September 25, 2019 Aaa, September! In addition to thinking about all things fall, it’s National Preparedness Month. We wanted to be prepared, and help you be prepared, for chemical spills & releases in the workplace. How do you prepare for a chemical release in the workplace? First and foremost, employees should be familiar with all […]
Saudi Arabia Attack: Global Crisis or Weekend Panic?
September 17, 2019 Last weekend, major Saudi Arabian oil processing facilities were attacked in an ongoing feud within the region. Drones and missiles, of disputed origin, shut down half of Saudi Arabia’s production capacity, or approximately 5% of the global daily supply. How much of a disruption to crude oil supply and downstream chemical markets […]
UPDATE: ITC Deer Park Terminal Resumes Operations
June 6, 2019 A fire at the ITC Deer Park terminal in mid-March affected both supply and price of several commodity chemicals. Following a weeks-long cleanup process, in which over 20 million gallons of oily water were removed from the water and tank farm, the docks at ITC were approved for use in the first […]
Tariff Hike Will Affect Chemicals
May 10, 2019 Last night, tariffs on 200 billion dollars worth of material imported from China increased from 10% to 25%. The increase does include a number of commodity chemicals, and is likely to affect the global market. A few chemicals that could be potentially impacted are: Sodium Hydroxide Titanium Dioxide Acetic Acid Phosphates For […]
IPA On Hold While Houston Cleans Up
April 30, 2019 A massive clean-up of the Houston Ship Channel has been underway since the fire event last month at the ITC – Deer Park terminal. The Intercontinental Terminals Company is a major storage facility for petrochemicals, located on the Houston Ship Channel. Since the fire, waterways have resumed normal operations. However, according to […]
Acetone Glut Likely to Last
April 9, 2019 As China celebrates the Spring Festival mid-February, it is not uncommon for their inventory of petrochemicals, including Acetone, to reach an annual high. However, the inventories this year are staggering. Acetone inventory in China is presently at a 100% increase over last year. Storage facilities have reached bursting point as they turn […]
Two Fires Fuel Uncertainty for Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK)
March 26, 2019 The residents of Houston, TX found themselves under a hazardous cloud last week as a major storage facility for Shell Chemicals, ITC Deer Park terminal, blazed. Although only a few of the 242 tanks at ITC burned, and reports did not indicate that any of the tanks contained MEK, Shell Chemicals subsequently […]
Caustic Soda Update
December 18, 2018 Supply: Over the past few years, several factors have led to a global tightening of supply for Caustic Soda. In China, lackluster margins for co-product chlorine and new environmental regulations resulted in steady decline of availability, particularly for US imports. In Europe, the chlor-alkali sector committed in 2001 to phase out mercury-cell […]
Sodium Hydroxide Market Update
March 12, 2018 Supply: Over the past few years, several factors have led to a global tightening of supply for Caustic Soda. In China, lackluster margins for co-product chlorine and new environmental regulations have resulted in steady decline of available Caustic Soda, particularly for the export market. In Europe, the chlor-alkali sector committed in 2001 […]
NSF Certification
What is NSF? NSF is the leading global provider of public health and safety solutions, and is continuously meeting the needs of the community around them. This includes stakeholders, government agencies, and the overall business community. NSF started out in 1944 as the National Sanitation Foundation, which focused on the sanitation of soda fountains. This […]
