INDUSTRY SECTORS
Plastics made to order – thanks to level and pressure measurement technology from VEGA
Optimisation of production processes is an ongoing task in plastics manufacturing, and this is also the case at RENOLIT. Traceability and reproducibility of processes are therefore key requirements for the manufacturer. With innovative level and pressure measurement technology from...
New CDOIF Risk Assessment Guidance is coming – Are you ready?
This year, a keenly anticipated new guidance on risk assessment is due to be published by the Chemical and Downstream Oil Industries Forum (CDOIF) titled ‘Understanding Major Hazard Human Harm Risk Assessment (MHHHRA) for COMAH ‘. At RAS, we have been...
What You Should Know Before Shipping UN 3373 Specimens
When it comes to transporting UN 3373 Category B Biological Substances, choosing the right biohazard bag isn’t just about convenience, it’s about compliance and safety.
Many biohazard bags claim to be ‘95 kPa compliant,’ but from our research few can...
Vital Grangemouth investment ‘secures’ future of British industry
INEOS has invested £150m in the long-term future of its Grangemouth site, with support from the UK government.
Viewed as a critical hub for national manufacturing and energy sectors – and one of the UK’s most important industrial assets –...
How simply turning up the heat could transform chemical manufacturing
Scientists have developed a simple, low-cost method to drive key chemical reactions, which could make large-scale drug manufacturing, faster, more accessible and affordable.
The new study, published in the journal Nature Synthesis by The University of Manchester, describes how complex...
Europe’s first Commercial Direct Lithium Extraction Plant Switches On in the UK
The first commercially operating Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) plant has opened in Runcorn, Cheshire, marking the first commercial deployment of the technology in Europe.
Watercycle Technologies has scaled up its proprietary DLECTM technology to profitably produce hundreds of kilograms of lithium...
Nature’s Palette Reimagined: A New Era of Circular Colour Chemistry
By Dr Benjamin Droguet, Founder and CEO of Sparxell.
The vivid blue of a Morpho butterfly’s wing is more than a visual wonder. It is a lesson in how colour can exist without chemistry as we currently define it....
Chemical supply chains hit by $12bn annual disruption as volatility surges
Report reveals 17,500 incidents a year and escalating operational risks for an industry underpinning 96% of global manufacturing.
Global chemicals supply chains are facing unprecedented levels of disruption, with new analysis from DP World showing more than 17,500 serious global...
The use of AI in chemical R&D and the rise of GNNs
Investment in materials and chemicals AI has attracted major focus, but the real industry breakthrough is the shift away from large language models (LLMs) to graph neural networks (GNNs), which are proving far more accurate for molecular prediction and...
Safety federation urges extreme caution over online PPE stock and purchasing
The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) is appealing to chemical companies across the UK to urgently review their PPE stock and sourcing processes, as concerns grow around the safety and compliance of products sold online.
With major legislative changes approaching...
Why safer chemistry is vital to materials innovation
By Anna Zhenova, founder and CEO of Green Rose Chemistry a partner of Foundation Industries Ventures (FIVe) supporting innovators to embed green chemistry in new technologies, materials and processes.
Green chemistry, sometimes called sustainable chemistry, focuses on designing chemical products...
How graphite recovery is driving innovation
Recycling innovations and graphite recovery are shaping the future of sustainability in the Li-ion battery industry, says John Jaddou, Global Director New Business, Orbia.
Industries worldwide are under mounting pressure to decarbonise. Industrial activity accounts for roughly a quarter of...
A Tuneable Sugar-Based Polymer for a Circular Future
Teysha Technologies wanted to solve a basic problem, says chief science officer Professor Ashlee Jahnke. While plastics are capable of incredible mechanical performance and useful in every aspect of our daily lives, its waste is an environmental scourge. KarmaCane,...
EU CLP in 2026: a tipping point for labelling compliance
2026 is a decisive year for chemical manufacturers and distributors. With critical compliance deadlines looming in May and November, companies relying on outdated labelling systems risk stalled shipments and supply chain disruption, warns Justin Ward, Loftware.
As the EU’s updated...
Protecting Vaccine Shipments in 2026: What the Next Era of Cold Chain Looks Like
With ever more complex supply routes, volatile weather conditions, and rising demand for temperature-sensitive vaccines rises, how does the pharmaceuticals industry protect their precious shipments in a new distribution era? Barbara Morgan, Regional President Americas at Envirotainer, investigates.
