Purchasing back issues from September 1999:
Purchasing at automakers pushes recycled content.
Sep 02, 1999 ... They want more parts that can be recycled, and they want them now. And suppliers had best be ready to come through if they want the business. That's the message that purchasing at some auto manufacturers are sending as the drive for more recycled and recyclable parts increases ....
Supplier quality levels hit a high point.
Sep 02, 1999 ... THERE HAS BEEN A QUICK INFUSION OF OPTIMISM for buyers in the CPI, according to this month's survey. Sixty-seven percent of buyers expect business to be better in six months time, up from 37% last month. It is also the most optimistic buyers have been all year. Only 6% expect conditions to ...
Diverse markets provide moderate growth.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Prices: low, inching upward In general, prices for alcohols are driven by natural-gas feedstock costs and supply and demand fundamentals. But it is important to remember that specific factors also affect the various markets. For methanol, prices are near record lows, ...
Speed, competition drive outsourcing at Searle.
Sep 02, 1999; ... Purchasing professionals at pharmaceutical manufacturers deal with many sourcing challenges when developing new drugs. One practice that continues to grow strongly in pharmaceuticals is the outsourcing of key production steps to outside companies that are experts in specific technologies ...
Genzyme remakes purchasing to maximize supply value.
Sep 02, 1999; ... Purchasing professionals in the pharmaceutical industry face a tough task in securing supply of a wide variety of highly specialized (and often costly) intermediates. All the while, pharmaceutical companies are focusing intently on getting new drugs to market with utmost speed. ...
MTBE phaseout will spur ethanol demand.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... A panel of advisors to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) known as the Blue Ribbon Group recently recommended legislation be passed to discontinue the use of oxygenates, which include methyl tertiary butyl ether (mtbe), in gasoline formulations. mtbe came under ...
What it takes to make a team.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Teams don't just happen when people get together. At the start, a team is just a collection of individuals. And, like most collections, it is only as strong as its weakest member. Ironically, the way to develop an effective team is to first develop individual interpersonal ...
U.S. has fifth highest electricity prices in world.(Statistical Data Included)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Among 17 major Western economies, the U.S. has the fifth highest electricity prices, according to an annual benchmark study by independent utility cost consultants, National Utility Service, in Park Ridge, N.J. The NUS International Electricity Cost Survey finds that ...
Plan on economic growth of 3.3% for next year.(Statistical Data Included)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Plan on economic growth of 3.3% for next year fueled by continued strong domestic demand and recovering foreign ...
Real GDP advanced at an annual rate of 2.3% in second quarter 1999.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Real GDP advanced at an annual rate of 2.3% in second quarter 1999, according to first estimates from Commerce. Advance poll of economists by Market News Service had put the second quarter growth rate at a much higher 3.4%. In view of Fed interest rate rhetoric, the second-quarter figure ...
Links with suppliers key to JIT success.
Sep 02, 1999; ... For years, some purchasing professionals and supplier representatives have been telling me--adamantly, in many cases--that just-in-time (JIT) materials delivery systems simply don't work. I always point out to the skeptics that other sources have told me that JIT can and does work, and ...
Taking control of 'indirect' corporate spending.
Sep 02, 1999; ... Over the last decade the purchasing function has begun to establish itself as a strategic contributor, often driving competitive advantage through improvements to cycle times, quality, service, price, and total cost. "Until recently, however, the primary corporate focus has been in direct ...
What's it going to take to make it.
Sep 02, 1999; ... Inventories are down and assembly lines are running more efficiently as just-in-time practices continue to take hold at U.S. manufacturing companies. But nagging problems of getting the right supplies to the right place at the right time persist, even as advanced information systems strive ...
Leave the buying of MRO supplies to users!
Sep 02, 1999; ... By using new buying tools--integrated supply, procurement cards, and the Internet--purchasing operations around the country are finding that they have more resources available to develop and implement supply management strategies. And this is bringing untold benefits to the ...
Stainless recovery grinds into gear.
Sep 02, 1999 ... World stainless steel prices are now rebounding from historic lows seen in 1998, according to a market analysis by the J.P. Morgan brokerage. "Rising demand, industry consolidation, shrinking overcapacity, and higher raw-materials prices should result in higher stainless steel prices in ...
