Paul Kurias, S&P Global Ratings director, lead analyst, corporate ratings, and Danny Krauss, S&P Global Ratings director, join host Vincent Valk for a discussion on the 2026 credit outlook for the chemicals sector. The sector outlook remains mixed as US chemical companies may benefit in the near term from Middle East-related supply disruptions and relative cost advantages, but those same geopolitical pressures could create longer-term risks through inflation, weaker demand and stress in vulnerable end markets such as agriculture and commodities. At the same time, growth tied to AI, data centers and advanced materials provides a meaningful bright spot for specialty chemical producers. However, the industry remains exposed to high interest rates, soft housing and automotive demand.

Check out the latest ratings report here.

Hexion president and CEO, Michael Lefenfeld, joins host Vincent Valk for a discussion on how to embed AI into the day-to-day operations of a chemical company—optimizing manufacturing, supply chain logistics, and organizational processes while improving speed, precision, sustainability, and decision-making quality.

Mark Lustig, partner at consultancy PwC, joins the podcast to discuss the firm's chemicals manufacturing investment attractiveness index. Key points of discussion include which countries are the most attractive investment destinations now and in the future, the impact of industrial policy on the competitive landscape, and how supply chains and growth can figure into investment decisions.

Check out the full index here.

Solstice Advanced Materials CEO, David Sewell, joins host Jameson Croteau for a discussion on the company's spin-off from Honeywell and the high-growth sectors of semiconductor chip and data center cooling, US nuclear energy and the ongoing transition from legacy HFCs to lower-global-warming-potential HFOs.

The Chemical Week podcast is the industry's premier platform for wide-ranging discussion of issues impacting the global chemicals sector, hosted by the editors of Chemical Week and S&P Global Energy. Subscribe to the Chemical Week podcast on your favorite platform, or visit chemweek.com/podcast to view our episode archive.

Chemical Week editor-in-chief Mark Thomas, senior editor Vincent Valk and S&P Global Energy senior price reporter Mujidah Yahaya join host Jameson Croteau for a discussion of first-quarter results season, with a particular focus on the impact of the Iran conflict. The renewed importance of supply security, potential impact on the outlook, and how long disruptions may last are key topics. The panelists also discuss inflation impacts and some rare pockets of growth for the industry.

In his farewell as editor-in-chief, Chemical Week's Ian Young sits down with Vincent Valk to reflect on his 36-year career covering the chemical industry. He highlights the industry's most significant transformations, including the rise of digitalization and artificial intelligence, as well as China's rapid development from a dependent partner in joint ventures to a dominant global powerhouse across various chemical segments. Despite current regulatory and economic hurdles, Young remains optimistic about the sector's resilience and its vital role in driving sustainability and societal progress.

The Chemical Week podcast is the industry's premier platform for wide-ranging discussion of issues impacting the global chemicals sector, hosted by the editors of Chemical Week and S&P Global Commodity Insights. Subscribe to the Chemical Week podcast on your favorite platform, or visit chemweek.com/podcast to view our episode archive.

Nick Powell, CEO of Ingredients & Specialties from Univar Solutions, joins the podcast for a discussion about supply security and the state of the chemical distribution industry. Topics include the supply chain aftereffects of the war in the Middle East, the chemical end markets supporting growth in a low demand environment, and how AI use and careful M&A strategy can propel growth for distributors in 2026 and beyond.

Jay Bhatia, founder and CEO of Agilis, an AI-enabled software provider for chemicals, joins the podcast to discuss the development of outward-facing AI tools in the industry. Key topics include the importance of master data management, why context is critical for building accurate AI tools, and what the industry's customer base is looking for from AI.

In two live interviews from the 2026 World Petrochemical Conference, Dow CEO Jim Fitterling and American Chemistry Council CEO Chris Jahn discuss the state of the industry in a moment of heightened volatility. Fitterling discusses the potential impact of the Middle East war, gives an update on the Dow's Alberta net-zero cracker, and talks about the prospects for Europe's competitiveness. Jahn highlights ACC's policy and regulatory priorities, and the ongoing uncertainty around global trade.

In a special episode in advance of the 2026 World Petrochemical Conference (WPC), Chemical Week editor-in-chief Ian Young, senior editor Mark Thomas, and S&P Global Platts senior price reporter Daniela Morales join the show for a discussion of key themes and what to look out for at this year's WPC. The war in the Middle East, supply chain and tariff issues, the evolution of the industry in Asia Pacific, and the changing nature of energy transition take center stage as industry leaders prepare to gather in Houston.

Hear more on key issues in the petrochemical sector at the World Petrochemical Conference (WPC 2026), taking place at Houston, TX, March 23–27, 2026. The event will bring together industry leaders and market experts to assess market shifts, margin pressures and strategic responses across global petrochemicals. For more information and to register, visit wpc.spglobal.com/en or contact [email protected].

Alasdair Carmichael and Lauren Laibach of the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) join S&P Global research head Olivier Maronneaud and podcast host Vincent Valk for a discussion of the outlook for recycled PET in 2026. Key topics include the findings of NAPCOR's latest report on the state of the PET recycling sector and global challenges related regulatory differences, trade tensions, and weak supply-demand dynamics.

Hear more on key issues in the plastics recycling and polymer sectors at the World Petrochemical Conference (WPC 2026), taking place at Houston, TX, March 23–27, 2026. The event will bring together industry leaders and market experts to assess market shifts, margin pressures and strategic responses across global petrochemicals. For more information and to register, visit wpc.spglobal.com/en or contact [email protected].

This episode was recorded before the current war in the Middle East broke out.