As 2026...
AI chemistry platform could ‘reshore drug discovery & materials manufacturing’
A new form of chemistry is ‘reinventing’ the process of discovering and manufacturing small molecules.
Excelsior Sciences is developing the novel approach that ‘machines can do and AI can use’ to enable closed-loop drug discovery.
Small molecules, the class of chemical...
Building the workforce of the future with STEAM
Tim Doggett, CEO of the Chemical Business Association (CBA), outlines how rethinking skills and inclusivity can futureproof the chemical supply chain workforce.
Despite the diverse range of roles and career opportunities it offers, the chemical supply chain is not necessarily...
Chemical supply chain questions Government’s commitment to domestic chemical sector
Chemical supply chain businesses are increasingly questioning whether the Government wants a viable domestic chemical sector to survive in the UK, says Tim Doggett, CEO of the Chemical Business Association.
A new CBA survey has found dwindling confidence, rising costs...
Making a success of the UK’s industrial strategy
While government recognition for the chemicals industry is welcome, some areas lack detail. Duncan Lugton, Head of Policy & Impact at IChemE, analyses the strategy.
The UK government’s industrial strategy aims to strengthen economic growth by focusing on foundational...
Novel advanced materials for the innovation age: the Metalysis FFC electrochemical process
The Metalysis electrolysis process - applicable to 49 elements of the periodic table - is producing metals and metal alloys which are driving forward electronics, semiconductors, hypersonics, aerospace, and defence, writes CEO Nitesh Shah.
The need for advanced materials has...
Playing ‘catch-up’ in digital process safety management
Iain Mackay, SVP, PSM at Sphera, discusses how overcoming human barriers to digital transformation in the chemical industry can bolster performance and safety.
Post-pandemic, the speed of digitalisation in the chemical industry has accelerated by 56%.
However, many businesses often lack...
Outsourcing trends in pharma
The team at Bachem share insights on the relationship between pharma companies & CDMOs.
Outsourcing plays a critical role in modern drug development and manufacturing.
The continued rise in demand for complex modalities, such as peptides and oligonucleotides, and increased pressures...
Electrochemical process turns biodiesel waste into ‘planet-friendly profit’
An electrochemical process developed by scientists at a Loughborough University spin-out enables biodiesel producers to turn waste into profit – while slashing emissions and energy use.
The R3V Tech team, headed by chemistry experts Dr Adriano Randi (CEO) and Professor Benjamin Buckley (CSO), have developed a...
Making a success of the UK’s industrial strategy
While government recognition for the chemicals industry is welcome, some areas lack detail. Duncan Lugton, Head of Policy & Impact at IChemE, analyses the strategy.
The UK government’s industrial strategy aims to strengthen economic growth by focusing on foundational sectors,...
Alarming rise in fake ATEX equipment threatens worker safety in Europe
Counterfeit ATEX-certified equipment is flooding industrial supply chains, putting workers and businesses at serious risk of explosions, injuries – and even death. Terry McDonald, Thorne & Derrick International, says urgent steps must be taken to reduce risk.
ATEX certification is...
Rethinking labelling for hazardous & dangerous goods: closing the safety gap
When transporting hazardous and dangerous goods, there may be an assumption that compliance takes care of itself – and once a label is printed and placed on a barrel or container, the job is done. But the process of...
British chemical supply chain ‘failing’ on emissions
The UK chemical sector is urged to ‘get its act together’ when reporting on actions to reduce its supply chain emissions.
A new Carbon Action Report claims that only 6% of UK businesses have set a Scope 3 target and...
ECHA publishes updated PFAS restriction proposal
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published an updated proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the EU’s chemicals regulation, REACH.
The update has been prepared by authorities from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, who submitted...
Ensuring polymer consistency at scale
With global plastic production soaring to almost 450 million tonnes annually, small variations in polymer quality can quickly cascade, leading to scrap, downtime or even recalls. Here, Stephanie Williams, senior product specialist at materials testing specialist Instron explores how...
Smarter motion for the chemical industry
The chemical industry could tackle problems related to energy efficiency and productivity using integrated motor-drive systems, says Ghanshyam Shrestha, R&D Technology Manager at ABB IEC Low Voltage Motors.
The chemical industry is foundational. It supplies the world with essential materials...
