Two years ago, an operator was told she wasn’t “management material.” But only six months later – new manager, new opportunity – she was leading a cross-site safety improvement project. Her potential didn’t change. The lens did. In chemical facilities, we monitor pressure to the decimal. We track every deviation in flow, temperature and system response. But when it comes to people — especially how we judge their potential — we’re often running on hunches, habit and hierarchy. Editor Traci Purdum reads the column "Leadership Potential Isn’t Fixed, It’s Shaped by Who’s Looking" from Workforce Matters. 

Executive Editor Jonathan Katz gets all spooky with this month's news. Major chemical companies accelerate development using artificial intelligence and robotics, even as economic pressures force European plant shutdowns and project delays.

In this sponsored Solutions Spotlight, KROHNE experts discuss flow measurement technologies for chlor-alkali processes, covering mag meters, Coriolis meters, entrained gas management and safety integrity levels. Three Key Takeaways Virtual reference technology eliminates leak paths in mag meters by using a non-wetted grounding methodology, reducing costs and maintenance risks in corrosive applications. Straight-tube Coriolis meters offer advantages over bent-tube designs: easier installation, less pressure drop, reduced abrasion, simpler cleaning and competitive pricing with custody transfer accuracy. Entrained gas management is essential for process reliability — it keeps Coriolis meters measuring during two-phase flow conditions and provides early warning of upstream equipment problems like cavitating pumps or failing seals. This episode is sponsored by KROHNE

In this episode, Traci Purdum and Dave Strohbar explore why traditional training approaches fail operators in chemical processing plants. They examine misconceptions about practice, simulator fidelity, motivation, accuracy versus acceptable performance, early assessment reliability, and the gap between theory and practical skills. 

This episode discusses how AI accelerates materials discovery in the chemical industry. While challenges exist—messy data, black box models, and skills gaps—AI enables simulations that once took days on supercomputers to run in seconds on laptops. Young advocates a "crawl, walk, run" approach for implementation, starting with low-stakes trials before full integration. He envisions an "in silico-first" future where materials are screened virtually before physical testing, dramatically reducing R&D timeframes from years to months.

Environmental consultant Dave Russell recounts his involvement in the Ecuador lawsuit against Texaco/Chevron over Amazon rainforest contamination. Hired in 2003 to assess cleanup costs, Russell produced a $6.1 billion estimate based on unverified assumptions—a "SWAG" (Scientific Wild Ass Guess) that helped secure a $9.5 billion judgment. However, his soil samples revealed the primary toxins were missing, and ongoing contamination came from Petro Ecuador, not Chevron. The case unraveled when Chevron exposed massive fraud.

In this bonus episode, which was originally recorded for Chemical Processing's sister brand, Processing, KHRONE's Joe Incontri, director of marketing, discusses the company’s flow meter lineup. This episode is sponsored by KROHNE  

EPA fires staff over dissent letter while industry groups push for faster chemical reviews before 2026 TSCA reauthorization deadline are among the top news stories in September 2025. Executive Editor Jonathan Katz reviews all you need to know.

With 5 million tons of new polyethylene capacity hitting saturated markets and Trump's legislative agenda threatening green investments, chemical firms are scrambling to adjust, says Maine Pointe's Stephen Ottley.  

Joe Incontri from KROHNE explains how radar level measurement devices work using high-frequency time measurement technology. He covers radar's advantages over ultrasonic alternatives, including better resolution and smaller antennas, while addressing challenges like density measurement limitations and interference from dust or agitated surfaces. The conversation highlights radar's cost-effectiveness and simplified setup processes, concluding with KROHNE's pioneering role in introducing FMCW radar technology in the early 1980s and their 50-year industry experience. This episode is sponsored by KROHNE

Consider safeguarding senior leaders from burnout in high-stakes projects as an extension of design for safety. In Case You Missed It brings the written word to life. In today’s episode, Chemical Processing's Editor in Chief, Traci Purdum, will be reading an article from Lauren Neal, CP’s Workforce Matters Columnist.  Who Protects the Protectors? Which was published to chemicalprocessing.com on Sept. 3, 2025  

