Oct. 8, 2026

Antone Gonsalves

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has begun processing some finally liquidated entries from businesses that sued for refunds of now-defunct tariffs and were later ruled entitled to reimbursement by the Court of International Trade, according to an Oct. 6 court filing.

Organizations can apply for the refunds through CBP’s Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries portal, or CAPE, Brandon Lord, executive director of CBP’s Trade Programs Directorate, said in the filing. 

However, only plaintiffs who submitted a valid importer of record number to CBP by July 30, 2026, are currently able to receive refunds for finally liquidated entries. Plaintiffs who submitted a number after July 30 must await further instructions, per the filing. CBP did not provide a timeframe for when that information would be available. 

As of Oct. 6, CBP has accepted 477 CAPE finally liquidated entry declarations for processing, covering 425,517 entries, per the filing.

“Another important step in the CAPE process — and one importers involved in the tariff litigation will want to continue to monitor,” Kelly Nelson, principal consultant and managing director of KPMG Trade & Customs Services, said on LinkedIn.

Refund processing for certain finally liquidated entries is the latest development in CBP’s phased CAPE rollout, which began earlier this year. The portal handles refunds for duties enacted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that were invalidated by the Supreme Court in February.

CBP had targeted the end of July for this third phase of CAPE’s rollout covering finally liquidated IEEPA entries but delayed implementation until October. The capability is expected to handle roughly $11.4 billion, or 6.9%, of IEEPA tariffs.

The CIT ruled earlier this year that CBP had to refund unprocessed or unfinalized entries and later expanded the order to include finally liquidated entries. However, the Justice Department appealed the decision, arguing the court lacks jurisdiction to issue a universal refund order for all finalized entries and that the ruling should apply only to parties that sued for refunds. The appeal remains in litigation before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. 

As of Oct. 2, CAPE has accepted roughly $136.6 billion in potential and certified refunds for processing, with $126 billion sent to the Treasury Department for disbursement, according to the latest filing.

https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/cbp-starts-paying-out-ieepa-tariff-refunds-for-finally-liquidated-entries/832411

Source

      

www.linkedin.com

Source

      

TORONTO, Ontario – VPC Group, a leading Canadian manufacturer of polyurethane foam products announced the acquisition of the business and operating assets of Domfoam, a Montréal-based polyurethane foam manufacturer.

The acquisition strengthens VPC’s Canadian foam business and adds production capacity to support the needs of furniture and bedding manufacturers. It brings together complementary businesses with a shared focus on serving customers.

“Domfoam is a strong fit for VPC,” said Peter Farah, CEO of VPC Group. “We are pleased to build on Domfoam’s experience and customer relationships. This investment gives us greater capacity to support our customers, and our focus is clear: quality products, reliable service and helping them grow.”

VPC’s priority through the transition is to work closely with Domfoam’s customers to understand their needs and support their businesses.

The acquisition represents a further investment in Canadian manufacturing and VPC’s long-term growth.

www.vpcgroup.com

Source

      

2026-09-30 08:50:37Source:ChemNet中文

Wanhua Chemical (600309.SH) disclosed an announcement (Announcement No.: Lin 2026 No. 58) on the evening of September 30, stating that the 1.1 million tons/year MDI plant and its supporting facilities in the company’s Yantai Industrial Park have completed the annual shutdown maintenance and resumed normal production and operation.

According to the company’s previously released Announcement Lin 2026-49 on August 5, this core MDI production facility started its annual routine shutdown maintenance on August 10, with the originally planned maintenance period of about 45 days. The actual maintenance took nearly 50 days to complete all maintenance tasks, and the plant successfully restarted production.

The announcement shows that this maintenance is an annual planned maintenance for chemical enterprises, aiming to ensure the long-term safe and stable operation of the plant. The company’s board of directors and all directors shall bear corresponding legal responsibilities for the truthfulness, accuracy and completeness of the announcement content.

The 1.1 million tons/year MDI plant in Yantai Industrial Park is the core domestic production capacity of Wanhua Chemical. After the plant resumes production, the domestic MDI market supply will return to normal levels. During the previous maintenance period, the market had already traded the expectation of supply contraction in advance. With the official resumption of production of this plant, the incremental supply will gradually flow into the market.

https://news.chemnet.com/news-10389.html

Source

      

2026-09-29 15:07:48Source: Toocle Headlines

On September 29, 2026, South Korea’s OCI announced that its board of directors had approved the termination of the toluene diisocyanate (TDI) manufacturing and sales business, and plans to officially cease relevant production and sales from December 18, 2026. OCI’s current TDI production capacity is approximately 50,000 tons per year.

According to the announcement, OCI’s TDI business achieved sales of approximately 117.947 billion Korean won in 2025, accounting for 5.87% of the company’s consolidated sales. The company stated that the exit from TDI is mainly to “sort out marginal businesses and improve profitability”, and it will enhance corporate and shareholder value by optimizing the business portfolio, rather than packaging and selling the plant.

