Europe top stories: weekly summary

LONDON (ICIS)–Here are some of the top stories from ICIS Europe for the week ended 12 November.

Europe chemicals output rises as wider industrial production softens
Chemicals production in Europe largely increased in September compared with the previous month, according to the latest data released from the EU’s statistical agency Eurostat on Friday.

Johnson Matthey to exit battery business as it warns on auto production slump impact
UK specialty chemicals group Johnson Matthey has revealed plans to exit its battery materials business while guiding that full fiscal year profits will be hit by the slump in automotive production around the world.

France’s Arkema to fully disclose emissions footprint but process complex, long – CEO
Arkema is looking at its internal and external greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and aims to publicise its full carbon footprint, including scope 3 emissions, the CEO of the French chemicals major said on Wednesday.

APLA ’21: Petchems bad reputation could change with independent environmental audits – academic
Petrochemicals companies’ bad reputation could change if external auditors were invited to test whether the industry’s environmental record is up to scratch, an academic said on Tuesday.

INSIGHT: October IPEX underscores higher costs and logistics constraints
The ICIS Petrochemical Index (IPEX) update last month (the index for September) drew focus towards demand and what was coming to be seen as the main driver for prices in the still uncertain market environment.

Spain’s Cepsa mulls chemicals divestment to raise funds for green transition
Spanish energy and petrochemicals major Cepsa could divest or establish a joint venture for its profitable chemicals division to fund its green energy transition, sources with knowledge of the matter said.