ICIS Blogs : gm

Chrysler bankruptcy to last years, not months

Chemicals & The Economy — Wed, 13 May 2009 08:55:18 GMT

More details are now emerging of the US government's plans for Chrysler. Initially President Obama said he hoped the bankruptcy process would only last 60 days. But according to Bloomberg , the administration now accepts that this period will just...(read more)

Chrysler's bankruptcy marks dawn of new reality

Chemicals & The Economy — Sun, 03 May 2009 06:34:59 GMT

The International eChem team are very experienced in turnarounds and restructurings. We have undertaken these both as employees within our former companies, and then as advisers. This has taught us to be alert for the 'tipping point', when a situation...(read more)

GM bankruptcy threatens auto supply chain

Chemicals & The Economy — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:28:11 GMT

It seems highly likely that GM, the largest US car manufacturer, will enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in the next few weeks. Chrysler, the 4th largest US company, may well follow them. This raises a number of serious issues for chemical companies...(read more)

GM plans 2 month summer shutdown

Chemicals & The Economy — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:17:42 GMT

The prospect of bankruptcy is finally sharpening the knife at GM. As the blog noted last month , inventories are at astronomical levels. 781000 vehicles were in stock at the end of February, and this figure had only dropped by 15000 vehicles during March...(read more)

US auto sales start to bottom

Chemicals & The Economy — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:00:50 GMT

The blog may be over-optimistic, but as with US house markets , it is hopeful that US auto market may have hit at least a temporary bottom. Spring should be a good period for sales, and March saw auto volumes down 37% versus 2008. This was a relatively...(read more)

Obama gets tough on US auto industry

Chemicals & The Economy — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:45:20 GMT

There has been plenty of speculation that President Obama's mid-West background might tempt him to take a soft line on the troubled automotive industry. But his comments on Thursday that there has been "a lot of mismanagement of the auto industry...(read more)

US auto sales remain depressed

Chemicals & The Economy — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:27:15 GMT

February brought no relief for the troubled US auto industry, so critical to chemical sales. Sales were down 41% versus 2008. Even more worryingly, sales over the past quarter, and last 6 months, averaged under 10 million/year. Chrysler's results...(read more)

Belgium and Netherlands may grow GM poplars for biofuels

The Big Biofuels Blog — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:22:45 GMT

Belgium and the Netherlands may find themselves in a race to grow the first GM poplars for biofuels. According to a story in Nature Biotechnology and quoted by Biofuel Watch in an email, the Dutch Government may approve the planting of poplars for biofuel...(read more)

Alternative fuel interest highest ever

Green Chemicals — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:44:30 GMT

Bookmark & Share To: From: Note: Email Favorites Digg Del.icio.us MySpace Google Facebook Live Yahoo Buzz More ... Yesterday, I attended a press conference hosted by BIO (Biotechnology Industry Organization) on the launch of a biofuel study conducted...(read more)

European auto sales slide continues

Chemicals & The Economy — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:24:03 GMT

European auto sales fell 25% in January, according to JD Power . This equals an annualised rate of just 11m cars, the lowest since the early 1990's. 13.6m were sold in 2008. And although the forecaster hopes for some improvement later in the year...(read more)

GM, Chrysler's US sales collapse

Chemicals & The Economy — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:12:59 GMT

January's US auto sales figures gave no hope that demand is yet bottoming out. Volumes were down 41% versus 2008. As the chart shows, the main pain was felt by GM and Chrysler, who saw sales down 49% and 55% respectively. A key factor in the downturn...(read more)

US auto sales at 1992 levels

Chemicals & The Economy — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:20:20 GMT

December was another bad month for US auto sales, with volumes down 36% versus 2007. Total 2008 sales of 13.2 million were the lowest since 1992, when the economy bottomed in the 1990-4 recession. As the chart shows, sales volumes dropped continuously...(read more)

Bacteria can make branched longer chain alcohols

The Big Biofuels Blog — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:16:20 GMT

Nature reports that researchers have genetically modified bacteria to produce waste products that are high in branched long-chain alcohols. These have higher octane numbers than conventional ethanol and find it harder to absorb water than shorter chain...(read more)

November US auto sales down 37%

Chemicals & The Economy — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:05:13 GMT

US auto makers today told Congress their "rescue plan" now needs $34bn in support, whilst GM and Chrysler said they need an $11bn loan "just to survive the year". US sales were down 37% in November, and are at their lowest annual rate...(read more)

Dangling the hybrid carrot

Green Chemicals — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:15:22 GMT

According to several news reports, majority of US folks (including Congress) are against bailing out the cash-strapped Big 3 automobile makers -- GM, Ford and privately-held Chrysler -- but there are worries especially within environmental groups if the...(read more)