Global Chlor-Alkali & Vinyls Conference Day 1

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Global Chlor-Alkali & Vinyls Conference Day 1

Tuesday, 7 May
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Session 1: Global Outlook – Decoding Market Fundamentals

Hazel Kreuz, Vice President, Global Inorganics Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
Carlo Barassa, Vice President Energy Insights, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
A breakdown of the economic and energy outlooks as a foundation for projected chlor-alkali and vinyls market dynamics.
Dewey Johnson, Senior Vice President & Global Chemicals Lead, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
As the energy and chemical world shifts to renewables, it’s set to reshape traditional oil and gas practices and the relationship of fossil fuels to chemicals. This presentation will explore implications of energy decarbonization with respect to chemicals, the acceleration of “Big Oil” investment in crude to chemicals, and the implications for industry structure and centers of production.
Carlo Barassa, Vice President Energy Insights, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
The ethylene outlook; an essential consideration for the chlor-vinyls industry.
Joe McCabe, President & CEO, Autoforecast Solutions
Disruption and Uncertainty define the current state of the global automotive industry. We are in the center of a constant battle between internal-combustion and electrification, legacy OEMs and new players, geo-political pressures, supply chain constraints, and many other issues that make critical decision making a very difficult task. Joe McCabe, President & CEO of AutoForecast Solutions LLC (AFS), will provide a comprehensive view of the global automotive outlook and the key points shaping the industry today and into the future. Topics on regional production forecasts, legacy/new players, electrification, the China influence, and much more will be discussed.
Moderator: Hazel Kreuz, Vice President, Global Inorganics Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS 
Connect and engage with industry peers, sessions resume at 1125.  

Session 2: European and Asia Chlor-vinyl Market Outlooks

Henry Warren, Director, Chlorine and Vinyls EMEA Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
The European chlor-vinyls industry has been subject to immense pressures over the last two years. Demand collapsed, imports surged, and challenging export conditions catalyzed deep PVC operating rate cuts. Margin decline followed. What is the outlook? Is the European PVC market headed for more of the same, or is a recovery on the horizon? Can European PVC remain competitive? What are the implications going forward for supply, sourcing options and profitability? This presentation will explore these and other strategic considerations with critical insights and analysis, as the industry searches for a path towards a sustainable future.
Angel Fernandez, Director, Europe Caustic, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
Is Europe a high-cost region long term and, if so, are imports the answer?
Wilson Loh, Director, Asia Chlor-alkali Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS 
Slowing growth in the largest chlor-alkali market is still significant growth
Moderator: Hazel Kreuz, Vice President, Global Inorganics Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
  Sessions resume at 1425.  

Session 3: North America & the World – The Big Picture

Ana Lopez, Director, Vinyls Americas Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
North American domestic PVC supply and demand were balanced at the beginning of 2024, but at a much lower level than during the 2021 peak. Producer inventories closed 2023 at relatively high levels, while export volumes reached a new monthly record. After the dramatic North American PVC demand drop in 2023, what can we expect for the PVC market in 2024 and beyond? What is the project update from the U.S. Infrastructure and Jobs Act? When will the stimulation from that legislation reach the domestic PVC market? What other factors are anticipated to fuel a market recovery … and when? This presentation will provide expert analysis on the current North American PVC market and the forecast for upcoming years.
Nick Kovics, Vice President, Global Chlor-alkali, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
Slowing growth in the largest chlor-alkali market is still significant growth.
Moderator: Eddie Kok, Executive Director, Global Vinyls, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
Connect and engage with industry peers, sessions resume at 1605.  

Session 4: Vinyls – Asia’s Impact and Global Perspective

Detlef Sagnar, Tricon International, Ltd.
Caustic Soda and EDC trading has become more globalized with markets more transparent than ever before. Various circumstances have changed the landscape; environmental protection and sustainability, economic and political changes as well as market consolidation are playing a role.
Eddie Kok, Executive Director, Global Vinyls, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
Over the past 18 months, global PVC demand has been anemic, and the industry has faced price and margin erosion. However, as interest rates decline, we anticipate that PVC supply and demand dynamics will shift. Demand has been weak in China, but other pocket of bright spots such as India and Southeast Asia are mitigating the fallout from slowing mainland China.
Moderator: Hazel Kreuz, Vice President, Global Inorganics Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
Will caustic soda recover before chlorine after a demand-driven trough?
Hazel Kreuz, Vice President, Global Inorganics Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
Join Chemical Market Analytics and industry peers to connect, interact and engage.  
Session Speakers

