Last week, I spoke on a panel at the 2025 World Petrochemical Conference, celebrating its 40th Anniversary. This milestone provided a unique opportunity to reflect on the amazing progress the global chemical industry has made over the past four decades and to envision what the next 40 years may hold.
The U.S. chemical industry is charging ahead. The American economy runs on chemistry, and the demand for critical chemistries will continue to grow. ACC and its members are eager to work with the Administration and Congress to advance policy to help grow U.S. chemicals and plastics production and use, to help make America the world’s manufacturing superpower.
Throughout the conference, several key themes emerged, including the influence of geopolitics on the global chemicals market, as well as the need for companies to adopt sustainable and resilient economic models for the future. CEOs from ACC member companies, and chemical companies around the world, shared their thoughts on a variety of topics, including:
- Energy Transition. Energy security is national security. The current Administration aims to achieve energy dominance, which will require enhancements in permitting, production, regulatory and transportation processes across the U.S. With new production processes and large data centers coming online, energy demand will be higher than ever before. As our companies grow and innovate, ACC and its members support an “all of the above” energy strategy and acceleration of domestic energy production.
- Trade, Tariffs & Supply Chain Impacts. While supply chain stress has eased somewhat, we need to consider future challenges. Companies can invest in supply chain resiliency by diversifying raw materials sources, enhancing logistics capabilities, and leveraging new technologies. We also think there is a unique opportunity for the Administration to develop targeted trade measures that will decrease America’s supply chain vulnerabilities from geopolitical shocks while negotiating new pro-growth measures with trusted trade partners that advantage domestic production and jobs.
- Plastics & Circular Economy. Plastics are a valuable resource that should not be wasted. We view discarded plastics as a valuable feedstock to make materials that are more sustainable and resilient. Consumers want products that can be recycled and used again and again. Advanced recycling technology is key to making this happen. In the U.S., Congress and the Administration have opportunities to support advanced recycling. For example, Congress can reintroduce and pass bipartisan legislation introduced in 2024, that would set a legal framework for new recycling technologies to support investment and innovation, while also requiring a minimum recycled content mandate for plastic packaging.
- Artificial Intelligence. It’s clear that the AI revolution is upon us. AI has the potential to transform the chemical industry – and all industries – by streamlining operations and enabling companies to analyze more data, quickly. AI is being applied to various aspects of the manufacturing process, from predictive maintenance to process optimization, quality control, and supply chain management. Harnessing the power of AI can help chemical companies improve their operational efficiency, advance research and development, reduce costs, and enhance product quality.
Through all of this, ACC member companies are working to continue to survive and thrive through shifting landscapes. To do this, we want to make sure that the chemistries that enable cell phones, fighter jets, medical devices, and thousands more products people use every day, continue to be manufactured in the U.S., supporting American jobs as well as a safer, cleaner environment.
American success relies on American chemistry. The chemical industry is resilient, and the companies that are driving toward the future are developing business models that maximize resource efficiency, innovate to meet consumer needs and desires, and drive continuous growth. The investment decisions businesses make today will impact their companies 40 and 50 years down the road.
To quote one of the speakers, who himself was quoting famed management guru and educator Peter Drucker, “the best way to predict the future is to create it.” Fundamentally, the chemical industry is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible – creating solutions that are advancing humanity and economic prosperity and helping the planet and its people to continue to thrive into the future.
