Global chemical purchasing conference set

-- Purchasing, 4/23/2008 10:00:00 AM

Information to help purchasing and supply chain managers prepare for the 2009-2010 global economy, energy feedstocks and key chemical families will be presented at the Chemical Purchasing Summit in Boston on Sept. 17-18 at the Seaport World Trade Center. The two-day information conference is being organized by the editors of Purchasing and ICIS Chemical Business, sister publications of Reed Business Information.

Key topics will include a global economic outlook, crude oil and natural gas market and prices forecasts, a North American chemical industry outlook and an update of the world petrochemical cycle and outlook. The speakers also plan to address world economic projections, trade trends and key market movements for next year. The credit crunch and its impact on supplier consolidation is on the docket, as are reviews of purchasing issues in organic and inorganic chemicals, and petrochemicals supply chain security and logistics issues.

Among speakers will be representatives from PriceWaterhouseCoopers; Kevin Swift , chief economist and senior director of the American Chemistry Council; Joe Breunig, president of BASF North America; Scott Anderson, chief economist at Wells Fargo Bank; John Hotz , vice president of the polyethylene business of NOVA Chemicals; and Andrew Swanson, senior vice president of Nexant Chemsystems.

Other speakers include Paul Bjacek , head of global chemicals research at Accenture; Glen Buckley, chief economist of CF Industries; and Joseph Acker, president of SOCMA, the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association. Also, a representative from the London Metals Exchange will discuss the LME’s plastics pricing program and futures trading.

Register and find additional information at www.icis.com/chemicalpurchasing.