Chemicals & Energy

With Robots in Control, Chemical Makers Fight for Their Formulas

June 14, 2018

Four decades ago as a young engineer working for Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd., Patrick Thomas helped install one of the sector’s first digital computer systems: a mahogany-encased machine now on display in a science museum.

Free Power From Freeways? China Is Testing Roads Paved With Solar Panels

June 13, 2018

The New York Times

On a smoggy afternoon in Jinan, China, huge log carriers and oil tankers thundered down a highway and hurtled around a curve at the bottom of a hill. Only a single, unreinforced guardrail stood between the traffic and a ravine.

One Day, Your Car Could Run on Fumes — From Power Plants

June 12, 2018

Industryweek

A Canadian startup is testing a system that sucks carbon dioxide from the air and converts it into fuel for cars and other vehicles.

Shale Country Is Out of Workers. That Means $140,000 for a Truck Driver and 100-Percent Pay Hikes

June 11, 2018

Los Angeles Times

Jerry Morales, the mayor of Midland, Texas, and a local restaurateur, is being whipsawed by the latest Permian Basin shale-oil boom.

Billions in U.S. Solar Projects Shelved After Trump Panel Tariff

June 8, 2018

Reuters

President Donald Trump’s tariff on imported solar panels has led U.S. renewable energy companies to cancel or freeze investments of more than $2.5bn in large installation projects, along with thousands of jobs, the developers told Reuters.

There Now Are More Job Openings in the U.S. Than Unemployed Workers to Fill Them

June 7, 2018

Los Angeles Times

The labor market has hit a tipping point that should help boost wages: There are more job openings in the U.S. than unemployed workers to fill them.

As Global Plastics Demand Expands, Sustainability ‘Key’ to Industry’s Future

June 1, 2018

IHS Markit

Global demand for polyethylene, the world’s most used plastic, has nearly doubled since 1999, but this growth in demand is being met with significant new market pressures, such as a rise in consumer expectations around sustainability, along with tightening environmental regulations in key growth markets such as China.

Utilities, Retailers Urged to Invest in Demand Side Management Products

May 31, 2018

Navigant Research

To enhance competitiveness and meet customer expectations of new technologies, utilities and retail suppliers should invest in customer-centric demand side management products, a report from Navigant Research says.

Chemical Plants Urged to Prepare for Damage from Natural Disasters

May 31, 2018

Reuters

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board has urged chemical plants to weigh the risks of natural disasters just as they would the integrity of pipes and production equipment.

EU Looks to Ban Single-Use Plastics, Such as Straws, Disposable Cutlery

May 31, 2018

Plastics News

The European Union is proposing a ban on many single-use plastics, with a goal to clean up the litter found on Europe’s beaches and seas.

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.