Jane Denny

As part of our Building a better chemistry culture series, we hosted a webinar to recognise 2023’s Mental Health Awareness Week (15-21 May) – focusing on anxiety. Anxiety is an emotion we all experience, and it is also one of the most common mental health conditions. Anxiety can affect anyone and can sometimes become overwhelming. Even if you are not experiencing difficulties yourself, then it might be that you have friends, family or colleagues who are.

Across all sectors of industry, but chemicals in particular, supply chain strategy evolved from just-in-time to just-in-case in the last three years. In a relatively short time, chemicals procurement progressed from ordering products and feedstock to meet customer demand to stockpiling surplus in case of a large and sudden increase in demand. That progression typified industry response to several factors impacting value chain integrity in recent years.

Bulk and commodity trade and vessel movements are embroiled in further turmoil in early October, with day rates for vessel leases spiking so dramatically, a commodity trader told IndustryEdge, “Its stupid o’clock out there. You can get a vessel, but you’ll pay through the nose, and rates are increasing by the hour some days.”