Executive brief: Better Models Lead to Better Business Outcomes

Better Models Lead to Better Business Outcomes is an executive brief on the 2026 chemical industry outlook and the role of digital engineering tools in it. It describes a market expected to grow only about 2% amid tariffs, geopolitical instability and delayed capital spending, while advanced materials and semiconductor-related chemicals keep growing strongly. The brief then explains how manufacturers can choose the right simulation tool, weighing IT requirements, total cost, ease of adoption and technical support. It shows how CHEMCAD process simulation and Datacor’s Fathom, Impulse and Arrow hydraulic modeling tools support safer scale-up, troubleshooting and facility upgrades. It closes by showing how simulation drives sustainability and ESG performance, through better energy efficiency, lower emissions and evaluation of carbon capture and alternative feedstocks.