Chemical Processing Minute Clinic

Chemical processing operators need training that mirrors real-world conditions, not idealized scenarios. The final six guidelines from Walter Schneider's research emphasize maintaining motivation through consequences, presenting complex contexts with distractions, intermixing tasks to build switching skills, and incorporating time pressure. Training should capture expert strategies that minimize workload—like focusing on key parameters rather than monitoring everything—and teach operators to triage actions during high-stress situations. By including realistic elements such as weather conditions, phone calls, and multiple simultaneous problems, training programs help operators learn what to prioritize and when. This naturalistic approach accelerates skill development for managing chemical plants' complex, fast-moving challenges.

eChem Expo, recently acquired by Chemical Processing's parent company EndeavorB2B, returns April 7-9, 2026, in Kingsport, Tennessee. Conference Director Damon Shackelford discusses the event's evolution from a regional gathering to a comprehensive three-part experience featuring an expo floor with nearly 200 vendors, professional conference sessions and technical seminars. This year's theme, "Energizing Growth and Resilience in a Competitive Landscape," addresses critical industry challenges including workforce development, AI integration, operational excellence and safety. New for 2026: inspector recertification credits meeting API guidelines. The market-led conference builds content through 100-plus stakeholder interviews with major manufacturers like Eastman Chemical, BAE Systems and BWXT, offering affordable professional development within driving distance for attendees from Cincinnati to Atlanta.

From light-driven catalysts to EPA debates, chemical sector balances technological advances with safety, economic and environmental challenges. Editor-in-Chief digs into what the audience was reading. 

The chemical industry faces flat growth, formaldehyde regulation debate, Venezuela oil investment push, winter storm threats and a cheesy viral moment.

Global chemical regulatory ‘best guess' for 2026 amid political shifts, litigation and evolving U.S. and European Union policies.  Each year, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C., its global consulting affiliate The Acta Group, and consortia management affiliate B&C Consortia Management, L.L.C., prepare a summary overview of things to come in the new year. We are pleased to present our Forecast 2026. Our global team of chemical experts works hard each year to summarize our collective best guess on what to expect in the new year regarding global industrial, agricultural and biocidal chemical regulatory and policy initiatives. This year's analysis was no easy feat, given the general capriciousness of the world in which we live, global geopolitical and trade tensions and the looming 2026 midyear elections.

In this Chemical Processing podcast, Traci Purdum and Dave Strobhar discuss training guidelines for operators. They cover five of 11 guidelines based on Walter Schneider's research: promoting consistent processing to build automaticity (where tasks become automatic), designing training for repeated practice of critical skills, avoiding memory overload through reference materials, varying training conditions to match real-world scenarios, and maintaining active trainee participation. Dave emphasizes practical applications like alarm recognition and emergency response training. The discussion highlights how proper training helps operators perform effectively under stress by developing automatic responses to critical situations rather than relying solely on conscious thought.

Cautiously Optimistic Despite Near-Term Headwinds U.S. chemical sector shows resilience with long-term growth potential amid trade uncertainties and uneven recovery. Martha Gilchrist Moore, chief economist for the American Chemistry Council, offers her predictions for the coming year.  Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum reads the column. You can read the article here.

Alexandra Savino explains why new data showing recycled plastics contain more hazardous substances than virgin materials is driving Extended Producer Responsibility reforms that link compliance to chemical performance. Key Highlights EPR now includes chemical safety, increasing scrutiny on contaminants like metals, PFAS and PAHs in post-consumer recycled plastics. Upstream accountability is growing, with regulators and brand owners requiring chemical producers to verify product safety and recyclability data. Proactive compliance creates opportunity, as processors that audit, reformulate and improve traceability can gain an advantage in chemically safe recycling. Read the column here.

Welcome to the year-end edition of Distilled News. To wrap up 2025, we will review some of the top stories coming from the chemical industry over the past 12 months.

This episode of Distilled features the final 2025 Vaaler Award winner: Flowserve's INNOMAG TB-MAG Dual Drive. This sealless pump technology provides secondary containment through the pump itself rather than the motor, unlike canned motor pumps. The system prevents catastrophic leaks of toxic and corrosive fluids while handling up to 30% solids. Nick Rentzelos, the technology's inventor and Flowserve's director, explains how the maintenance-free design addresses the skilled workforce shortage and stringent safety regulations. The pump features hydrodynamic silicon carbide bearings that don't wear, requires no seal replacement or shaft alignment, and easily retrofits into existing facilities. Energy-efficient carbon fiber containment shells replace traditional metal cans, reducing friction and motor drag while keeping hazardous fluids completely isolated from electrical components.

