GLG News by Rubber Experts

Gary CrutchfieldAdjunct Professor of BusinessGLENVILLE STATE COLLEGE

The Acquisition of Rio's Packaging Group Will Test Amcor's Flexibility

February 10, 2009

Analysis of:Australia's Amcor eyes part of Rio packaging unit | www.reuters.com

The former Alcan flexibles business is clearly an orphan in Rio's  portfolio. However, the absorption of this business into Amcor's flexible's unit creates another set of issues for its current and anticipated customer base. Corporate culture will play into an effective assimilation and strain the prospective value of this marriage. Too often overlooked in favor of the immediate financial ramifications, the ability to strategically mesh two businesses and create real value for the customer is the key to longer term value.

James "Jim" RippyFormer Senior Vice President of OperationsCONTINENTAL TIRE THE AMERICAS, LLC.

"CAR CZAR" How Ridiculous!

February 9, 2009

Analysis of:Lack of "Car Czar" Stalls progress on Bailout | online.wsj.com

They cannot recover with present leadership. Their Boards are "Sail with the Wind" enablers. They need change urgently.

Gary CrutchfieldAdjunct Professor of BusinessGLENVILLE STATE COLLEGE

The Real Challenge at Smurfit-Stone: A New Business Model

February 3, 2009

Analysis of:Smurfit-Stone Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy | www.paperage.com

Building a sustainable container board and packaging business, capable of delivering value to stakeholders in the long run, requires more than an acquisition strategy and the leverage of low cost  funding.   More important is the management accumen to coalesce a corporate culture that understands how value is created with the commitment to cascade that throughout the organization. The Smurfit-Stone model has been fraught with nepotism and a short term willingness to exploit pricing for volume to mask outdated operations and unenlightened acquisitions.  Today, the real challenge of Chapter 11 is to demostrate to stakeholders they understand those realities and are committed to driving forward with a new business paradigm.

James "Jim" RippyFormer Senior Vice President of OperationsCONTINENTAL TIRE THE AMERICAS, LLC.

The real reason we are failing

January 28, 2009

Analysis of:Circuit City to liquidate remaining US stores | www.businessweek.com

We need to measure differently. We need to reward differently. Our present system does not work anymore and is tilted out of control.

Kevin BoyleConsultantKEVIN L BOYLE

The Independent Petrochemical Producers Are Ready

January 21, 2009

Analysis of:LBO Burden May Force Ineos, Georgia Gulf Bankruptcy (Update2) | www.bloomberg.com

Production activity in petrochemicals appears to be restarting.  Ineos, LyondellBasell, and Georgia Gulf have optimized their operations.

Kevin BoyleConsultantKEVIN L BOYLE

A Smart Move by Lyondell

January 16, 2009

Analysis of:Equistar to reopen La Porte olefins plant | houston.bizjournals.com

Lyondell is using the flexibility of their ethylene production system to optimize their costs.

Kevin BoyleConsultantKEVIN L BOYLE

Some Good News for Petrochemicals

January 15, 2009

Analysis of:CPC to Restart No. 4 Naphtha Cracker as Market Demand Improves | www.bloomberg.com

Restarting of this cracker in Taiwan is an indication of improved profitability in ethylene, and maybe improving demand.

Kevin BoyleConsultantKEVIN L BOYLE

“The worst I’ve ever seen!,” in the Petrochemical Market

December 20, 2008

Analysis of:Equistar to Temporarily Idle Second Olefins Unit | www.marketwatch.com

The shuttering of Lyondell's and Westlake's ethylene facilities brings operable capacity to about 70% of nameplate, and utilization rates below 65%. By closing Chocolate Bayou, Lyondell most likely, stands to improve their net cash flow.

Kevin BoyleConsultantKEVIN L BOYLE

Who Might Buy Sunoco Chemicals?

December 17, 2008

Analysis of:US Sunoco puts chemicals business up for sale | www.icis.com

Sunoco Chemicals is the largest US producer of phenol and a significant producer of polypropylene.  These are very large businesses in the trough of a downturn.  Which companies might have the foresight to entertain this kind of acquisition?

James "Jim" RippyFormer Senior Vice President of OperationsCONTINENTAL TIRE THE AMERICAS, LLC.

Bail them Out, But!!

November 12, 2008

Analysis of:The Breakfast Wars: Starbucks Learns to Cook | www.nytimes.com

  The article in the news today about the reduction of health care benefits planned for GM salaried retirees is very sad .We are talking about folks in their seventies and eighties who gave their lives to the company. People who were told almost annually that the size of their wage increases reflected the money that must be set aside to provide health care for them in retirement. I have always been a strong supporter of our free enterprize system. I find it very saddening to watch so many lives being destroyed because of greedy inept management and leaders. These leaders now asking for a huge government bail out are the same ones who have destroyed a once great icon of American industry.  . I say “Bail them Out”, but make sure that the entire top layer of management is gone and the board that supported their failed strategies with them. 

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