October's Top Articles: AI-Driven R&D, Safety Protocols, Energy Efficiency & Regulatory Updates

Last month, we explored how major chemical manufacturers are accelerating innovation timelines using AI, while others are addressing safety communication gaps and adapting to evolving regulatory frameworks.

Traci Purdum

Nov. 3, 2025

Chemical manufacturers are transforming their operations through strategic investments in AI and automation, with companies like BASF, Dow, and 3M dramatically reducing R&D timelines from years to months. Rapid innovation is exciting, but critical challenges still exist: ensuring immediate safety communication when incidents occur, implementing autonomous waste-detection systems that close monitoring loops and navigating major regulatory shifts. The EPA's proposed TSCA reforms signal a fundamental change in how chemical risks are evaluated, moving away from whole-chemical assessments toward more nuanced approaches. Success in today's chemical engineering landscape requires balancing technological acceleration with robust safety protocols, workforce adaptation, intellectual property protection, and proactive compliance strategies.

About the Author

Traci Purdum

Editor-in-Chief

Traci Purdum, an award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering manufacturing and management issues, is a graduate of the Kent State University School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Kent, Ohio, and an alumnus of the Wharton Seminar for Business Journalists, Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.