Aromatics
Overview
The global aromatics market is made up of several diverse product markets and can be affected by a great many factors.
Benzene is a highly traded and volatile commodity because of its predominantly co-product nature and unpredictable supply. Styrene, benzene’s largest derivative, represents about 50pc of global benzene demand. Anyone involved in the benzene industry – directly or indirectly – needs market and pricing insight to anticipate supply shortages and large swings in pricing.
Meanwhile, the toluene and xylenes isomer markets are intertwined with the global markets for gasoline. Toluene and xylenes are highly traded commodities that create a lot of interest in the industry because of the various factors that affect demand growth. Outside of their inter-relationship with the gasoline markets, the major end-uses for these commodities vary across the world, from polyester fibres and food and beverage packaging to construction. Anyone involved in the toluene and xylenes industries – directly or indirectly – needs insight into how the toluene and xylenes markets can or will impact on their business, from raw material costs or as a price indicator for downstream products.
Our aromatics experts will help you determine what trends to track and how to stay competitive in today’s ever-changing global markets.
Latest aromatics news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global aromatics services industry.
Ineos plans to make further anti-dumping claims to EU
Ineos plans to make further anti-dumping claims to EU
London, 11 November (Argus) — UK-based petrochemical company Ineos plans to file five new anti-dumping duty (ADD) claims to the EU by the end of 2025, aiming to counter "low-cost, high-carbon imports". Ineos told Argus the five are in addition to three ongoing ADD investigations in which Ineos has since November 2024 been involved in filing complaints, and to two existing ADDs in which Ineos is contributing to seeking an extension or change ( see table ). The company gave no further details on countries or, in some cases, specific products in the ADD claims it is preparing. But it said it is also supporting customers with "a growing number of anti-dumping filings" on chemicals that affect Ineos' downstream value chains, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Imports from the US, Middle East and Asia-Pacific are putting pressure on European chemicals manufacturing, which has high operating costs relative to other regions, Ineos said. It cited data from European Chemical Trade association Cefic showing imports of chemicals from China rose by 8.3pc in the first half of 2025. Ineos singled out the latest EU-US trade deal — a probable reference to the European Commission's proposal to reduce import duties on many chemical products to zero — saying it "gives away what little protection [Europe] had left" against imports from the US. It also said the commission was not acting quickly or decisively enough. It said the EU's provisional duties on on acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) imports from Taiwan and South Korea was "far too low", and these are failing to prevent imports into the EU. Most recent Global Trade Tracker (GTT) data for July and August show limited effect, with July imports up by 13pc on the year and August imports down by 4pc. Ineos Styrolution has three ABS plants in Europe: one in Antwerp, Belgium, and two in Germany at Cologne and Ludwigshafen. The three have combined capacity of 490,000 t/yr. For monoethylene glycol (MEG), Ineos' call relates to a sunset review of ADDs on imports from the US and Saudi Arabia that are due for expiry or renewal in November 2026. For PVC Ineos is seeking an extension or change to ADDs initiated on imports from Egypt and the US in 2024. The new claims that Ineos is preparing cover products including polyolefins, caustic soda, acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA) acetic acid, butyl acetate and polyethylene glycols. Petrochemical industry bodies have called for more support, and the commission proposed a package of measures in July aiming to address high energy costs, global competition and weak demand. This included a pledge to apply trade defence measures more quickly and expand chemical import monitoring under an existing surveillance task force as part of a support package for the chemicals sector. Ineos has been an active voice asking for measures to support the industry, including an October call for cuts to taxes and levies on industrial energy in Europe to avert further plant closures. Citing a commissioned study by Oxford Economics, Ineos said carbon border measures and targeted tariffs can protect European producers from non-European producers that benefit from cheaper or less-regulated energy costs. By Will Collins, George Barsted, Alex Sands, Sebastian Du Plessis ADD claims that Ineos is involved with or preparing Product Current status Cases in preparation to be filed Polyolefins N/A Caustic soda N/A Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) N/A Acetic acid/acetic anhydride/ethyl acetate N/A Polyethylene glycol/butyl acetate N/A Current investigation Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) Complaint made in November 2024, provisional duties announced in July 2025 Polyterephthalic acid (PTA Investigation opened in August 2025 on imports from South Korea and Mexico 1,4 butanediol (BDO) Investigation opened in June 2025 on imports from Saudi Arabia, US, China Change/extension to existing ADD Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Seeking extension/change to ADDs imposed on Egypt/US imports in 2024 Monoethytlene glycol (MEG) Seeking renewal of ADDs imposed on imports from Saudi Arabia and US in 2021 Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Ford boosts trucks on demand, Novelis fire
