Latin America stories: weekly summary

SAO PAULO (ICIS)–Here are some of the stories from ICIS Latin America for the week ended on 22 November.

NEWS
APLA ’24: LatAm chems should prepare for rebalancing to take place only from 2030 onwards – APLA
Latin American chemicals producers should be prepared to face a prolonged downturn which could extend to 2030 as newer capacities globally keep coming online, according to the director general at the Latin American Petrochemical and Chemical Association (APLA).

APLA ’24: Mexico’s Cancun to host APLA 2025
Next year’s annual summit of the Latin American Petrochemical and Chemical Association (APLA) will take place in Cancun, Mexico, the organizers confirmed on Thursday.

APLA ’24: Moeve to advance sustainable detergent materials – exec
Moeve Chemicals, previously known as Cepsa Chemicals, is pushing forward with sustainable innovations in the detergent industry, particularly through its linear alkyl benzene (LAB) business, according to an executive at the producer.

APLA ’24: Anastacio sees Mexico as next major market to gain market share – CEO
Brazil-based chemical distributor Quimica Anastacio is making a major push into Mexico, adding to its strong presence in Brazil and Argentina, its CEO said.

APLA ’24: Women face persistent workplace and travel safety challenges – chems execs
A discussion among industry leaders has highlighted ongoing challenges women face in workplace equality and business travel safety, with experts warning that salary parity remains decades away.

APLA ’24: Latin America poised for strategic growth amid global shifts – economist
Latin America stands at a crucial turning point as global economic and political dynamics shift, with significant opportunities in energy, food security and technological advancement, an economist said on Tuesday.

APLA ’24: Vaca Muerta to double Argentina oil and gas production by 2030, allow for new chem projects – YPF
Growing production in Argentina’s Vaca Muerta shale formation should double oil and gas volumes in the country by 2030, enough for new petrochemicals projects, as rising production in Vaca Muerta more than offsets declines in conventional production, an executive at energy producer YPF said.

APLA ’24: Brenntag aims to expand footprint in Brazil and Mexico via M&A, organic growth – exec
Germany-based chemical distributor Brenntag will focus on expanding its business in Brazil and Mexico in particular in Latin America through acquisitions and organic growth, said the head of its Latin American industrial chemicals business.

APLA ’24: Colombia’s plastics grapple with new regulations, Chinese competition – Grupo Almatia
The Colombian plastics industry faces significant challenges as it navigates new environmental regulations and increasing competition from Chinese imports, the CEO at plastics distributor Grupo Almatia said.

APLA ’24: Logistics more challenging to plan with increasing external threats – panel
Logistics are getting even more challenging, as climate change, armed conflicts and tariffs are making planning difficult, shipping experts said on a panel discussion at the Latin American Petrochemical and Chemical Association (APLA) Annual Meeting.

APLA ’24: LatAm petchem woes remain, some help to come from nascent protectionist era
Latin American petrochemicals profitability, even the survival of some domestic producers, will hardly come from oversupplied markets facing poor demand but governments’ helping hand with protectionist measures.

Unigel seeks US court recognition of Brazilian reorganization plan
Unigel filed a court proceeding that seeks US recognition of its reorganization plans, which had been approved in Brazil, the Brazilian styrenics and acrylics producer said on Friday.

PRICING
APLA ’24: LatAm PP international prices fall in Chile, Peru on competitive Asian offers
International polypropylene (PP) prices dropped in Chile and Peru due to competitive Asian offers. Prices remained unchanged this week in other Latin American (LatAm) countries.

APLA ’24: Most LatAm PE domestic, international prices steady to lower on weak demand, cheaper imports
Most domestic and international polyethylene (PE) prices were assessed as steady to lower across Latin American countries this week on the back of weak demand and competitive offers from abroad.

APLA ’24: Brazil’s caustic soda supply strains; PVC market sees increased competition
In Brazil’s caustic soda market, a combination of planned and unplanned maintenance events in Q4 2024 has intensified supply constraints, exerting potential pressure on prices.

APLA ’24: Latin America’s PE, PP demand expected weak to year-end, 2025
Persistent poor demand for polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) across Latin American economies is expected to stay for the remaining of the year and into 2025, with no improvement signs on the horizon.