Americas top stories: weekly summary

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Here are the top stories from ICIS News from the week ended 6 October:

EPCA ’17: US response to Harvey highlights safety – AFPM
BERLIN (ICIS)–The refining and petrochemical hub along the US Gulf Coast faced major challenges because of severe flooding from Hurricane Harvey, but an industry group representative said on Monday that companies responded fairly well while keeping safety in mind.

US Aug, Sep ethylene contracts settle higher
HOUSTON (ICIS)–US ethylene contracts for August and September have settled at increases of 2 cents/lb and 4 cents/lb, respectively, following market disruptions from Hurricane Harvey, market sources said on Tuesday.

Electric vehicles could be next big thing for chemicals – BASF’s Bock
NEW YORK CITY (ICIS)–The nascent electric vehicle (EV) market could bring significant opportunities for the chemical industry, according to BASF Chairman Kurt Bock.

BASF seeks ongoing transformation in uncertain world – CEO
NEW YORK CITY (ICIS)–Germany-based BASF is aiming to constantly transform its portfolio in a pragmatic fashion to position itself for sustainable long-term growth, its CEO said.

US Group I base oil light grades up on tight Group II supply
HOUSTON (ICIS)–Tight supply of US Group II base oils in October is pushing up market prices for light grade Group I viscosities, buyers and sellers said on Thursday.

LANXESS aims to grow in mid-sized specialty chem markets
Germany-based LANXESS aims to grow in mid-size specialty chemical markets that offer strong margins, the CEO of its North American operations said.