Tracking total cost of ownership proves elusive.(Statistical Data Included)
Sep 02, 1999; ... Companies can save money and promote quality if they calculate total cost of ownership and use it to guide purchasing decisions. But many purchasing pros today say their organizations are largely in the dark when it comes to making such calculations, let alone using them. That's ...
TRAIL KING INDUSTRIES.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Name: Dale T. Lipsky, C.P.M. Title: Director of purchasing Company: Trail King Industries of Mitchell, S.D. (a Carlisle company), a $110 million/year manufacturer of special-purpose lowbed trailers for the construction, commercial, and specialized heavy-hauling ...
European car-recycling mandate stirs debate.
Sep 02, 1999 ... U.S. automakers have allied with their European counterparts to oppose a new European Union directive that would dump end-of-life vehicles into the hands of manufacturers. The U.S. Council for Automotive Research, an umbrella organization for major automakers, is lobbying the EU to abandon ...
BUYING PLANS/PRICE EXPECTATIONS.
Sep 02, 1999 ... <Pre> (% of buyers responding, diffusion index) CATEGORY UP DOWN SAMEINDEX* BUYING: CURRENT MONTH Steel 15 30 55 42.5 Nonferrous metals 11 36 53 37.5 Fabricated metals 12 24 64 44.0 Mechanical/electrical 19 22 59 48.5 ...
NAFTA steel colossus still napping.
Sep 02, 1999; ... The North American steel colossus is taking some time to develop, despite the forecasts of many analysts earlier in the decade when the North American Free Trade Agreement (nafta) was created. Almost 21% of the world's steel use is consolidated in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Yet, five ...
Ocean shipping rates soar.
Sep 02, 1999; ... Ocean shipping rates are high, and merchants are willing to pay them as the Christmas shipping season heads to its peak. Demand for shipping service seems to be exceeding supply. All of this is coming in on top of a roughly 40% increase in ocean freight prices on the East Coast ...
Buyers, mills don't see eye to eye on 'crisis'.
Sep 02, 1999; ... At the moment, no issue is more divisive within the metals marketplace than steel trade. Buyers rely on domestic mills for a majority of their supply, yet they also buy imports in large amounts. In fact, last year imports exploded by 33% to reach a record level of 41.5 million tons. Since ...
Purchasing transaction price survey results.
Sep 02, 1999 ... <Pre> Six-monthSix-month Contract Contract Spot Spot contract spot average range average range forecast forecast Acetic acid (synth) $/lb0.21 0.17-0.38 0.24 0.15-0.40 0.19 0.17 Acetone $/lb 0.13 0.13 0.15 0.14-0.16 ...
CAPACITY CHANGES.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Shell Chemical, basf Corp., and Fina have signed a letter of intent to form a joint venture which would construct the world's largest butadiene extraction facility in Port Arthur, Texas. The facility is scheduled for start-up in 2002 and will have a capacity of 900 million lb/yr. It will ...
PRICE INCREASES.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Effective August 1, Dow Chemical increased off-list prices of ethylene glycol (antifreeze grade) by 6¢/lb for all North American customers. Effective July 1, Ciba Specialty Chemicals increased prices for several antioxidants. These include: Irganox 1010, ...
Prices stable through year-end, then softening.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Following recent increases, chlorine prices have flattened and will remain stable through 1999, before softening in the first few months of 2000, say buyers and analysts. Chlorine has come up off the bottom of the price cycle as the domestic chlorine market has firmed in recent ...
PE price hikes will boost plastic drum tags.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Recent polyethylene price increases, some announced in excess of 10[cent]/lb, obviously will have an impact on plastic drum prices. These price increases occur just as the Asian economy is looking a little better, and chemical exports to the Far East are starting to edge up. ...
Phillips plant explosion under investigation.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... A recent explosion and resultant chemical fire recently erupted inside Phillips Petroleum Co.'s Houston, Texas, plastics plant, killing two workers and injuring four others. The cause of the blast has not yet been determined, according to a company spokesperson who confirmed the ...
