Business & Economics
Addressing water scarcity
The threat of water scarcity may not be a top concern for those who have readily available freshwater to meet their daily needs. But for about two billion people who currently live in areas experiencing high water stress and the…
Business News: September 2019
Plant Watch Ineos breaks ground for Bayport ASA plant August 12, 2019 — Ineos Styrolution GmbH (Frankfurt, Germany; www.ineos-styrolution.com) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for its new acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) plant in Bayport, Tex. The new site, which is designed…
Chemical Activity Barometer down in August, ACC says
The Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), fell 0.1 percent in August on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis, following a similar drop in July and four months…
NOVA Chemicals names new director of sustainability
NOVA Chemicals Corporation (Calgary, Alberta; www.novachem.com), a leading supplier of polyethylene in the Americas, is pleased to announce that Sarah Marshall has been appointed to a newly-created role of Director of Sustainability. Marshall will be responsible for leading cross-functional efforts…
U.S. specialty chemical markets start Q3 on soft note, ACC says
The American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) reported that reflecting soft manufacturing production, U.S. specialty chemicals market volumes eased 0.1 percent in July, after a 0.2 percent gain in June, small gains in April and May and a generally…
Former UN leader to become inaugural CEO of Alliance to End Plastic Waste
The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW; Washington, D.C.; www.endplasticwaste.org) today announced that Jacob Duer will serve as the inaugural President and CEO of the newly formed not-for-profit organization, effective October 1. Duer joins the AEPW from the United Nations,…
Survey finds process safety stuck in status quo, Sphera says
Companies responding to the 2019 Operational Risk and Process Safety Management Survey* conducted by Sphera (Chicago, Ill.; www.sphera.com), the largest global provider of integrated risk management software and information services, say safety is an executive level priority for their organizations, but…
ACC publishes 2019 edition of “Guide to the Business of Chemistry” report
The American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) this week issued its 2019 edition of the Guide to the Business of Chemistry, a detailed economic profile of the chemistry industry and its contributions to the U.S. and global economies. American…
SNF is investing $1.2 billion over three years to increase polyacrylamide production
In the last two years, SNF Group (Andrezieux, France; www.snf.com) has added 75,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of powder-grade polyacrylamide (PAM) production capacity globally to match the increased demand for EOR (enhanced oil recovery) applications. By the end of…
2019 CEPCI Updates: June (prelim.) and May (final)
The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI; the most recent available) for June 2019 decreased from the previous month’s value. The decline is the fourth within the last five months. Decreases in the Equipment, Buildings and Engineering…