The European plastics industry has published a manifesto alerting officials in Brussels to the many impediments it faces, and which it hopes will influence European Union policy.
After battling strong headwinds in 2013, chemical stocks have begun to bounce back this year driven in large part by the surging shale energy boom and a booming North American market. While any downturn in the economy could weigh on this cyclical sector, market dynamics and management strategies look poised to reward investors with performance gains and respectable dividend yields.
An Environmental Protection Agency proposed rule that would require modified and reconstructed power plants to meet two different carbon dioxide emissions standards under separate provisions of the Clean Air Act is illegal, states and industry groups said.
The bio-based products and renewable chemical industry in the United States is growing and offers significant economic benefits, including job creation in numerous sectors, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The manufacturing sector, already a leading component of the U.S. economy, would benefit significantly if the crude oil ban were lifted, according to a new study.
Wide-scale deployment of emerging technology that converts used, non-recycled plastics into oil could generate up to $9bn in annual U.S. economic output and create upwards of 40,000 domestic jobs, according to a report released by the American Chemistry Council.
The U.S. petrochemical resurgence is being closely watched in Europe where companies are wondering whether the deluge of North American shale gas will sap away their competitive advantage.
The furious pace of energy exploration in North Dakota is creating a crisis for farmers whose grain shipments have been held up by a vast new movement of oil by rail, leading to millions of dollars in agricultural losses and slower production for breakfast cereal giants like General Mills.
The rapid progress of technology, such as big data and analytics, sensors, and control systems, offers oil and gas companies the chance to automate high-cost, dangerous or error-prone tasks. Most oil and gas operators are starting to capture these opportunities and would do well to accelerate their efforts. Companies that successfully employ automation can significantly improve their bottom line.