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Article: NPRA: demand uptick lifts spirits, but feedstock concerns remain.(business & finance news: National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA) International Petrochemical Conference (IPC))
- Article from:
- Chemical Week
- Article date:
- April 7, 2004
- Author:
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Stronger demand and improving margins fostered cautious optimism among attendees at this year's National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA) International Petrochemical Conference (IPC), held late last month in San Antonio, TX, Attendance was 3,100, a 20% increase from last year when depressed industry conditions, the start of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and the SARS crisis in Asia hurt turnout. The brighter outlook is tempered by concerns about elevated energy and feedstock costs, however.
"The outlook for the global petrochemical industry is brightening after several disappointing years," says Bill Klesse, COO of Valero (San Antonio) and chairman of ...