BP are aiming for their new joint venture in China to provide drivers with a fresh, fully-charged battery in less than a minute – and save 2 million tonnes of CO2
Chemicals and the Economy
The trend is your friend in the smartphone market
Two core trends are playing out in the smartphone market, now it has gone ex-growth. The weaker players are suffering major hits to their revenue and profits. And the most successful company, Apple, is busy accelerating its move into the more service-based markets of the future.
Plastics industry feedstocks at risk from the rise of Electric Vehicles
The plastics industry as we know it today, may well start to move into an endgame as it is squeezed from both ends of the value chain.
Chart of the Year – the surge in Electric Vehicle sales will disrupt auto, oil and petrochemical markets
The implications of the rise in EV sales go well beyond the auto and oil markets, with petrochemicals likely to be next in line for disruption. This is why the surge in EV sales up the S-curve of adoption has to be my Chart of the Year.
Plastics producers need to move to recycled feedstocks as Western refineries start to close
Plastics producers are now being squeezed from both ends of the value chain. Upstream, the growing demand for Electric Vehicles is starting to lead to refinery closures, reducing feedstock availability. Downstream, brand owners are stepping up the pressure for increased use of recycled plastic, as the new Global Commitment report from the Ellen Macarthur Foundation […]
Smartphone sales decline highlights need to move to a more service-based business model
Global smartphone sales took a hit in Q3, disappointing those who had hoped the economy might be moving into full recovery mode. And the market continues to see a major shift in consumer preferences: Back in 2013, sales were in turbo-charged growth mode, with volume rising 41% by year-end. And 2014 saw volume up 31%, […]
PlasticsEurope calls for mandatory 30% recycling target for packaging by 2030
The European plastics industry last week took the crucial first step in moving away from virgin plastics towards a circular economy. It supported the Commission’s proposal for a mandatory 30% recycled content in plastics packaging by 2030. And it argued that this could only be achieved by the use of chemical recycling. It is hard […]
Samsung stumbles in global smartphone market as Xiaomi overtakes Apple
Smartphone sales confirm that global markets are continuing to pivot to the New Normal world. Back in 2014, Samsung dominated with its middle market positioning. But since then, its position has been squeezed as the market polarises between low-cost Chinese suppliers and Apple’s focus on adding services. Every third smartphone used to be a Samsung. […]
Brand-owners start to focus on renewable carbon
The original debate on plastics recycling owed its prominence to Ellen MacArthur, the yachtswoman who was appalled by the volume of plastic waste in the oceans, as she sailed round the world. This led her to set up her Foundation, which soon began to work with the World Economic Forum in developing the New Plastics […]
“One size no longer fits all” as the global smartphone market breaks down into different segments
The pandemic was very good news for some companies, with demand for online activities rocketing. But whilst many parts of the developing world are still suffering, most developed countries are now starting to reopen as vaccinations spread. Western companies are now struggling for chip supplies, due to their lack of local investment. The Chinese market […]
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