GACF24 – Day 2

14-15 November 2024 | JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach
Singapore

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Session Details

GACF24 – Day 2

Friday, November 15
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Kevin Longworth, Executive Director, Global Acrylonitrile, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS 

Session 5: Sustainability & Fibers

 Simon Neudeck, Head of Commercial Activities, Trillium Renewable Chemicals
While maneuvering through challenging market conditions, the users of Acrylonitrile are gearing up to provide more sustainable products to their customers. How can the resulting need for sustainable Acrylonitrile be filled? Join Trillium on its quest to deliver the answer. This presentation will feature the latest milestones achieved and the roadmap to commercialize this groundbreaking technology.
Dawn Leow, Associate Director, Nylon Fiber and Feedstocks, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
Ongoing macroeconomic challenges in recent years have kept the global nylon industry under pressure. In this speech, we will explore the current market conditions of the nylon industry – including its supply and demand dynamics, inter-regional trade flows, cost drivers, competitiveness as a material of choice in the marketplace, mainland China’s influence on the sector, and near-term challenges and outlook.
David Onyekpe, Sr. Research Analyst Global Olefins, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS and Ashish Pujari, Vice President, Asia Aromatics & Fibers, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
During 2024 the expectation of significant improvement in the business climate is yet to be realized and the concerns of weak demand in the global textile value chain have persisted. For both polyester and cotton producers, margins remain under pressure, while prices fall short of production costs for many producers. Join us as we share our view on how long we expect weaker demand and lower prices to persist and if a recovery is in the horizon.
Moderator: Kevin Longworth, Executive Director, Global Acrylonitrile, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS 
Make new connections or join familiar faces during this dedicated break. Sessions to resume at 1045.

Session 6: Butadiene Industry Perspectives

Remko Koster, Executive Director, EMEA C4 Olefins, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
Global industries are extremely concerned about sustainability with good reason. No one wants to contribute to a deteriorating planet. In the C4 olefins value chain, sustainability is a complex technical and economic challenge. In this presentation we analyze the current state of the industry and the reasons sustainability is such a daunting challenge. We will also take a look ahead at potential parts of the solution.
Anthony Song, Executive Director, APAC C4 & Elastomers, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
Butadiene margins have historically driven economics and operating rates of butadiene extraction plants, whereas the resulting C4-raffinate-1 stream was usually a by-product with relatively stable pricing and outlets. In recent years, by-product C4 raffinate-1 became a star product as prices surged while butadiene margins were depressed. Prices of MTBE, the main isobutylene derivative, were boosted by tight markets for high-octane gasoline components. Longer term, the outlook is more depressed, as the electrification of the global vehicle fleet will result in lower gasoline demand and thus substantially reduced MTBE demand. What is the outlook for demand in the near future and longer term? What options will butadiene producers have in the future as outlets for C4-raffinate streams?
Weixuan He, Research Analyst, C4s & Elastomers, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
Synthetic rubber is a commodity product that is tightly related to both feedstock materials and supply demand balance. As the direct impact of COVID-19 abated, we expected the global demand to recover gradually. However, the pace of demand improvement was slower than anticipated and varied by region, challenged by geopolitical issues, downgraded consumer spending power, and slow economic growth. Coupled with the volatile butadiene market prices in Asia this year, synthetic rubber market dynamics have been shifting to adjust to the changes and uncertainties in all related industries. How to survive, and how to thrive?
Moderator: Bill Hyde, Vice President, Olefins and Elastomers, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS 

 

Session Speakers

Joseph Adelegan Secretary General and Executive Head International Rubber Study Group

Professor Adelegan is the Secretary-General of the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) based in Singapore, the biggest worldwide community in the Rubber Industry. He is a C-Suite Executive and an international development expert, Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering and a practitioner-scholar in management with over three decades of distinguished professional trajectory across Africa, Europe, North America, and Asia. His work experience includes: the United Nations, development finance institutions, international organizations, education, research, and innovation among others. He has extensive experience in the sustainable investment, disruptive innovation, and circular economy of the elastomer products. He is in high demand as a regular speaker at international conferences. He has travelled to over 138 countries. Professor Adelegan earned Two Doctorate Degrees, Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Civil and Environmental Engineering from the Nigerian Premier University of Ibadan.