Yokogawa's Vaaler Award-winning reinforcement learning algorithm reduces implementation time, balances plant objectives and achieves rapid learning in trials. Factorial Kernel Dynamic Policy Programming, or FKDPP, a reinforcement learning AI developed by Yokogawa and the NARA Institute of Science and Technology and applied by Yokogawa to process industries is the first reinforcement learning AI to autonomously control complex chemical processes, FKDPP complements manual and conventional control methods like PID and advanced process control. Karthik Gopalakrishnan, part of the digital transformation, smart manufacturing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and industrial automation team at Yokogawa, discusses the award-winning tech with EIC Traci Purdum

Vaaler Award winning technology allows operators to forgo traditional insulation systems and all the associated labor, materials, inspection, and maintenance expenses in favor of a spray-applied coating that retains process heat, protects personnel, and eliminates corrosion under insulation. Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum chats with Neil Wilds, global product director, Corrosion Under Insulation Testing, to learn how this innovation earned a Vaaler Award. Neil is affiliated with the Sherwin-Williams Protective and Marine Products line. 

Deloitte forecasts 0.2% production decline as industry faces "confused sea state," German sentiment plummets, and environmental groups challenge Trump's chemical plant exemptions. Welcome to Distilled News, where Jonathan Katz, executive editor of Chemical Processing,  looks back at the top stories each month on Chemicalprocessing.com. 

There are many things to consider with flow measurement technology, including prioritizing safety features for hazardous processes and remote locations. Additionally, the proper instrumentation prevents leaks and environmental incidents while supporting efficiency and operations. To help us better understand all things involved, Chemical Processing spoke with David Wright, global product manager at Emerson. In his role, he supports flow measurement products in a variety of industries, including oil and gas, chemical, refining and food and beverage. This episode is sponsored by Emerson.

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.

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.  

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.

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.

The Trump administration has proposed to eliminate the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board by October 2026, citing fiscal responsibility and redundancy. Industry experts oppose this move, warning it would remove crucial disaster prevention oversight despite the agency's modest $14 million budget. Meanwhile, recycling advances continue: Eastman expanded molecular recycling operations to 110,000 metric tons annually in Tennessee, while BASF launched Europe's largest battery recycling plant, processing nearly 40,000 EV batteries yearly. On the innovation front, Department of Energy researchers developed a photosynthesis-inspired catalyst that selectively converts CO2 into formate using light, potentially revolutionizing industrial chemical production by avoiding unwanted byproducts that plague current conversion methods.

Did you know that today — June 23 — is International Women in Engineering Day (INWED)? Launched by the Women's Engineering Society (WES) in the UK in 2014, the event has since grown into an internationally recognized awareness campaign celebrated by various organizations, institutions, and individuals around the world. Each year, INWED adopts a specific theme to focus on women's contributions to engineering and STEM. This year's theme is “Together We Engineer.” From the days of Cleopatra to contemporary chemical engineers, we look at the women who transformed modern life through innovations touching nearly every aspect of human existence. #INWED2025

In this episode, Traci and Dave focus on training evaluation as the final component of instructional system design. Dave explains that evaluation has two aspects: specific (assessing whether students learned what was taught in a particular course) and global (determining if training improves actual job performance). The key insight is that evaluation methods should align directly with learning objectives. If objectives are correctly written to be objective and measurable, they define how students should be evaluated. Most companies fail at proper evaluation, relying on subjective assessments rather than objective testing. High-fidelity simulators and process data can measure actual performance improvements in real-world transfer evaluations. However, evaluation should focus on system performance rather than individual blame.

In Case You Missed It brings the written word to life. In today's episode, Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum will read an article from Lauren Neal, Chemical Processing's Workforce Matters columnist. This column “Small Acts, Big Impact: How Micro-Behaviors Shape Teams” was published to our website June 4, 2025 You know that feeling. You're in a team meeting, presenting a solid idea, and someone smirks. Another person rolls their eyes. Then silence. No one says a word. That's a micro-behavior. A subtle action that doesn't show up in the org chart or the risk register but does show up in the culture and your team's morale, retention and performance.