Carlo Barrasa Vice President, Energy Insights Team Lead Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Carlo Barrasa is the Vice President of Energy Insights at Chemical Market Analytics In this role, Carlo stewards the development of energy market content to help Chemical Market Analytics’ clients navigate the complexities of the oil, gas & natural gas liquids markets. Previously, Carlo led the North American Light Olefins service, which provides clients with valuable insights into the regional market dynamics of cracker feedstocks, ethylene, and propylene. Before joining Chemical Market Analytics, Carlo was a Senior Strategy Advisor at Anadarko Petroleum, where he was responsible for guiding the company's market strategy for its natural gas liquids business. After beginning his career in various downstream and chemical roles with ExxonMobil, Carlo held senior consulting and research positions at IHS Markit legacy companies PFC Energy and CMAI.

Hazel Kreuz Vice President, Global Inorganics Chemical Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Hazel Kreuz serves as the Vice President of Global Inorganic Chemicals at Chemical Market Analytics, which includes Chlor-alkali chemicals, Vinyls, Bleaching Chemicals, and Soda Ash. Ms. Kreuz brings four decades of chemical industry experience to the Chemical Market Analytics Inorganic chemicals insights team. She joined the IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics) in 2016 as Chlor-alkali Chemicals Global Service Lead. Ms. Kreuz was promoted to her current role leading the Global Inorganic chemicals insights team in April 2019. She leads twenty analysts that analyze, forecast, and report on chlor-alkali chemicals, vinyls, bleaching chemicals, and soda ash from five global locations. Ms. Kreuz has a background in petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals; she held a range of functional roles in several companies prior to joining Chemical Market Analytics. Hazel began her career in ethylene oxide and glycols manufacturing with Union Carbide Corporation; she also held ethylene oxide derivatives, HS&E, risk analysis, financial analysis, and marketing management positions with Union Carbide. She was a recipient of Union Carbide Corporation's prestigious Chairman's Award for the development of the Corporations' Episodic Risk Management System, which Arthur D. Little praised as "elegant and sophisticated". Hazel moved to the inorganic chemicals world joining Canadian Occidental, which subsequently became Nexen Petroleum, and then Canexus, where she held management positions in chlor-alkali chemicals and sodium chlorate marketing, strategic planning, and investor relations. She returned to the US chemical market, joining Huntsman Corporation and serving as global marketing manager for mining chemicals, pulp & paper chemicals, and water treatment chemicals in the Performance Products division. Hazel holds a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and an MBA.  

Eddie Kok Executive Director, Global Vinyls Service Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Eddie Kok is the Executive Director of the Inorganics Group at Chemical Market Analytics Eddie is globally responsible for the Vinyls Market Advisory Service. He has more than 20 years of experience in the chemical industry, holding broad responsibilities, including regional sales, marketing, business development, and product management. Eddie joined Chemical Market Associates, Inc. (CMAI) in 2004 as a consultant. Eddie is responsible for providing market coverage and analysis for Asia's chlor-alkali and vinyls market. Eddie has a good grasp of the global chlor-alkali and vinyls sector dynamics and is the go-to person for data and market intelligence in Asia. Before CMAI, at IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics), Eddie broadened his responsibility and assumed the team leader role for the Vinyls Market Advisory Service. Over the years, he has worked on numerous chlor-alkali and vinyls projects around the Asia-Pacific region, providing analytical and planning support to clients. Eddie holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Campbell University, North Carolina, United States.

Nick Kovics Vice President, Global Chlor-Alkali Service Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Nick Kovics is the Vice President of the Global Chlor-alkali Market Advisory Service team at Chemical Market Analytics. Mr. Nick Kovics serves as Vice President leading the Global Chlor-alkali Market Advisory Service team and covering the US caustic soda market. Mr. Kovics brings over 25 years of chemical industry experience to the inorganics chemicals insights team at Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS, a Dow Jones company. He joined the organization in 2017 as Global Bleaching Chemicals Global Service Lead. Nick then developed and led the Global Lithium & Battery Materials Service before being promoted to Chlor-alkali Chemicals Global Service Lead at the end of 2019. Mr. Kovics has a varied background, working in upstream energy, new energy, and electrochemical industries. He held various functional roles in several companies before joining Chemical Market Analytics. Nick began his career in the oil service sector with Schlumberger Canada cementing and hydraulic fracturing services. Nick transitioned from oil and gas to new energy and spent a decade in the hydrogen fuel cell sector with Ballard Power Systems in Burnaby British Columbia. Nick’s career continued in the electrochemical sector when he joined Canexus and held positions in chlor-alkali chemicals and sodium chlorate marketing before joining Chemical Market Analytics. Mr. Kovics holds a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering, an MBA, and a Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant.