Ford boosts trucks on demand, Novelis fire
Houston, 23 October (Argus) — US automaker Ford is increasing its full-size pickup truck production in response to higher demand and to recover lost production after a major fire at a New York aluminum mill. The automaker said it will increase production of its F-150 and Super Duty trucks by 50,000 vehicles in 2026, with work being added at its Dearborn, Michigan and Kentucky truck plants. The US auto industry has faced supply challenges since a major fire in mid-September at aluminum-roller Novelis' Oswego, New York mill took down the entire plant for two weeks and the hot mill until the first quarter of 2026. The Oswego plant is a major supplier of aluminum sheet to the automotive industry. Ford will also keep production of its less-profitable F-150 Lightning pickup truck paused as it focuses on producing more profitable internal combustion engine and hybrid F-150s which it says also require less aluminum. Ford employees who previously made the electric F-150 will be transferred over to Dearborn to boost non-Lightning F-150 production by 45,000 vehicles. Ford will increase the workforce at Dearborn and supporting plants by nearly 1,400 workers. Ford aims to produce 5,000 more Super Duty pickups at its Kentucky truck plant in 2026, increasing that facility's workforce by an additional 100 or more workers. US steelmaker Steel Dynamics (SDI) said it has been able to produce and qualify some of its aluminum sheet products at its new aluminum mill for the automotive industry. SDI continues to ramp up its 650,000 short tons/yr aluminum mill located in Columbus, Mississippi. Global automaker Stellantis, which owns US brands such as Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler, said an unspecified parts shortage is taking down its Warren, Michigan sports utility vehicle plant for three weeks. By Rye Druzchetta Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Blend demand for US aromatics withers
Blend demand for US aromatics withers
Houston, 25 September (Argus) — Demand for blending aromatics into gasoline is falling as the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) specification transition occurs this month, making room for high-octane, high-RVP blending components like butane. Despite the seasonal drop in aromatics usage in the gasoline pool, discussions for aromatic blending components have been active in September. At least 70,000 bl of ethylbenzene (EB) traded in the first half of September, with some transactions even fixed for October delivery when blend demand historically cools off. EB transactions would seem to yield movement for other aromatic gasoline blending components as well. But the EB was trading because styrene monomer (SM) producers had already consumed feedstock benzene to make EB. Before converting the EB into SM, those producers decided to sell EB into the gasoline blending pool with strong demand from blenders, as well as to not build SM inventories in an already well-supplied market, sources said. Timing, proximity and availability drove demand for EB and there was no extra pull for benzene to produce more EB, sources said. Since the last EB transaction on 9 September, discussions for EB blending into gasoline have largely declined or completely halted, signaling a hesitance from blenders to buy more high-octane, low-RVP aromatic blending components, sources said. Discussions for commercial-grade toluene (CGT) and mixed xylenes (MX) into blending were also active. Consumers bought CGT when EB was not available, as EB for September delivery sold out quickly. CGT bids reached as high as 75¢/USG over October RBOB gasoline futures. MX for blending was often discussed in the same range as CGT and often traded more frequently than CGT because of its availability on steady imports, sources said. Market participants said the late-season demand was unlikely to last and only bought aromatic blending components as needed to fulfill consumer demands in the short term. Octane demand began to return to more seasonal levels in mid-September and sources expect aromatics prices to decline further in October. By Jake Caldwell, Savanna Millhausen and Makailah Gause Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Styrolution receives rSM at Antwerp site
Styrolution receives rSM at Antwerp site
London, 25 September (Argus) — Chemical company Ineos Styrolution said the first truckloads of recycled styrene monomer (rSM) have been delivered to its site in Antwerp from waste management company Indaver, with the SM to be used in the production of recycled polystyrene. Ineos Styrolution said it was the first commercial-scale delivery of rSM in Europe. SM is used to make general-purpose polystyrene (GPPS) and high-impact polystyrene (HIPS). The SM was recovered by Indaver using a technology called "Plastic2Chemicals" that relies on a thermal depolymerisation technology to break down plastics to their original monomers. The SM was provided by Indaver from its site in Antwerp, which can process roughly 26,000 t/yr of plastic waste. Indaver said that half of the recycled SM will be provided to Ineos Styrolution in an offtake agreement while the other half will be sent to polystyrene producer Trinseo. Polystyrene is often seen as a hard to recycle plastic. Other deals have been inked for PS recycling in Europe. In June 2025, waste collector Green Dot said it was set to provide up to 20,000 t/yr of waste polystyrene feedstock to chemical recycler Agilyx, which would be used to produce rSM. At the time, Agilyx did not operate any polystyrene recycling plants, under its brand name "Styrenyx" in Europe, but it does operate a 200 t/d site in Chiba, Japan. Agilyx is still not operating any chemical recycling plants for polystyrene in Europe currently. By George Barsted Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.