Overcapacity will erode prices in 2000.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Following a recent 2¢/lb increase in ethylene glycol contracts and spot tags in June, producers have announced a 6¢/lb increase for antifreeze-grade ethylene glycol, effective in August. Despite price increases, buyers and industry experts are forecasting softening ...
Alternative and specialty chemicals keep growing.(Statistical Data Included)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Technological changes are impacting papermaking in some fairly substantial ways. Not only does this impact large volume commodity chemicals such as chlorine, which is slowly being replaced as a bleaching agent, it also increases the array of specialty chemicals used in papermaking. ...
Chemicals on the Internet.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Attention chemical buyers! All the latest chemicals news, pricing data, and sourcing strategies are conveniently and immediately accessible from one location at Purchasing Online (www.purchasing.com). Visit the chemicals section of Purchasing Online to find the latest results of our ...
CORPORATE CHANGES.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Seegott, an Ohio-based chemical distribution company has acquired Synergistic Performance Corp., a chemical distributor previously owned by Tenn.-based Mini Fibers, Inc. Seegot was ranked #23 in Purchasing's 1999 Top 100 Chemical Distributors survey. FMC has completed ...
NUS International electricity cost comparison.
Sep 02, 1999 ... <Pre>Annual Rank Country ¢/kWh % chg 1 Italy 7.8 -12.1 2 Spain 7.4 0.0 3 Belgium 7.2 -2.4 4 Germany 6.9 -8.3 5 U.S. 6.6 -0.8 6 Ireland 6.5 0.0 7 Netherlands 6.2 -0.3 8 ...
Fidelity investments.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Fidelity investments, the Boston-based mutual fund company, hired Exelon Management & Consulting as its resource for energy procurement and energy management strategies. Exelon will provide Fidelity with energy supply management services, including rate negotiations, fuel mix optimization, ...
Corning Inc.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Corning Inc., a $3.5-billion Fortune 500 company, has selected Statoil Energy to manage its $50 million annual domestic energy budget. Over the life of its three-year contract with Corning, Statoil expects to reduce the company' energy costs by more than $4.5 million. "We conducted an ...
Ocean Spray Cranberries.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Ocean Spray Cranberries, based in Lakeville, Mass., announced a $116 million long-term agreement for total energy management services with Enron Energy Services of Houston. Ocean Spray expects to save millions of dollars at its domestic manufacturing and distribution facilities. For the ...
DukeSolutions.
Sep 02, 1999 ... DukeSolutions of Charlotte, N.C., has landed a $19-million contract to undertake a number of building and energy initiatives at the Toronto Dominion Centre, Canada's largest office complex. Under the agreement, DukeSolutions will install lighting fixtures and lighting control systems, ...
Equistar Chemicals.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Equistar Chemicals, one of the world's largest petrochemical producers, has selected Reliant Energy of Houston to develop a co-generation plant to supply electricity and steam at Equistar's Channelview, Texas, facility and to provide power at up to 10 Equistar facilities in Texas. The ...
Pasadena Paper Company.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Pasadena Paper Company, of Pasadena, Texas, has signed a four-year energy services agreement with Reliant Energy Solutions of Houston. The agreement establishes a definitive process to develop and implement comprehensive energy strategies for Pasadena Paper's manufacturing facility. As ...
Keep an eye on status of anti-trust immunity for ocean carriers.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Keep an eye on status of anti-trust immunity for ocean carriers. U.S. coalition of shippers and freight forwarders is making case for removing immunity to Paris-based ...
Want to be up-to-date on the latest in non-traditional purchasing? Get Purchasing's new book.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Want to be up-to-date on the latest in non-traditional purchasing? Get Purchasing's new book, Strategies for Non-Traditional Buying. In it you'll read how non-traditional thinking is changing purchasing, and get tips on buying a wealth of non-traditional goods and services that are ...
Plan on hotel rates rising about 4% on average next year.(Statistical Data Included)(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Plan on hotel rates rising about 4% on average next year. Hikes in major cities will be a bit ...
Expect ethanol prices to rise with recent government report.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Expect ethanol prices to rise with recent government report recommending that use of mtbe in gasoline be substantially reduced due to ...
Count on big jump in less-than-truckload (LTL) rates.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Count on big jump in less-than-truckload (LTL) rates next year. Shippers ...
