| Business Trends Prior to the hardships faced during the global pandemic, the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) industry was already facing several challenges. This month's Business Trends examines these challenges, the current global EPC market and how EPC firms can increase competitiveness and profits. The integration of BASF's new Ludwigshafen acetylene plant into its Verbund system offers advantages such as efficient use of resources, excellent production synergies and short supply routes. Photo courtesy of BASF SE.