By John Richardson GOVERNMENT stimulus is crucial for protecting polyethylene (PE) markets in the West from the worst effects of the pandemic, in my opinion. The developing world is a different story because of the rise of extreme poverty. There are other factors behind the resilience of PE demand the US and the EU such […]
Chemical Connections
With so much hanging in the balance, let data light the way
The fourth quarter (Q4) of 2020 is the most consequential quarter in generations. It feels like hyperbole to type and sounds just as sensationalistic when said aloud, but not since Q4 1941, when the bombing of Pearl Harbor changed the US’ relationship with the rest of the globe for the next 80 years, has there […]
Polyethylene market recovery could be threatened by slower China crude buying, weaker economic growth
By John Richardson EVEN by China’s standards, where just about every number is eye-wateringly large, the data on oil imports during the first seven months of this year is quite extraordinary. Reuters writes: July seaborne arrivals into the world’s biggest oil importer are expected to surge to 14.4m bbl/day, Refinitiv analyst Emma Li said, well […]
No time to waste in solving ocean plastic dilemma
It feels like we could all use some good news, so how about this: We already have the capabilities to reduce ocean plastic waste by about 80% by 2040. That jolt of positivity comes from Breaking the Plastic Wave, a newly issued report by The Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ and thought partners – the […]
Why the polypropylene industry must switch from volumes to value
By John Richardson EVERYONE knows about the oversupply in the polyethylene (PE) market as it has been discussed in more presentations and conferences than any of have had hot dinners. But less understood is the extent of oversupply in the global polypropylene (PP) business, which you can see from the above chart on the left. […]
Helping the chemical supply chain not be BlackBerry
Market-driven economics work, even if they at first are overwhelmed by unprecedented demand. Such is the case with isopropanol (IPA), whose demand for use in sanitation remains at levels stronger than before the coronavirus pandemic gripped the world. But US IPA prices continue to fall from the stratospheric heights achieved in April when initial demand […]
China consulate closure underlines long-term split with US, potential big shift in petchems trade flows
By John Richardson A VIEW often expressed is that if Joe Biden wins the US presidential election in November, relationships between the US and China will greatly improve. I believe, though, that the die has already been cast because of a bipartisan consensus in the US that the geopolitical rise of China needs to be […]
Resilience of global polyethylene demand jeopardised by stimulus withdrawals
By John Richardson THE WORD on the street – what market participants have said about the polyethylene (PE) market – has portrayed a very consistent story since the pandemic began: Robust demand, despite what on paper is an enormous loss of incomes and wealth. One theory put forward to explain the resilience of demand is […]
Data drives home life changes for Americans amid pandemic
Apparently, right now is a good time to take a walk or drive around that new house you’ve bought. Well, maybe not you or I, but a lot of Americans seem to be doing that according to the data. CNBC compiled into a short post five charts that tell a fascinating story about our behaviours […]
Remote-working growth yields food for thought for supply chain
What opportunities and challenges does sustained growth in remote working present to FMCGs and retailers? With economies in the throes of various stages of reopening, debate has begun surrounding when businesses dominated by white-collar workers bring their employees back into an office setting. Even in states such as Texas where I am located, many companies […]
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