Need guidance in benchmarking practices?
Sep 02, 1999 ... Need guidance in benchmarking practices? Purchasing's new book, Benchmarking: In Theory--and Practice is comprehensive guide to why benchmarking is critically important to business, and how to approach it. Co-authored by Jim Morgan, Editorial Director Emeritus of Purchasing Magazine, and ...
Expect airfares to begin to decline by end of third quarter.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Expect airfares to begin to decline by end of third quarter ....
Forget about legislation passing this year that would increase maximum truck weights.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Forget about legislation passing this year that would increase maximum truck weights. Bill was introduced in House, but never reached Senate. Railroads and safety ...
Plan on paying higher prices for plastics.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Plan on paying higher prices for plastics in coming months. Feedstocks continue to apply upward pressure on most plastics, including polyethylene, ...
Look for more suppliers to consider merging to beat new accounting rules.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Look for more suppliers to consider merging to beat new accounting rules coming next year. New rules, which take effect in second half of 2000, will ...
Consider asking ocean carriers to waive liability limits.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Consider asking ocean carriers to waive liability limits if you're a large shipper. Carriers dismissed such requests until Ocean Shipping Reform Act took effect in May ...
Need timely commodity pricing data?
Sep 02, 1999 ... Need timely commodity pricing data? Visit Purchasing Magazine's Web site at www.purchasing.com. There, you'll find sections devoted to the ...
Keep an eye on efforts by National Industrial Transportation (NIT) League to change Jones Act.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Keep an eye on efforts by National Industrial Transportation (NIT) League to change Jones Act, which restricts domestic waterborne ...
Expect consolidation of oil refineries to continue.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Expect consolidation of oil refineries to continue, as major producers move toward fewer but larger units, which ...
If you want to know what to expect in purchasing over the next decade.
Sep 02, 1999 ... If you want to know what to expect in purchasing over the next decade, get Purchasing's book, Supply Chain Strategies. Many clerical jobs will go away in coming years, but supply managers will be in hot demand as more and more companies awaken to the huge competitive advantages that ...
Be prepared for tighter supplies and upward price pressure for most petrochemicals.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Be prepared for tighter supplies and upward price pressure for most petrochemicals. Behind changing supply ...
Count on pay raises to average about 4%.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Count on pay raises to average about 4% again next year, which will be sixth consecutive year ...
Look for osha to regulate exposure to metalworking fluids.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Look for osha to regulate exposure to metalworking fluids in not-too-distant future. Rules will ...
Here's outlook for fuel prices.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Here's outlook for fuel prices next year: gasoline and diesel, ...
Don't miss the 1999 Purchasing Conference.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Don't miss the 1999 Purchasing Conference, held by The Conference Board on Nov. 2-3, 1999, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. This year's program is jam-packed with top-notch speakers, including three members of Purchasing's Editorial Advisory Board. Theme is "Best practices ...
Expect to pay more for stainless steel in coming months.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Expect to pay more for stainless steel in coming months. Tags already are making comeback from depressed 1998 levels, and ...
Plan on suppliers and customers building up inventories late this year.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Plan on suppliers and customers building up inventories late this year, to hedge bets against Y2K problems as we ...
Discount any talk of global warming treaty being submitted to Congress.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Discount any talk of global warming treaty being submitted to Congress. Pact cannot win there, and President ...
Keep an eye on new process to produce ethylene.(Brief Article)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Keep an eye on new process to produce ethylene that's being researched at University of Minnesota. Process goes away with large furnace and employs ...
Consumer confidence fell in July for the first time this year.
Sep 02, 1999 ... Consumer confidence fell in July for the first time this year, according to the Conference Board (CB). After eight months of consecutive gains, the index fell nearly three-and-a-half points in July on lower expectations for future growth. The expectations index fell to 107 in July from ...
Financial markets recoiled in horror when the BLS reported a 1.1% second-quarter gain in its closely watched Employment Cost Index (ECI).(Statistical Data Included)
Sep 02, 1999 ... Financial markets recoiled in horror when the BLS reported a 1.1% second-quarter gain in its closely watched Employment Cost ...