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Tighter supply chain management is the goal OEMs and their coatings suppliers are forming closer partnerships in an ever more complex challenge to balance regulations, costs and globalization requirements. Environmental [...]

David Parsons settles down to be interviewed in the frenzied offices of his troupe, Parsons Dance Company. Phones are ringing steadily. People are coming and going, and Parsons greets each [...]

JOYCE THEATER JULY 21-AUGU5T 2, 1997 REVIEWED BY ALICE NAUDE Ten years ago ODC/San Francisco developed a danced version of the well-loved children's book, The Velveteen Rabbit. Now choreographers Brenda [...]

Small venues are particularly well suited to tightly constructed dances, for their intimate atmosphere can foster an emotional immediacy. Two young choreographers, Beth Coiner and Eun Me Ahn, used tight [...]

Small venues are particularly well suited to tightly constructed dances, for their intimate atmosphere can foster an emotional immediacy. Two young choreographers, Beth Coiner and Eun Me Ahn, used tight [...]

Small venues are particularly well suited to tightly constructed dances, for their intimate atmosphere can foster an emotional immediacy. Two young choreographers, Beth Coiner and Eun Me Ahn, used tight [...]

Small venues are particularly well suited to tightly constructed dances, for their intimate atmosphere can foster an emotional immediacy. Two young choreographers, Beth Coiner and Eun Me Ahn, used tight [...]

Chemical distributors oppose the proposed extension of the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory reporting requirements to them. Those requirements currently cover the chemical manufacturing industry. Distributors consider the extension unnecessary, in light of the chemical industry's Responsible Care and Responsible Distribution Process environmental initiatives. They also point out that their business is not at all like chemical manufacturing.

Changes in Western Europe's patent laws are forcing generic drug manufacturers to consider alternate suppliers of the bulk active ingredients needed for the production of these drugs. In 1996, between 75% and 80% of active ingredients for generics production come from Western European suppliers. The implementation of the Supplemental Protection Certificates program in Western Europe may drive manufacturers to low-cost manufacturing regions such as Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America to obtain supplies of the necessary bulk active ingredients.

Cost-containment pressures are continuing to prompt acquisition and merger activity among pharmaceutical firms. Another factor shaping the industry's consolidation is attempts by companies to position themselves to meet the changing US healthcare system's needs. The industry's biggest 1995 merger was Glaxo's $14 billion acquisition of Wellcome. Other acquisitions are discussed.

The growing hydrocolloids and polsaccharides market is worth $600 million in the US, according to IMR's Dennis Seisun. Much of this growth is the result of increased demand from food processors, who are in turn responding to consumer demand for low fat foods. Manufacturers of hydrocolloids and polysaccharides are developing and marketing their products more towards the consumer rather than the food processor. For example, polysaccharide producers no longer seem to be marketing broad-based fat replacement products, but they are instead concentrating on the development of specific funtionalities geared to meeting consumer demand.

The bulk drug pharmaceutical manufacturers are taking a cautious approach to 1994. The industry is expected to react to changes in the market due to new regulations, the passage of NAFTA, consolidations, a change in the European patent law and Clinton's health care initiative. Bulk manufacturers are expecting lower revenues and some layoffs in an industry that was once considered recession-resistant.

Pharmaceutical companies are experiencing increases in sales due to the expansion of the over-the-counter (OTC) drug market. Drug companies in 1991 experienced $13 billion in sales from OTC products and the market is projected to grow to $28 billion annually by 2010. The ulcer drug category, which includes Tagamet, Pepcid, Axid and Carafate, is expected to be marketed OTC and could bring $500 million yearly to the market.

The chemical transportation and storage sector has endured a poor year in 1992. Many in the industry expected an economic turnaround during 1992, and had projected a 2.5% increase in business. However, the worldwide economic recession has lingered, and 2.5% percent growth is not expected to occur until 1995. Meanwhile, chemical production has been shifting from the US and western Europe to less-developed countries in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, which will shift the focus of chemical transportation to those regions.

Elastomer producers are generally pessimistic about industry trends during the 1990s. Many elastomer products, such as synthetic rubber and ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, have become mature markets, with little growth, low prices and low plant utilization. Only in non-mature products, such as thermoplastic elastomers, are there prospects for significant growth in the 1990s. The market forecasts for several types of elastomers are discussed in detail.

