Industry Trends

June 2020

See what has been happening in Asia’s petrochemicals, agrochemicals, automotive, bio energy, and mining industries over the last weeks. What are experts and industry magazines talking about?

What has been happening?

Five ways to improve health and safety on the mine site, Opec agrees to extend record oil supply cuts, million mile EV battery, and more. Find out what journals and industry experts have been discussing in the last four weeks.

Latest Industry Articles

Five ways to improve health and safety on the mine site
Mining Technology

Mining has always presented occupational hazards such as dust inhalation, hearing damage, heatstroke, chemical hazards and earth collapses. Long-term, these can cause mining staff to develop terminal illnesses, respiratory disease, hearing loss and cumulative musculoskeletal injury.
Five Petroleum to collaborate with Green Packet and introduce Malaysia’s first AI-powered petrol stations
Paul Tan’s Automotive News

Five Petroleum Malaysia is set to collaborate with telecommunications solutions provider Green Packet to introduce the country’s first artificial intelligence (AI)-powered petrol stations. According to Five Petroleum MD Datuk Seri King Lim, the partnership will result in a cashless digital experience across all of its petrol stations, and this will be accomplished by leveraging frontier technologies such as AI and machine learning.
Million mile EV battery
Electronics Weekly

Amperex, the Chinese lithium-ion car battery maker, says it has developed a car battery that will last for two million kilometers, last 16 years and cost only 10% more than current batteries.
Ice Favorability Index promises to increase prospectors’ chances of striking gold on the moon
MINING.com

Researchers at the University of Central Florida created a geological model to give prospectors looking to mine the moon better odds of striking gold. Since finding the yellow metal on the moon is linked to the existence of rich deposits of water ice that can be turned into resources, like fuel, for space missions, the scientists created an Ice Favorability Index.
Opec agrees to extend record oil supply cuts
Oil & Gas

Recovery in prices has encouraged producers to keep restrictions in place.
BASF and Red Avenue New Materials collaborate on compostable co-polyester (PBAT) in China
Biofuels Digest

In Germany, BASF and Red Avenue New Materials Group signed a joint agreement that grants Red Avenue New Materials Group the license to produce and sell certified compostable aliphatic-aromatic co-polyester (PBAT). Red Avenue New Materials Group will build a 60,000 metric tons PBAT plant in Shanghai, using BASF`s process technology in exchange for the access to raw material from this plant which BASF will sell as ecoflex.
Oil Hope Slides on Imminent End of Extra Saudi Cuts
Rigzone.com

Oil fell after moving past this weekend’s producer deal to extend supply cuts.
Recovery movement control order to replace CMCO – interstate travel to be allowed starting from June 10
Paul Tan’s Automotive News

Prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has just announced the implementation of the recovery movement control order (RMCO) beginning June 10, which will replace the current conditional movement control order (CMCO) that ends on June 9. One of the initiatives that is part of RMCO is the allowance for interstate travel, with the exception of areas that are placed under the enhanced movement control order (EMCO).
Q&A on Cellulosic Ethanol with Clariant
Biofuels Digest

DigestConnect hosted a wildly popular webinar in late April with Clariant’s Head of Business Line, Biofuels & Derivatives at Clariant but there were so many fantastic audience questions we didn’t to, that we decided to follow up and put together The Digest’s Q&A with Clariant on the latest and greatest about cellulosic ethanol.
Indonesia seen not importing much ethanol-blended gasoline despite policy change
Biofuels Digest

In Indonesia, Platts reports that despite the country changing its policy recently to allow for imports of US-origin ethanol-blended gasoline, a surge in demand isn’t expected. Freight costs from the US has been flagged as one of the key barriers to increased ethanol-blended trade with Indonesia as freight from the region is much lower, which would offset any potential savings in imports from the US.
Beiersdorf and Evonik agree to jointly develop CO2-based feedstock for care products
Biofuels Digest

In Germany, Beiersdorf and Evonik have reached an agreement on a research partnership. Its aim is to develop sustainable raw materials for care products, using carbon dioxide (CO2) as the starting material. Beiersdorf is on the lookout for new sources of raw materials that will also reduce the company’s carbon footprint. One option here is artificial photosynthesis technology.
Indonesia removes ban on pre-blended US origin ethanol imports
Biofuels Digest

In Washington, U.S. ethanol can now enter the Indonesian market by way of pre-blended fuel, following the recent removal of a ban on pre-blended product entering the country. This change creates a potential market of more than 200 million gallons (71 million bushels in corn equivalent).
Huntsman Completes the Acquisition of CVC Thermoset Specialties
PR Newswire

Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) today announced that it has completed the acquisition of CVC Thermoset Specialties, a North American specialty chemical manufacturer serving the industrial composites, adhesives and coatings markets.
Thailand auto industry proposes ‘cash for clunkers’ trade-in scheme for old cars – should Malaysia follow?
Paul Tan’s Automotive News

Thailand’s battered auto market has come up with an idea that it hopes will spur the new car market – cash for clunkers. The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) auto club is proposing a car trade-in scheme to the government to help boost domestic demand for autos. It’s ultimately a bid to prop up volume for the carmakers and prevent job losses.
FGV looking at oil palm residues for renewable energy as key to post-pandemic recovery
Biofuels Digest

In Malaysia, the New Straits Times reports FGV is looking at how renewable energy such as biogas from oil palm waste for power production can help its post-COVID-19 recovery. Power produced from biogas via gensets would then be supplied to the national grid.

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