Entries from Asian Chemical Connections tagged with 'US manufacturing revival'

The Saudi Feedstock Debate Intensifies

By John Richardson THE debate about the future competitiveness of Saudi petrochemicals versus the US is heating up. In January, we reported that Jamal Malaikah (see picture), the president of Saudi polypropylene (PP) producer National Petrochemical Industrial Co (NATPET), had...

Players In Europe And Asia Are Serious About Cheap US Ethane

A fascinating guest blog post by my colleague, Nigel Davis (see below) explores how excess US ethane supply could help raise the competitiveness of European and US crackers. Provided, of course, that there is sufficient demand. By Nigel Davis IT...

"You Can't Turn Back The Demographic Tide"

  By John Richardson Our argument ument that demographics drive demand is gaining greater traction. Demographic challenges apply both to developed markets, where populations are rapidly ageing, and to emerging markets such as China, which confronts ithe consequences of...

European Petchems Face Tough Choices

  By John Richardson AT LEAST one global polyolefins producer is rumoured to be shipping increased volumes of resin from the US to Europe in response to the shale gas-derived shift in competitiveness. "Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris is making...

US Manufacturing Exam Question

A lot more than just the standard Model T.,,, Source of picture: cCSU Archv/Everett/Rex Features By John Richardson THE question on my exam paper this Monday morning is what this outstanding article by the author, Charles Fishman, in The Atlantic...

US-China Trade Disputes Threat

By John Richardson CHINA'S 15.3 percent increase in exports in May, far greater than most analysts had expected, is being interpreted as a sign of the country's enduring economic strength. This is certainly good news for China amidst all the...

APIC: US Feedstock and Asia Optimism

By John Richardson FEEDSTOCK advantages in the US and the continued economic rise of Asia were some of the themes of last week's Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference (APIC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Steam crackers are being planned in abundance in...

North America Manufacturing Rebound

  By John Richardson THIS fascinating slide from Accenture, in a new study that the consultancy is about to release on the rebound in North American manufacturing competitiveness, quantifies the steep rise in relative labour costs in China between 2001...