#chemicals

Minnesota is again suing 3M Co. over contamination from its products containing “forever chemicals,” this time concerning pollution at its Cottage Grove manufacturing facility.

A local plant announced significant layoffs. The company is BASF. Half of its workforce will be laid off. This represents about half of the town's population. The layoffs will have community impacts.

Bay Minette, Alabama

https://www.wkrg.com/video/community-impacts-on-basf-production-layoffs/11754866/

I noticed several people are shown open to work at LinkedIn.

Heard a couple of Execs who’ve been around forever at SL Chemicals were "moved aside", True?

Is there anyone who thinks the project Starbust for chemicals can go well? I hear they are planning large staff cuts on top of the voluntary severance going on now, and the new org will be based on agile working methodology. Who thinks that’s a good idea? Using a philosophy designed for software development for a chemical manufacturing plant? Do they realize they are going to lose basic but important skills like navigating SAP? Even the people that are left will have such low morale and buy in. This feels like the latter days of Enron or some other business failure. Am I wrong - does someone out there think there is a chance these changes will be great?

PMC Biogenix will close its Memphis plant. The shutdown is scheduled for April. This action will affect local workers. These employees earn an average wage of $94,000. The chemical manufacturer operates this facility.

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2026/03/04/pmc-biogenix-layoffs-chemical-manufacturing.html

What am I missing? I’ve always heard that a major integrated oil company needs chemicals as a hedge for low oil prices as that spread drives higher chemicals margins. I get that the European sites won’t benefit from this because of the cultural and policy insanity there destroying the framework for industrial profitability, but in the US Geismar is proving this point. Pennsylvania polymers has had the delays, cost overruns, flare issues, furnace blow up, emissions fines, community hatred but besides that it’s gone great. Deer Park has the most expensive ethylene on the gulf coast but at least they also had a major fire. Ok maybe I’ve answered my own question. I mean what lucky company wouldn’t want to buy up all this lol.

Chemours Announces Layoffs; Offerman Plant Stays Open

https://www.theblacksheartimes.com/article/9831,chemours-offerman-mill-to-stay-operational

This news is about layoffs happening in southeast Georgia, USA. Chemours — a chemical company with mining and processing operations in Georgia — announced that it will cut jobs at several of its facilities there while keeping its Offerman plant in Offerman, Georgia operational. The layoffs affect workers at other Chemours sites in the region, including locations in Jesup and Nahunta, Georgia, where dozens of employees will be let go

Big report announced today by Emma Lewis for the Commercial team. Looks like a 46% headcount reduction. This is the first of a long and painful journey—to what? No one knows as they are not part of the natural family. Tired of this!!

Any rummors about possible divestment of Shell Chemicals ? Have heard that they want to somehow separate it.

The hole gets deeper.

• Activist investor Standard Latitude, which recently disclosed a stake of just over 5%, could accelerate portfolio reviews and divestments. This makes Standard Latitude the 8th largest shareholder.

• Barclays has lifted its rating on Croda International PLC from 'equal weight' to 'overweight', citing the prospect of activist-driven restructuring and improved cost discipline as reasons for a more positive outlook.

• Shares in the specialty chemicals group have fallen about 70% since their 2021 peak, leaving the valuation at what Barclays described as “trough levels”; underperforming the FTSE 100’s 26% gain over the same period.

Get your resume ready because you know the current leadership will cut any and all of you to keep their jobs even though their bad business decisions put you here in the first place. If you didn’t believe the first post for this company, ‘Day of Reckoning is Upon Them’ you can’t say you weren’t warned.

It layoffs (100 plus) in outsourcing effort to TCS scheduled for announcement October 7th , 2025
No leadership roles will be affected.
Leadership roles actually created and filled from external.
Padded bonuses from Executive to senior leadership will be protected while Long term employees will be removed and/or reduced.

Occidental Petroleum in talks to sell OxyChem chemical unit for at least $10 billion

Occidental Petroleum has announced that it is in advanced talks to sell its chemical division, OxyChem, for at least $10 billion. The announcement sent Occidental's stock rising over 1% in premarket trading. The potential sale is expected to accelerate the company’s efforts to reduce debt and improve shareholder returns, according to Barclays. An announcement could come in the next few weeks, marking a strategic shift for Occidental as it focuses more on financial strengthening and streamlining operations.

OxyChem is a major global producer of chlor-alkali, PVC and caustic potash, with strong cash flow and links to Occidental’s Direct Air Capture initiatives. Despite its operational value—evident in Barclays’ projected EBITDA growth from $1.24 billion in 2025 to $1.46 billion in 2027—Occidental appears willing to divest the unit to boost balance sheet health. The $10 billion price tag reflects a roughly 7x EBITDA multiple for 2026–2027, higher than the company’s current valuation multiples. Even after taxes, the deal is expected to be slightly accretive, further reinforcing positive investor sentiment.

https://www.hydrocarbonprocessing.com/news/2025/09/occidental-petroleum-in-talks-to-sell-oxychem-chemical-unit-for-at-least-10-billion/?oly_enc_id=7798E9325367A8R

Story by Fiona Craig

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) is reportedly weighing the sale of its chemical production facilities in the United Kingdom and Belgium, as the European chemical industry faces mounting challenges from U.S. trade tariffs and competitive pressures from China, according to the Financial Times on Thursday.

Sources familiar with the matter told the publication that the U.S. energy company has initiated early talks with advisers in recent weeks about potential divestments, which could be valued at around $1 billion.

The move comes as European chemical manufacturers navigate a difficult market environment, contending with both American trade measures and increased competition from Chinese producers.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/exxonmobil-considers-selling-european-chemical-plants-amid-sector-pressures

I’m hearing that CP Chem is really having problems right now.
I can’t help but think that Go Go was the CEO of that company only few years ago.
He even bragged about how great successful that BT was.
I hope epilogue is not prologue at P66.