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CE Podcast: Blockchain

On this edition of the CE Podcast, senior editor Scott Jenkins talks to Hannah Davis, the blockchain project lead at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). She provides an explanation of what blockchain is, and describes use cases that are…

CE Podcast: Changing Chemical Industry Business Models

On this edition of the Chemical Engineering Podcast, senior editor Scott Jenkins talks to Jan Haemer and Bhavin Manjee, two partners at the industry consulting firm Simon-Kucher & Partners. We discuss commercial challenges facing the chemical industry and how some…

2020 CEPCI Updates: June (prelim.) and May (final)

The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) for June 2020 (the most recent available) decreased compared to the previous month’s value, following a similar decline in April and May. The lower value for the Equipment subindex in…

U.S. chemical production fell in June, ACC says

According to the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), the U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (U.S. CPRI), fell by 1.1 percent in June on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis following a 2.0 percent decline in May and a…

U.S. specialty chemical markets strengthen in June, ACC says

The American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) reported that with continued recovery in the U.S. economy, specialty chemicals market volumes increased by 3.6 percent in June, an improvement from the revised 1.2 percent gain in May and the record…

Chemical Activity Barometer rises in July, ACC says

The Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB) a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), rose 2.7 percent in July on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis following a 0.1 percent gain in June. On a…

2020 CEPCI Updates: May (preliminary) and April (final)

The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) for May 2020 (the most recent available) decreased compared to the previous month’s value, following a similar decline in April. The values for three of the four major subindices (Equipment;…

Lummus Technology acquisition by Chatterjee Group and Rhone Capital completed

Lummus Technology (Houston, Tex.; www.lummustechnology.com) yesterday announced that Haldia Petrochemicals Limited (Kolkata, India; www.haldiapetrochemicals.com), the flagship company of The Chatterjee Group (TCG), and investment funds affiliated with Rhône Capital have successfully completed the joint acquisition of Lummus from McDermott International…

Chemical Activity Barometer falls slightly in June, ACC says

The Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), eased 0.3 percent in June on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis following a 4.6 percent decline in May. On a…

Recently Published Books for the CPI: July 2020

The following recently published books may be of interest to chemical process industries (CPI) professionals: Smart Manufacturing: Applications and Case Studies. Edited by Masoud Soroush, Michael Baldea and Thomas Edgar, Elsevier Press, 2020, 525 pages, $200.00. Analytical Design of PID…