Transplace, a provider of transportation management services and logistics technology, has acquired M33 Integrated, a third-party logistics provider with strength in the packaging, chemical and advanced materials sectors.
Noelle Walsh, corporation vice president of supply chain with The Dow Chemical Company, outlines the chemical industry giant's efforts to become more customer-focused, while synchronizing its supply chain upstream to suppliers, and downstream to customers.
Hope and expectation surround the chemical industry's increasing adoption of biotechnological manufacturing - but today, their lengthy development times and complex processes mean frustration is a major byproduct.
The growth rate of the large and diverse chemical industry in North America tends to track GDP, but a confluence of factors is expected to accelerate the industry's growth relative to the overall economy during the next five to ten years. By the end of this period, the U.S. - representing more than 80 percent of the North American chemical market - will be a larger net exporter of chemicals than it is today.
Thanks to advancing capabilities and greater accessibility, the use of drones is continuing to increase. In fact, global drone sales reached $4.3m in 2015, a 167-percent jump from two years ago. This surge should come as no surprise as people find more and more useful ways to put drones to work.
Chemical shipping faces another tough year, but prospects are improving thanks to the strength of the product tanker market which is attracting a growing number of swing ships out of chemicals into products, according to the latest edition of the Chemical Forecaster, published by global shipping consultancy Drewry.
The recovery momentum for the chemical industry is expected to continue this year, backed by a strengthening U.S. economy, strength in the automotive space, healthy demand in emerging geographies and gradually convalescing construction markets.
Chemical tanker shipping faces another challenging year of falling freight rates in 2015, but the trade is expected to recover next year, according to the latest edition of the Chemical Forecaster, published by global shipping consultancy Drewry.