OCI also reminded that the specific suspension date may be adjusted according to the progress of the exit. With its withdrawal from the TDI sector, the execution of existing orders, inventory digestion and the supply pattern of TDI in the Asia-Pacific region and globally deserve continuous attention.

https://news.toocle.com/news-1000539.html

Source

      

September 27, 2026

Alex Milstein

Alex Milstein is the editor-in-chief and founding editor of Bedding…

The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued three recall alerts last Thursday for mattresses sold on Amazon because they do not meet mandatory flammability standards, increasing fire risk.

The CPSC recalled 48,405 Kesyup-branded mattresses because of their flammability risk. The recalled mattresses are 12 inches thick and were sold in various sizes, including twin, full, queen and king.  The mattresses pose a risk of serious injury or death from a fire, according to the recall, which states that no injuries have been reported. 

The CPSC also published a recall for 792 WinxMatrs mattresses for violating mandatory flammability standards. The recalled mattresses were sold in black on Amazon.com from August 2025 through November 2025 for about $120. They came in a twin size and were 10 inches thick. No injuries were reported in relation to that recall either. 

Another 263 mattresses, under the brand Emerspring, were also recalled, for similar reasons. 

Research from Leggett & Platt shows that many low-cost imported mattresses sold online fail federal flammability standards. It also says some even attain dangerous heat release rates in violation of U.S. law in as little as two to four minutes after exposure to an ignition source, according to test results submitted to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in July 2024.

The lab tested eight imported mattress models (24 mattresses in total). These models had an average retail listing price of $233 — about half the wholesale price of an average mattress sold by U.S. manufacturers.

Source

      

Sep 28, 2026, 10:11 AM ETEvonik Industries AG (EVKIY) Stock, EVKIF Stock, BASFY Stock, BFFAF StockBy: Joshua Fineman, SA News Editor

Evonik (EVKIY) (EVKIF) turned down a €10.3 billion from larger German rival BASF (BASFY) (BFFAF).

BASF (BASFY) rejected an offer of about €22.15 per share as an initial approach, according to a Financial Times report on Monday, which cited people familiar with the matter. Evonik (EVKIY) said the offer was too low to allow for formal talks or to allow BASF to conduct due diligence.

Evonik and RAG-Stiftung declined to comment to the FT.

Evonik rose 7.2% in German trading on Friday after the FT reported that BASF had approached its rival about a takeover. BASF (BASFY) recently made a proposal to Evonik (EKVIY) and its largest holders, the RAG-Stiftung foundation.

Evonik (EVKIF) confirmed in a statement on Friday that it received a non-binding approach from BASF (BASFY) on a takeover offer for all of Evonik’s shares. No talks are currently taking place. BASF said in a separate statement that it has had exploratory talks with RAG-Stiftung and Evonik about a potential takeover. The “course and outcome” of the talks “remain open” at this stage.

The FT reports come after Dealreporter last Monday first reported that BASF (BASFY) explored a potential deal with Evonik (EVKIF) this year.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/4647615-evonik-rejects-103b-bid-from-basf—ft?position=rta_news_sublogic2_main_2_textlink&messageid=2900&mailingid=47680044&serial=47680044.815&source=email_2900

Source

      

September 24, 2026 5 min read

North America consumed an estimated 2.52 million tonnes of polyether polyols in 2025, and consumption is tracking broadly stable through 2026. The region is still a net exporter, but its surplus has fallen by more than half since 2021 as Asian material gains ground inside the U.S. market and U.S. suppliers lose share in South America.

PUdaily is preparing its 2026 Americas Polyurethane Market Research Report, covering TDI, MDI, polyether polyols and propylene oxide across North and South America. This preview looks at the polyether polyol market.

Market size and structure

According to PUdaily’s calculation, North American polyether polyol demand was approximately 2.52 million tonnes in 2025, up from 2.41 million tonnes in 2024. Through 2026 consumption has been tracking broadly stable, with no material change in the regional total. This is a mature market that moves in line with construction and vehicle output rather than one expanding at emerging-market rates. The demand estimate for 2026 and the forecast to 2031 are set out in the full report.

Production is concentrated in the United States, where BASF, Carpenter, Covestro, Dow, Huntsman and Monument Chemical all operate polyether capacity, most of it on the Gulf Coast. Mexico has limited capacity and Canada is supplied almost entirely from U.S. plants. South American production is small relative to demand, so Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Peru rely on imported material from the United States, Asia and Europe. That structure is why South American demand changes show up first in trade statistics rather than in production data.