Wilson Loh Director, Asia Chlor Alkali Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Wilson Loh is the Director for Asian Chlor-alkali  at Chemical Market Analytics. Wilson focuses on the Asian chlor-alkali markets and brings over 20 years of experience in chemical distribution and trading. His experience includes working for Chemical Industries (Far East) Limited, Univar Singapore, and as General Manager for Singapore and Asia for Basic Chemical Solutions Far East.

Ana Lopez Director, Americas Vinyls Research Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Ana Lopez is the Director of Americas Vinyls Research at Chemical Market Analytics. Since 2012, Mrs. Lopez has formed part of the inorganics team at IHS Markit Base Chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics), specializing her analysis on the vinyls markets in North America and South America, as well as the chlorine and hydrochloric acid markets in the US.  Recently, she started covering the global sodium sulfate market.  She contributes to the monthly reports on those topics. She has presented several times at the Global Chlor-Alkali & Vinyls Conference, Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association meetings, Vinyls Compounders Conference and Global Plastics Summit. She has an intimate knowledge of engineering project execution and petrochemical commodities markets. Before joining Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS, Mrs. Lopez spent several years with Pemex International Trading Company (PMI) in Mexico City, dealing with petrochemical commodities commercial operations as well as market analysis, preceded by a few years with the EPC company ICA Fluor Daniel. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the Iberoamericana University, Mexico City, and an MBA from Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (ITAM), Mexico City.

Paulo Pereira Executive Director, LAT Chlor-Alkali and Bleaching Chemicals Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Paulo Pereira is the Executive Director of the LAT Chlor-Alkali and Bleaching Chemicals business at Chemical Market Analytics. Paulo joined Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS in December 2022 as Executive Director. He is a native of Santos, Brazil, and graduated in 1984 from Maua Engineering School in Sao Paulo, Brazil with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. Upon graduating, Paulo joined Dow Chemical at the Guaruja site in Sao Paulo state.  After 22 years in Dow Chemical Epoxy and Polyurethane operations in Brazil, the U.S., and Italy, Paulo joined Dow’s Technology Centers division, leading the global Polyurethane and Alkoxylation technology teams. In 2019, he was seconded to Sadara Chemical Company in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, as Technology Director and subsequently repatriated to the U.S. in 2021.  Paulo’s extensive knowledge of the chemical industry and chlor-alkali derivative markets adds to the already industry-leading expertise of Chemical Market Analytics global chlor-alkali research team.

Henry Warren Director, EMEA Chlorine & Vinyls Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Henry Warren is the Director of the Inorganics Group at Chemical Market Analytics. Mr. Warren is an integral member of the Vinyls Market Advisory Service. He performs market analysis of the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) industry and its precursors - ethylene dichloride (EDC) and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). He is a key contributor to the annual World Analysis - Vinyls and the in-depth monthly vinyls service. For most of his career, he has covered hydrochloric acid, chlorinated solvents, caustic potash, and caustic soda, but his focus has continued to center on vinyls. He joined Chemical Market Analytics when it acquired Harriman Chemsult, a highly regarded consultancy specializing in the chlor-alkali and vinyls segment. Mr. Warren has a degree in economics and he entered the field of chemical market analysis in 1996, analyzing feedstocks and several polyolefin value chains in Europe, North America, and Latin America. Along with the stakeholder relationships he has built over several decades, his in-depth understanding of the industry contributes to the unparalleled level of insight that Chemical Market Analytics brings to this sector.  

