In recent weeks, affected by the ongoing Middle East conflict, rising energy prices, and unstable raw material supplies, European chemical companies have issued a flurry of price increase notices, marking the beginning of a new round of price hikes in the industry.

Recently, LANXESS announced a global average price increase of 20% for 1,6-hexanediol, effective immediately.

BASF announced a price increase of 100 USD/ton for butyl acrylate (BA) and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EHA) in the Asia-Pacific region, effective immediately or as otherwise notified under existing contracts.

BASF Europe has raised the prices of its bulk amine product portfolio, with the highest increase reaching 30%, while some products saw even higher hikes.

BASF announced that, effective immediately, it will increase the prices of its Neol@ brand neopentyl glycol (NPG) for sale in Europe, with the specific effective date subject to existing contracts. This polyol intermediate is a key component in lubricants, plasticizers, and polyester resins for coatings, and the price will rise by 350 euros (approximately 405.76 USD) per ton.

Starting April 1st, a new round of global chemical price hikes has begun!

Global chemical giants have taken the lead in initiating a collective price increase, covering core categories such as silicone, engineering materials, lubricants, and polyurethane, with the adjustment magnitude highlighting cost pressures.

Wacker Chemie announced that to address the continuously rising costs of raw materials and logistics, it will increase prices for its locally produced polymer dispersions, re-dispersible latex powders, and silicone products in the North American market, with the maximum increase reaching 10%. The new prices will take effect officially on April 1;

Celanese has raised the prices of a range of engineering materials effective from April 1, citing factors such as disruptions in the global supply chain;

ExxonMobil (China) adjusted the prices of its entire Mobil lubricant product line by approximately 8% due to the continuous rise in international crude oil prices, effective April 1.

Covestro (Shanghai) announced that starting from April 1, the prices of its polyurethane system products will increase by 30%, marking a significant rise;

Cooper announced that starting April 1, 2026, the prices of all grades of Ti-Pure™ TiO₂ in the Asia-Pacific region will be increased by USD 150 per metric ton.

Hungarian-based Baosteel Chemical, a subsidiary of global chemical giant Wanhua, announced that all MDI product prices will increase by 500 euros per ton (equivalent to 3,982 yuan per ton) starting April, with the price adjustment taking effect immediately without waiting for a unified timing;

The chemical giant INVISTA implemented a more aggressive price adjustment, with the spot trading prices of its two core products—hexamethylenediamine and PA66 (nylon 66)—increasing simultaneously from 7:00 on April 1. Within the month, hexamethylenediamine surged by 7,800 yuan/ton, while PA66 rose by 5,400 yuan/ton.

Furmanini Group has implemented a minimum 10% price increase across all product lines in the global market, with more pronounced adjustments in specific sectors and regions.

Beyond international enterprises, leading domestic chemical and coatings companies have also followed suit, with price adjustments covering various segments such as coatings, resins, and powder materials, further sustaining the industry's upward price trend.

Lianlin Products (Shanghai) will raise prices for some products by an average of 5% to 8% effective April 1;

SK Chemicals Co., Ltd. has announced global price adjustments, with a 250 USD/ton increase for general products and a 130 USD/ton increase for recycled products based on the CR50 benchmark;

Starting from April 1st, all orders shipped from the Shantou factory by Shuyi SK Chemical will be uniformly increased by 1,500 RMB/ton.

Leading paint manufacturers collectively raised prices in April

Price increases are particularly concentrated in the coatings sector, with multiple leading companies raising prices simultaneously and explicitly signaling the sustainability of these hikes.

Asia Paints announced that it will implement a phased price increase for all its products starting April 10, 2026, with a range of 6% to 8%. The price hike will be carried out in two stages: the first phase will commence on April 10, covering core categories such as latex paint, enamel paint, and primer; the second phase will begin on April 21, extending to waterproofing solutions and wood coatings.

Sungwon Industries Co., Ltd. of South Korea also announced that effective April 15, 2026, it will raise prices globally for its polymer stabilizers and coatings product lines, with the increase ranging between 12% and 20% depending on product type and region.

Anhui Fangfan Decorative Materials Co., Ltd. plans to make moderate adjustments to the prices of certain products starting from April 1, 2026. Please inquire for pricing before placing orders, with individual orders subject to separate negotiations.

From April 1st, Zhanchen New Materials Group will raise prices by 8% to 15% for wood coatings (including overseas), industrial coatings, 5% to 15% for architectural coatings, and 10% to 15% for adhesives;

Nippon Paint's decorative materials underwent simultaneous price adjustments, with interior and exterior wall flat latex paints increasing by 3%-10%, waterproof coatings and adhesive tapes by 5%-10%, and corner protection strips by up to 10%-15%;

Jiangsu Jinling Special Coatings has raised prices by 10%-15% for its entire range of industrial paint products;

Starting from April 1, 2026, Bardess will increase the prices of wood paint, interior and exterior wall paint, industrial paint and other products by 3% -10%, and specifically state that if the prices of raw materials continue to rise, they will be adjusted again at any time;

Although Burberry has set the price adjustment date for April 10th, the 5% to 15% increase in its resin products further continues the pace of price increases in the paint industry.

In addition, Tianjin Ruiyuan Powder Coatings and Chengdu Xinda Polymer Materials have both increased their prices by 2 yuan/kg for their powder and polymer materials since April 1st, reflecting the continuous transmission of cost pressure.

Sichuan Ruishijia Technology Co., Ltd. will make strategic adjustments to product prices starting from April 1, 2026. This price adjustment covers all products and is expected to increase by 10% -15%. The specific amount is subject to the latest "Price List" and "Temporary Adjustment Notice for Individual Product Systems". After this price adjustment, it cannot be ruled out that raw materials will continue to rise.

Guizhou Majiang Guixiangye Powder Co., Ltd. will adjust the sales prices of its entire range of barium sulfate products starting from April 1, 2026. The specific price adjustment plan is as follows:

1. Barium sulfate products with a specific gravity of less than 3.8 will have their prices increased by 80 yuan/ton based on the original unit price;

2. The price of barium sulfate products with a specific gravity of 3.8-4.0 (inclusive) will be increased by 100 yuan/ton based on the original unit price

3. Barium sulfate products with a specific gravity of 4.1 or higher will have their prices increased by 150 yuan/ton based on the original unit price.

Starting from April 1, 2026, Shanghai Sankeshu Waterproof Technology Co., Ltd. will increase the existing price by another 5-12%.

Deqing Zhicheng Powder Coating Co., Ltd. will increase the price of powder by 1500 RMB per ton from April 1, 2026.

Starting from April 1, 2026, Chongqing Yihui Coatings Co., Ltd. will increase the prices of all anti-corrosion materials by 10%. If you have any questions, please feel free to call our relevant sales personnel at any time.

Industry analysis points out that this round of price increases in the chemical industry is not a short-term fluctuation, but the result of a four fold resonance of supply contraction, cost push, demand recovery, and policy catalysis. At present, the industry has been destocking for 4 years, and inventory is at a historical low. The demand for replenishing inventory is imminent, further amplifying price elasticity; At the same time, factors such as environmental restrictions and permanent withdrawal of overseas production capacity have led to an expansion of the supply gap, while the recovery of demand in areas such as new energy, automobiles, and infrastructure has further exacerbated the supply-demand contradiction. From the trend perspective, the upward trend of raw material prices will continue, coupled with the uncertainty of the global supply chain. The wave of price increases in the chemical industry may continue, and it is not ruled out that more companies will follow suit and raise prices in the future. The cost pressure of the entire industry chain will continue to be released.