Executive Editor Jonathan Katz reviews the top news for August 2025: Eastman Chemical faces setbacks as it appeals the Trump administration's cancellation of $1.2 billion in funding for its Texas plastic recycling facility, while seeking alternative locations for its methanolysis technology. International climate efforts stalled when UN plastics treaty negotiations in Geneva failed to reach an agreement among 2,600 participants from 183 countries over production limits and funding responsibilities. Safety concerns persist at Didion Milling, where federal investigators report unaddressed recommendations eight years after fatal 2017 explosions. On a positive note, researchers have developed a promising water-based electrochemical method for ammonia synthesis using palladium membranes, potentially replacing alcohol-based processes.

If you spend enough time dealing with particulate solids, you’ll encounter very sticky solids and end up spending countless hours cleaning out a plugged distributor, opening a discharge chute or banging on the vessel to get the solids to flow. There are many reasons solids clump or stick to surfaces. Let’s face it: sticky solids need special attention. But first, we must identify the source of the stickiness.  In this episode, Traci Purdum, CP's editor-in-chief, reads a column from Solids Advice columnist Tom Blackwood.  You can read the column here.

While bubble-cap trays excel in low-leakage and turndown applications, operators should also be aware of additional challenges such as vapor blowing that can occur at high vapor rates and low liquid rates.

This episode discusses the complex challenge of managing PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) chemicals amid evolving regulations. Phil Molé from Velocity EHS explains that companies struggle to identify PFAS in their inventories due to vague product names and changing chemical compositions. PFAS are persistent, bioaccumulative toxins that resist biodegradation and contaminate the environment, driving regulatory action across federal, state and international jurisdictions. Companies must prioritize phase-outs based on their operating locations and applicable regulations, such as EPA's Form R reporting requirements (with a low 100-pound threshold for PFAS) and EU REACH regulations.  

In a recent episode of Amplified from Control magazine, host Keith Larson interviews Brian Reynolds (Honeywell CTO), Alicia Kempf (Honeywell Director Offering Management), and David Patin (ExxonMobil TDC Modernization Program Lead Engineer). The discussion took place at the 2025 Honeywell User Group meeting, celebrating 50 years since the first Honeywell TDC 2000 installation in 1975. The conversation traces the evolution of distributed control systems from centralized cabinet rooms in the 1970s-80s to today's truly distributed architecture with Universal IO and virtualization. Key developments include automated device commissioning, which reduced loop checks from hours to minutes, and the ability to modernize legacy systems on-process without shutdowns.

This week's episode includes exclusive, unpublished content related to Trump administration's R&D cuts within the EPA and their potential effects on environmental research priorities. Recent chemical industry developments highlight regulatory tensions and operational changes. EPA workers are protesting new leadership under Zeldin, with 139 employees placed on administrative leave amid accusations of science politicization and environmental justice program cuts. Trump granted the chemical industry a two-year EPA exemption, addressing industry concerns about previous regulations. Meanwhile, Braskem launched its $89 million Brave Future ethane carrier as part of fleet expansion, while Dow announced closures of three European plants by 2027 to improve margins. Researchers developed a breakthrough catalytic method converting biopolymers into recyclable high-performance plastics.

Using new 3D fluorescence imaging, scientists have identified how aging polymer coatings generate corrosive compounds, leading to improved preservation strategies for cultural artifacts. In today’s episode, Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum will be reading a column from editor-at-large Seán Ottewell – “Why Protective Coatings Damage Metal Artifacts — and How to Fix It,” which was posted to our site on July 7, 2025

Get your sea legs ready. The economy is getting choppy, according to Martha Gilchrist Moore, chief economist and managing director, economics and statistics at the American Chemistry Council (ACC).

Are you leaving $7.7 million on the table? A single chemical plant identified annual energy savings worth that much through an analysis that took just months to complete. The payback period? Less than two years. The solution? None other than your chemical engineering 101 heat integration through pinch analysis and heat exchanger network optimization. Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum reads the latest Energy Saver column written by Thomas Kwan.