New regulations restricting the use of volatile organic compounds have been a boon for paint additive manufacturers, literally creating a market for new products overnight. This market is growing at a rate of 10% yearly and in some cases by as much as 30%. In order to eliminate solvents, mercury-based biocides and inorganic pigments, manufacturers have turned to water-based formulations, which require new wetting and dispersing agents, surfactants and thickeners.

Removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from hairspray, styling gel and mousse is the most important issue facing the hair care products industry. Legislation is expected to be enacted in 1992 in California and New York requiring lower VOC content in these products. Growth areas of the hair care market are two-in-one shampoo and conditioner products and hair glossing preparations. Two-in-one formulations have grown to more than 20% of the shampoo market, largely on the strength of Procter and Gamble Co's 'Pert.'

The plastics industry has established the goal of recycling 25% of all plastics by 1995. However, the economics of recycling may make that goal difficult to achieve. Because plastics recycling is a relatively new business, plants devoted to it are relatively small, generally 15-20 million pounds annual capacity. Hence, there are no economies of scale in plastics recycling. Furthermore, the cost of collecting post-consumer plastics is much higher than originally expected: $80-$100 per ton, compared to $40-$50 per ton for ordinary trash. Currently, only polyethylene terephthalate can be recycled for a lower cost than virgin resin.

The catalysts industry is expected to grow 4%-5% per year in the near future, motivated by environmental regulations and new process technologies. The largest market for catalysts is exhaust gas cleanup in automobiles and power plants. Europe is requiring catalysts on all gasoline-powered cars beginning in 1993 and the US may require catalysts on heavy-duty trucks in 1994. Similarly, power plants operators are seeking catalysts to reduce emission of nitrous and sulfur oxides. The other main catalysts uses, petroleum refining and chemical processing, are stagnant markets although innovative, highly selective catalysts are a growing sector.

The water treatment chemicals business is rapidly expanding outside the US, while the domestic market is changing due to new regulations. Areas such as Europe and the Asia Pacific region will dominate overseas demand growth for water treatment chemicals, which is expected to be 17% per year worldwide. In contrast, the US market is expected to grow 4% to 6% per year, with reduced opportunities in municipal wastewater treatment offset by increasing use of water recycling by industry.

Economic and regulatory pressures are forcing generic drug manufacturers to adopt business strategies similar to makers of name-brand drugs and seek alliances with those companies. For example, Chase Laboratories Inc aggressively marketed a generic version of the angina drug Procardia, which resulted in a 50% revenue increase for Chase. A typical strategic alliance is Ciba-Geigy Corp's ownership of Geneva Pharmaceuticals Inc. This provides Geneva with a major competitive advantage when drugs made by Ciba lose their patent protection.

Pharmaceutical industry consolidation and shifting outsourcing patterns make for a competitive market in contract manufacturing. Following a decade of strong growth, the outlook for pharmaceutical outsourcing is more subdued. Projections [...]

IMPROVED DEMAND for tall oil fatty acids and rosin esters has started making its way back up the crude tall oil chain. After reduced production and depressed demand last year, [...]

PRODUCERS OF USP petrolatums raised their prices this spring in response to strong demand, a modest squeeze on raw material supplies and pricing pressures on those materials. Crompton Corporation (formerly [...]

THE TALLOW market remains in serious oversupply despite strong domestic demand from the feed industry. Exports are weak and a larger-than-expected slaughter increased supply during the first half of the [...]

Aging baby boomers, singles and image conscious youth drive the men's market A robust economy and changing demographics are boosting the market for men's toiletries. New retailing concepts and some [...]

Chemical distributors follow their suppliers' rush to e-business. Chemical distributors started 2000 on stronger footing after weak first quarter pricing in 1999 and fluctuations throughout the year, which kept financial [...]

A quest for new markets and new molecules drives consolidation among mid-tier pharmaceutical companies. A spate of consolidations in the pharmaceutical industry is catapulting some mid-tier companies into top-ten positions. [...]

Polymer makers look for new solutions to address unmet needs in the detergent industry. Suppliers of detergent polymers are working more broadly when it comes to finding solutions and addressing [...]

Demand for more integrated services creates new business models for contract research organizations. Is there any limit to what can be out-sourced? In the pharmaceutical industry the answer appears to [...]

Suppliers of hydrocolloids to the food industry tackle a full range of consumer-driven demands. Producers of ingredients used to texturize and stabilize food products are responding to constantly shifting consumer [...]

Now that it has taken hold in intermediate and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing, outsourcing is pushing farther down the value chain to dosage-form manufacturing. New paradigms are emerging, and [...]