Weixuan He Research Analyst, C4s & Elastomers Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Weixuan He is based in Beijing, China. She is currently working on the C4 Olefins and Elastomers market in mainland China. She is the co-author of the Global C4 Olefins and Elastomers Monthly report and the Asia Weekly report. Prior to this role, she joined the legacy IHS Markit in 2018 as a research analyst in the ChemAssets team as part of the Same Day Info&Analysis division. Weixuan graduated from Tufts University in Psychology and Community Health and studied in the Master program at University of Michigan, majored in Biostatistics.

Bill Hyde Vice President, Olefins and Elastomers Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Bill Hyde is the Vice President of Olefins & Elastomers at Chemical Market Analytics. Mr. Hyde is a member of Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS, A Dow Jones Company. He leads a group that analyzes markets related to C4 Olefins, synthetic and natural rubber, and tire raw materials. He has been consulting in this market since 2002. Hyde began his career with the Union Carbide Corporation in 1990, where he had various positions, including production engineering, optimization, planning, and logistics. In 2000, he joined Texas Petrochemicals as a Business Analyst. In 2002, Hyde joined CMAI, which was acquired by IHS in 2011, in the Olefins Consulting Practice, focusing on C4 Olefins and rubber, assuming responsibility for that practice in 2006. The Base Chemicals Group of HIS Markit, which includes the C4 Olefins and Elastomers Practice, was divested to News Corp in June 2022 and became Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS, A Dow Jones Company. He has published several papers on the Olefins and Elastomers industries and presented at numerous Olefins and Elastomers Conferences worldwide. Hyde has BSc and MSc Degrees in Chemical Engineering from Brigham Young University and an M.B.A. from Tulane University.

Zhengyi Jiang Head of Economics, Statistics, & Sustainability International Rubber Study Group

Dr. Jiang Zhengyi is the Head of Economics, Statistics, and Sustainability of the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG). He earned the Doctor of Science (Economics) from ETH Zurich in 2020 with research on Energy Economics. Dr Jiang worked with the SINOPEC Group in China where he worked on latest movements and strategies taken by major energy corporations and research on energy industry prospects with working papers on topics including ESG and digital transformation roadmap for SINOPEC’s businesses and using data simulation and forecast to pioneer a risk management framework covering SINOPEC’s operating risks. Dr. Jiang’s work focuses on commodity market analysis and has strong competence in data analytics, ESG and sustainability analysis, and financial modelling. He is experienced in market data gathering, processing, and analyzing, as well as drafting reports by identifying and illustrating market events.

Remko Koster Executive Director, EMEA C4 Olefins Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Remko Koster is the Executive Director for C4 olefins and derivatives in Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Chemical Market Analytics.. During his time with the company, he has taken various roles across a broad range of product areas. With over 20 years of experience, Remko is a key resource within the business for understanding and insight into the C4 and derivatives sector of the petrochemical industry. Within the EMEA region, he works closely with the petrochemical, oil and tire industries, bringing support and guidance throughout the petrochemical chain. His current area of focus includes oversight of the ‘Global Tire Type Indices Report’, primary input and insight for the ‘Global C4 Olefins & Elastomers Report’, as well as for the World Butadiene, MTBE, Rubber, and Butylenes analyses. His prior experience includes more than ten years of industrial experience with SABIC, including commercial responsibilities for C4 streams and aromatics and as a global market intelligence leader for polypropylene. Remko joined our company in 2011 as a polyethylene and polypropylene consultant for EMEA, contributing to the ‘Global Plastics & Polymers Report service’ and for World Polyethylene and Polypropylene Analysis. Remko Koster has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Dawn Leow Associate Director, Nylon Fiber and Feedstocks Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Dawn Leow is an Associate Director of Nylon Fibers & Feedstocks at Chemical Market Analytics Dawn Leow is the Associate Director for Nylon and Feedstocks at Chemical Market Analytics. Since joining the company in 2022, she has continued to develop and bring nuanced insights into the nylon value chain based on an integrated understanding of how current macroeconomic conditions and upstream crude oil and benzene sectors impact the supply and demand dynamics in the nylon sector. Based in Singapore, she maintains active discussions with key operators within the nylon chains in the Asian region to gain up-to-date insights into the trading sentiments and strategic objectives among market participants. She leads the weekly nylon report service and is also the Asian leader of nylon's monthly report and world analysis service. Before CMA, she worked for over 10 years in technical engineering roles, primarily within the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry in the San Francisco Bay Area, specializing in capital project management, monitoring, and controls and new equipment introductions, installations, upgrades, commissioning, and qualifications. She also worked in roles involving scientific research and medical marketing intelligence. Her technical background has helped enrich the breadth and depth of her market analysis and advisory skills at CMA. Ms. Leow holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley, a Master of Science in accountancy, and an MBA (focusing on data analytics) from the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign.

