Covestro

The extreme low water levels in the Rhine are forcing companies to cut production; chemical group Covestro has already reported restrictions. Matthias Röser from the Federal Association of German Inland Navigation warns of a crisis for the sector. Shifting transport to rail is hardly possible because the rail network is chronically overloaded. » More on welt.de

Covestro reports a preliminary EBITDA of €669 million for H1 2026 on revenues of €6.73 billion. The result benefited from higher prices, while increases in raw material costs had a delayed effect. For 2026 the company expects operating core earnings to be significantly above the prior year, and anticipates free cash flow and a ROCE that will clearly exceed the weighted average cost of capital. » More on de.investing.com

Covestro will build a new large-scale MDI plant in Shanghai with an annual capacity of 660,000 tonnes, due to start operations at the end of the decade. The company expects the investment to be in the industry‑typical range of €1.5–2 billion; around €4 billion has already been invested in China, of which €3 billion in Shanghai. The plant is to be operated climate‑neutrally using green power, and Covestro is simultaneously evaluating a similarly sized facility in the United Arab Emirates in partnership with Ta’Ziz and Fertiglobe. Under owner XRG/Adnoc, the company cites strong demand growth in Asia and better access to feedstocks and energy in the Middle East to justify the expansion. » More on faz.net