In this episode of The Next Imperative, A&M Managing Directors Ojas Wadivkar and Joseph Coote join host Geoff Angulo to explain why the chemical industry is facing a fundamentally different downturn than in past cycles. They discuss how significant new capacity, especially from China, paired with slower demand growth is creating sustained pressure on margins across the globe.

The conversation also highlights how the impact is not the same everywhere. Europe is feeling outsized strain due to higher-cost, older assets, while India stands out as a brighter spot, particularly in specialty chemicals. Ojas and Joseph share why traditional cost-cutting moves are no longer enough, and why companies need to make tougher decisions on portfolio performance and focus on improvements inside the “four walls” of manufacturing, including conversion costs, energy, maintenance, and uptime. Watch to hear their practical take on what operators should prioritize now to stay competitive in a lower for longer environment.

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