Kevin Longworth Executive Director, Global Acrylonitrile Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Kevin Longworth is the Executive Director for Global Acrylonitrile at Chemical Market Analytics. Kevin Longworth is the executive director of the Global Acrylonitrile service and started his career at Chemical Market Analytics in 2009. During his time at the company, he has worked across various chemical value streams, giving him extensive exposure to a broad cross-section of the petrochemical industry. Before joining Chemical Market Analytics, he worked for nearly a decade as a process engineer in the plastics industry in South Africa and the United Kingdom. Mr. Longworth leads the Global Acrylonitrile service, providing industry players with strategic intelligence and analysis for companies in this highly varied and complex value chain. Through regular engagement with industry stakeholders such as producers, downstream consumers, traders, distributors and investors, he helps them gain a deeper understanding of this volatile industry. The role is global, and he regularly contacts companies in Europe, the Americas, Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia. Prior to taking over his current role, he had several other roles within Chemical Market Analytics, the most recent of which was as Director for Polyolefins for the EMEA region. In this role, he was responsible for developing intellectual property for the plastics service in Europe. He was a leading expert in this field, presenting at conferences and acting as the client-facing consultant of the Global Plastics service for Chemical Market Analytics in the EMEA region. Mr. Longworth has a degree in Plastics Processing Technology from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town, South Africa.  

Simon Neudeck Head of Commerical Activities Trillium Renewable Chemicals

Simon Neudeck is heading the commercial activities of Trillium Renewable Chemicals with the focus on raw material procurement and product marketing. He joined Trillium in the summer of 2022. Simon has been part of the chemical industry since 2004. He spent most of his career at a German chemical marketing company with over a decade in leadership roles. His experience ranges from the distribution of specialities to trading of commodity products. In recent years, Simon focused on decarbonization strategies and initiatives. Simon holds a bachelor´s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade

David Onyekpe Sr. Research Analyst Global Olefins Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

David Onyekpe is a Senior research analyst in the Global Olefins group at Chemical Market Analytics. He is responsible for coverage of the acrylonitrile value chain and cotton.  Mr. Onyekpe has been with Chemical Market Analytics since 2016, where he has provided business information assisting clients in diverse projects. Prior to joining Chemical Market Analytics, David worked at the World Energy Council, where he assessed the impact of policies, in addition to opportunities and limitations that underpin some cross-cutting technologies within the energy Industry. He holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from University College London.

Ashish Pujari Vice President, Asia Aromatics & Fibers Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Ashish Pujari is the Vice President of Aromatics and Fibres at Chemical Market Analytics in Singapore. Ashish Pujari is the Vice President for Aromatics and Fibers in Asia. He has over 30 years of experience in the petrochemical industry, mainly focused on the polyester and raw material value chain, which stretches from project design, operations, sales & marketing and business development. Over the past 15 years, he has focused on market research and consulting for the polyester and raw material industry. He is responsible for providing thought leadership to the sector and guiding our long-term forecasts. Ashish works with the Asian petrochemicals industry and coordinates support across the value chains. His current products of focus are Paraxylene, terephthalic acid (PTA) and Polyester, covering the regional dynamics and guiding the global outlook. He also actively continues to focus on sustainability developments in the polyester sector. Ashish has also been instrumental in launching several reports, including the pricing reports for Aromatics in Asia and the Global Polyurethanes & Feedstock report. Ashish joined CMAI in 2009, with a responsibility to cover the Asian PX and polyester markets and has taken additional responsibilities through our transition to Chemical Market Analytics. Before joining CMAI, Ashish worked for Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) in India and was leading the M&A activity in the polyester sector at the time of his exit in 2009. Ashish joined RIL as a fresh engineer in 1994 in the project design and construction group and later progressed to operations. He also worked in sales & business development, becoming the North India regional sales lead for raw materials. Ashish holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Polymers & Chemical) from the University of Pune, India, as well as an Executive Management diploma from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.  
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