Angel Fernandez Director, Chlor-alkali Research EMEA Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Angel Fernandez is the Director of Chlor-alkali Research at Chemical Market Analytics Angel joined the Chemical Market Analytics team through the legacy IHS Markit Base Chemical team in 2021 and is running the EMEA Chlor-alkali Research as part of the Inorganics Global Business Team. He brings 20 years of experience in trading, shipping, market research, and analysis for the chemical industry Angel started his career in the chemical industry with BP Chemicals, followed by five years at Sojitz UK, where he was involved in the trading and shipping aromatics, solvents, and methanol. Before joining the IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics), he spent 10 years researching and analyzing oxo alcohols, plasticizers, and chlor-alkali markets at a market data provider. Angel holds Masters Degrees in Chemistry and International Relations.

Dewey Johnson Senior Vice President, Global Head of Chemical Market Analytics Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Dewey Johnson is Senior Vice President & Global Lead of Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS, a Dow Jones Company (“Chemical Market Analytics”). IHS Markit Global LLC (“IHS Markit”) was acquired by S&P Global in February 2022. As part of the merger, IHS Markit Base Chemicals was spun off and separately acquired by Dow Jones and renamed “Chemical Market Analytics” in June 2022. Dewey is responsible for the global business, including insight and research covering the major chemical value chains including Aromatics and Fibers, Olefins and Derivatives, Inorganics (chlor-alkali, vinyls, and soda ash), Plastics and Polymers, and Syngas Chemicals (methanol, acetyls, and ammonia). Dewey is based in Houston. Prior to Chemical Market Analytics, Dewey joined IHS Markit (through legacy CMAI) in 2009. His experience in the petrochemical industry covers all aspects of the business- financial, commercial, operations, research, strategy design and business planning, business development, as well as consultancy. Prior to IHS Markit, he was with Eastman Chemical Company, where he spent more than 25 years in strategic and commercial roles with various business groups and corporate functions. Dewey held management positions in commercial development, global sourcing, P&L for key businesses, market development, and market & strategic analysis of chemical markets and businesses. Dewey has led multiple complex engagements in strategy development and execution, global sourcing of Aromatics & olefins derivatives and industrial gases, business simulation & game theory and dynamic modeling, sales/ marketing, and business development. Dewey received BS and MS engineering degrees from Tennessee Technological University and Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He also earned an MBA in General Management. Dewey has been a frequent guest lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management, UVA Darden School of Management, and SUNY at Albany School of Public Policy.

Joe McCabe President & CEO AutoForecast Solutions LLC (AFS)

As President and CEO of AutoForecast Solutions LLC (AFS), Joe leverages his decades of industry experience and knowledge to provide production forecasting and advisory services to the global automotive community. Joe manages the automotive turnkey operations at AFS including the global light vehicle, powertrain, drivetrain, and alternative propulsion forecast as well as a suite of AFS proprietary opportunity and sales planning software. AFS supports all tiered suppliers, VMs, government agencies, financial institutions, and the academic community with data, planning solutions, and a personalized support to help identify new business opportunities while mitigating risk. Joe’s 25+ year career in automotive forecasting ranges from his tenure at AutoFacts, PwC, AutomotiveCompass, and now as founder of AutoForecast Solutions LLC (AFS). Joe earned his Bachelors of Chemical Engineering degree at Villanova University and an MBA at Pennsylvania State University.

Detlef Sagner Chlor-Alkali Manager NWE Tricon Energy Ltd.

Mr. Detlef Sagner is a Senior Trader in Tricon Energy Ltd., for their Chlor-alkali business and his primary role is the Caustic and EDC trade, specializing in West Europe region. He is based out of their Germany office in Cologne. He is married to Marlies and has three kids.

Tricon Energy Limited, is a USA based trading and distribution company in petrochemicals, polymers, fuels and dry bulk, serving > 4500 customers, sourcing from > 400 suppliers. The Tricon Group has operations in more than 20 countries and a global presence in over 120 countries, trading in excess of 16 million MT and over US$10 Billion in revenues.

Detlef went through a commercial/chemical education program in Bayer AG Germany. He was also deputed on an overseas assignment to Mexico to handle the sales and distribution in the USA/Mexico region before coming back to Germany as the Export Head of former Bayer Caustic business, now Covestro.

Detlef joined Tricon Energy in early 2011 and has more than 30 years of Global experience in the Product management, distribution and trading of Chlor/Alkali products, having worked for German major, Bayer AG for 13 years and then subsequently working as a Business Manager and Global trader for Caustic Soda and EDC.

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