GLG News by Council Members Knowledgeable about Oleochemicals

Business in South America is growing. Automobile production in Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuelais reaching record capacity, chemical suppliers are keeping up with demand and planning expansions to satisfy future increased demand.Some local companies are benefiting from strong demand and a weakening dollar....

Multinational pharmaceutical chemical manufacturers are proceeding with many projects/partnerships in China. They need the low cost materials to compete with Chinese and Indian suppliers.Asia is a very desirable place for fine chemical manufacturer due to low costs (in part due to low wages); however,...

·World demand for polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is sustaining their growth. ·Polystyrene producers’ margins have been cut by increased feedstock costs and decreasing demand.

·Sustainable Chemistry has gained importance in the R and D facilities of chemical producers worldwide; sparked by environmental legislation such as the EU’s REACH (registration, evaluation, and authorization of chemicals)program. ·Industry leaders (such as Akzo Nobel, BASF, Bayer, Dow Chemical,...

India’s national policy for Petrochemicals is designed to raise investments to over $9 billion over the next 5 years. These investments are designed to: secure a larger piece of the Asian polymer market for India; create a high-quality infrastructure for their petrochemical industry; stimulate domestic...

NA exterior exterior architectural coatings market was 5-6% lower in 2006 than 2005; interior coatings was up 1% in the same period.The exterior coatings market face several challenges: raw material price increases; a slowdown in the economy; customer and channel consolidation; manufacturer consoli...

Demand for specialty silica is predicted to go up 5.4%/yr, to $1.65 billion in 2011 in the U.S. Electrical and electronic demand is growing rapidly. ·Volume will grow, but prices will moderate from high 2006 levels; thus added value will be somewhat limited. ·Volume will grow, but prices will...

Bayer has 17-18% of the world agchem market ($34-35.4 billion). Supplies of agricultural products are tightening due to: population growth; climate changes; biofuel demand. Bayer bioscience business increased 6% to ~$359 million and is projected to grow to $1.36 billion by 2015.

·The acquisition of ICI by Akzo increases its share in the architectural paint market as well as expanding its global reach, especially in the Far East. ·Henkel will buy National Starch’s chemicals, adhesives, and electronics materials business; this will help finance the $16 billion...

·The growing chemical production from emerging countries has the European Commission, via its High Level Group (HLG), looking for ways to improve the competitive position of the European chemical industry. ·The Mideastand Asia/Pacific are rapidly becoming major areas for the...