Where polyether polyols are used

Polyether polyols reach the widest range of end uses of any polyurethane raw material. Flexible slabstock and molded grades go into mattresses, upholstered furniture and automotive seating; rigid grades into construction insulation, appliances and cold chain; and specialty grades into coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers and footwear. PUdaily’s allocation model, anchored on U.S. end-use data for polyurethane materials, places building and construction at about 44% of consumption, transportation at about 18% and furniture and bedding at about 16%, with appliances close to 5%.

Figure 1  Modeled allocation of U.S. polyurethane materials by end use

Source: PUdaily’s calculation.

Those end markets moved in different directions in 2026. U.S. housing starts fell 2.0% in January to July and completions fell 11.4%, with single-family starts, which carry more foam content per unit, down 6.9%. Canadian starts also eased. South American construction was firmer, with Brazilian construction GDP up 1.1% in the first half and Colombian cement shipments up 4.3%.

In vehicles, North American production held near 15.2 million units, while Brazilian output rose 8.3% and Argentine production fell 17.1%. Furniture and bedding demand stayed subdued alongside weak U.S. housing turnover, and Brazilian footwear production, an important outlet for polyurethane soling, fell 5.6%. The net effect was flat regional polyol consumption with a changing mix.

Trade: the surplus is disappearing

The clearest change in the polyether market is on the trade side. U.S. exports have fallen from 607.8 thousand tonnes in 2021 to 379.1 thousand tonnes in 2025, a decline of almost 38%, while imports have held in a range of roughly 147 to 232 thousand tonnes. The trade surplus has therefore narrowed from 376 thousand tonnes to 194 thousand tonnes, and on first-half 2026 volumes it is running at about 143 thousand tonnes annualised.

Figure 2  U.S. polyether polyol trade, 2021 to 2026

Source: USITC DataWeb; PUdaily analysis. *2026 estimates

In the first half of 2026, U.S. imports rose 9.1% year on year to 106.4 thousand tonnes while exports fell 10.4% to 178.0 thousand tonnes. Measured across North America as a whole, and excluding trade between the United States, Canada and Mexico, the region’s external net exports have fallen from 162 thousand tonnes in 2021 to about 42 thousand tonnes in 2025 and roughly 7 thousand tonnes annualised in 2026. North America is, in other words, close to external balance for the first time in this cycle.

Import origins: Asia supplies three-quarters

Asian origins accounted for about 73% of U.S. polyether imports in the first half of 2026, a share that has been broadly stable for two years even as the composition shifted. South Korea remains the single largest supplier at 40.4 thousand tonnes, or nearly 38% of imports. China follows at 23.5 thousand tonnes, up almost 29% year on year, and Vietnam continues to grow from a small base. Taiwanese volumes fell by about a third. European supply is modest and skewed toward specialty and CASE grades, while Canada, at 9.7 thousand tonnes, grew by more than half.

Figure 3  Leading origins of U.S. polyether polyol imports, first half 2026

Export destinations: regional demand holds, South America slips

U.S. exports remain anchored in North America. Mexico took 42.2 thousand tonnes and Canada 38.6 thousand tonnes in the first half of 2026, together more than 45% of shipments, though both declined by 6 to 7%. Belgium is the main European gateway at 16.4 thousand tonnes, and shipments to China rose 40% to 11.9 thousand tonnes.

South America is where U.S. exporters have lost the most ground. Brazil took 10.0 thousand tonnes in the first half, down 21%, after volumes had already halved in 2025 from 47.3 to 23.3 thousand tonnes. Colombia fell 35% and Chile 38%. Peru was the exception, rising from 0.7 to 4.0 thousand tonnes. Latin American destinations outside Mexico now account for about 13% of U.S. polyether exports, against more than 15% in 2025.

Figure 4  Leading destinations for U.S. polyether polyol exports, first half 2026

Source: USITC DataWeb; PUdaily analysis. North American destinations in navy, South American destinations in orange.

Outlook: stable into year-end, with a slightly firmer tone

Regional consumption is tracking close to the 2025 level, and nothing in the second-half data suggests a break from that pattern.

The tone has firmed slightly since mid-year. Brazilian imports recovered through the second quarter, with July the strongest month of 2026 so far. U.S. import volumes are running ahead of 2025 while export volumes remain softer, so the trade surplus should stay narrow through the fourth quarter.

For the remainder of 2026, the market is best described as stable with a mild upward bias, and the main variables are the competitiveness of Asian material, the pace of construction and vehicle activity into the fourth quarter, and any trade measures affecting imported polyols.

What the full 2026 Americas report examines

For detailed capacity data, trade flows, demand analysis and the full market outlook, please contact PUdaily for the 2026 Americas Polyurethane Market Research Report.

PUdaily is a professional information platform serving the global polyurethane industry, providing timely, comprehensive and objective analysis of polyurethane markets, technology and industry developments. Tel +86 21 6125 0980. Email info@pudaily.com.

https://www.pudaily.com/news/67166/polyether-polyols-in-the-americas-a-shrinking-export-surplus

Source