In this episode, Executive Editor Jonathan Katz reviews the top news stories for May 2025. Trump's budget cuts and EPA changes reshape the chemical industry amid expansion.

In Chemical Processing's Distilled Podcast, we discuss flaws in operator training, focusing on "time to train." Companies can waste millions of dollars by not optimizing training duration, often using fixed-length programs regardless of trainees' prior experience. Feedback loops to adjust training time based on individual competency and learning objectives are imperative. Indeed, proper assessment could identify struggling trainees and high performers who could be fast-tracked.

This episode from Chemical Processing's Distilled podcast shares industry best practices for chemical plant reliability and maintenance. Key recommendations include understanding equipment failure modes through predictive maintenance techniques like vibration analysis and thermography, developing balanced preventive maintenance programs that avoid over-maintaining equipment, and conducting thorough root cause analysis using methods such as 5-why analysis and fishbone diagrams.

With Easter just behind us and chocolate consumption hitting its second-quarter 2025 peak, it's a good time to reflect on the theological and processing developments that have got us where we are today. In this In Case You Missed It Episode, Chemical Processing's Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum brings the written word to life, and Seán Ottewell, editor-at-large, provides the story. The original column was posted to the site on May 5, 2025. Chocoholics unite!

Executive Editor Jonathan Katz highlights the news of April 2025. Trump's EPA eases regulations while confusion stalls recycling innovation and Dow delays climate investments.

Olivia followed all the right steps. As a chemical engineer at a major manufacturing plant, she had a mentor – a senior colleague who gave her great advice on career growth, technical skills and workplace challenges. She networked, took on projects and worked hard. Yet, after years of effort, she was still in the same role, watching others get ahead. Then she met Rahul, a senior executive who didn't just advise – he advocated. This In Case You Missed It episode features a column by Lauren Neal, Chemical Processing's Workforce Matters columnist. It is read by Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum.

This Earth Day, the chemical industry finds itself at a crossroads in an era of deregulation. Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, you learn early on all the things that put the city on the map. Two local cartoonists, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, gave the world Superman. The city pioneered traffic safety with the world's first electric signal in 1914, forever changing how streets operate. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame calls Cleveland home, as does the house from "A Christmas Story," where the warning "You'll shoot your eye out" is synonymous with Red Ryder BB guns. And yes, our river caught fire — more than once.

In this episode, Traci and Dave discuss the importance of practice in operator training programs. Practice is often overlooked despite being crucial. Realistic scenarios that mimic real-world conditions, including time constraints and environmental challenges, are beneficial to anchoring lessons learned. Feedback loops are also necessary to evaluate individual performance and improve training programs. The new concept of micro training, in addition to having operators teach others, helps operators continuously practice their skills.

In a recent episode of Ear on Processing from Chemical Processing's sister brand Processing, chief editor, Jesse Osborne, sat down with Greene Tweed's business development manager for life sciences markets. They discussed the importance of sustainability for process manufacturers and outlined how Green Tweed's FFKM products are assisting in that regard.   Enjoy this bonus episode of Distilled.

Trade organizations express concern over rising costs and supply chain disruptions. This episode takes a look at how the Trump administration's whiplash tariffs will impact the chemical industry.

A power shift is underway at the EPA as former American Chemistry Council representatives are positioned to assume key roles under the Trump administration, potentially reshaping the agency's regulatory approach. Meanwhile, safety concerns remain paramount as the U.S. Chemical Safety Board continues investigating a deadly reactor explosion at a Louisville food additive plant that claimed two workers' lives. The CSB has also released new reports analyzing recent industrial accidents to prevent future incidents. In corporate news, major chemical and energy companies including BASF, Chevron, DuPont, and Shell have announced significant executive leadership changes that could influence industry direction in the coming months.

Electromagnetic flow meters are volumetric flow meters that use electromagnetic induction to measure liquid velocity. This measurement method is highly accurate at measuring water-based fluids as they pass through a pipe. They are cost-effective, long-lasting and compatible with existing technology. However, there are things to consider before investing in this technology. Chemical Processing chatted with Joseph Incontri, director of marketing North America at Krohne, to help us understand the pros and cons.

In this episode, Traci and Dave discuss how learning objectives fit into instructional system design. Learning objectives should be measurable, not subject to interpretation, and directly testable. Unlike vague goals like "understand distillation," effective objectives specify demonstrable skills.