Chemicals & Energy

Construction Boom Could Boost Demand for Met Coal

November 23, 2016

Businesses that transport their goods via the highways, railways or the airways are likely to see an expansion of the nation's infrastructure. That's good news not just for companies that want to move their products in the most efficient manner possible. It may also be good news for a subset of the coal sector that produces so-called metallurgical coal for steelmaking.

Energy Agency Expects Another Oil Surplus in 2017

November 15, 2016

Maritime Executive

The oil market risks running another surplus in 2017 without an output cut from OPEC, as producers around the globe ramp up supply and demand growth falters, the International Energy Agency said last week.

Shell Says Demand for Oil Could Peak in 5 Years

November 9, 2016

Energy Voice

Royal Dutch Shell Plc, the world's second-biggest oil company by market value, thinks demand for oil could peak in as little as five years. Demand will peak before supply, says chief financial officer Simon Henry, and that peak will be driven by efficiency and substitution, more than offsetting the new demand for transport.

U.S. Commerce Department Reports Fall in Durable Goods Orders

November 3, 2016

CFO

U.S. durable goods orders fell in September, confirming another weak quarter for business spending, but core capital goods showed some signs of a recovery. The Commerce Department said orders for items meant to last three years decreased $0.3bn, or 0.1 percent, to $227.3bn in September, following a 0.3 percent increase in August.

U.S. Industrial Production Rose in September, Federal Reserve Reports

November 1, 2016

CFO

U.S. industrial production rose slightly in September, improving on August's decline but still showing the effects of low energy prices and the strong dollar. Output increased 0.1 percent in September after falling a downwardly revised 0.5 percent the previous month, according to the Federal Reserve. The gain was in line with economists' expectations, according to Reuters.

U.S. Producer Prices Rose More Than Expected in September, Economists Say

October 31, 2016

CFO

Prices paid by U.S. businesses for goods and services increased more than expected in September, economists said, amid other signs that inflationary pressures may be increasing. The Labor Department said its producer price index was up 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis compared with August. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected a 0.2 percent increase.

Target Passes Walmart as Top Corporate Solar Customer

October 28, 2016

Computerworld

Target has surpassed perennial champion Walmart as the U.S.'s top corporate user of solar power, according to a new report. Target has installed 147 megawatts of solar capacity on 300 stores, according to the 2016 Solar Means Business Report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

Chemical Industry Joins Fight Against Climate Change in Landmark Deal

October 25, 2016

The New York Times

Negotiators from more than 170 countries have reached a legally binding accord to counter climate change by cutting the worldwide use of a powerful planet-warming chemical used in air-conditioners and refrigerators.

Balancing Optimization and Response Planning in BioPharma with OMP Plus

October 18, 2016

Challenge: An innovative producer of vaccines including Pediatric, Specialty and Meningitis, was dealing with a complex multi-layered capacity constrained production plan with variable demand.

China's Weak Trade Report Suggests Worrisome Turn, Investors Say

October 18, 2016

Los Angeles Times

Bank stocks have been shaken after a steep drop in China's exports made investors worry again about the health of the world's second-largest economy. U.S. stocks gradually recovered most of their losses as safer investments such as utilities traded higher, the Associated Press reported.

Chemicals & Energy

The latest supply-chain news, analysis, trends and tools for executives in the chemicals and energy industries. Learn how chemical and energy companies and their suppliers around the world are managing the flow of products across all channels of the enterprise. Experts sound off on forecasting and demand planning, supply-chain visibility, logistics outsourcing, inventory optimization, transportation management, warehouse management, supply-chain security, corporate social responsibility and more.