The Chemical Show: Where Leaders Talk Business

China dominates global demand and is the largest importer of chemicals and polymers, so any initiative it takes affects the global market. In this episode, John Richardson, a Senior Consultant at ICIS, talks about the biggest contributor to the chemicals market in detail. John focuses on the polypropylene and polyethylene markets. These chemicals are primarily used for packaging, including plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes, and containers. Due to issues with carbon emissions, China increased some restrictions and requirements for factories which resulted in supply chain issues for the chemical industry. John provides the objective analysis to manage businesses in today’s uncertain and ever-changing world. Stay tuned and find out more!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Writing for a magazine that revolves around the chemical industry can be tricky. As a chemical business reporter, you need to be able to talk to the right people and get the right stories. You also need to remember that you're writing for the readers. Join Victoria Meyer and her guest, Craig Bettenhausen, as they talk about the chemical industry from a writer's perspective. Craig is a business reporter at Chemical & Engineering News. He covers specialty chemicals, carbon capture, industrial gasses, and more. Learn the best stories from 2021 and what to look forward to in 2022.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Just when we thought there could be nothing more in store than 2020, along came 2021. The year brought business challenges ranging from cyber-attacks to weather events to a continuation of the pandemic. Carpenter Co. is not an exception, having been a target of a hacking attack that almost disrupted their business. But rather than letting the challenges sweep them away, they have managed to become stronger than ever. Its CEO, Brad Beauchamp, is back on the show to share with us how they took on 2021—from dealing with hacking, to M&As, to creating a strong culture for both employees and customers. Facing the new year forward, Brad then shares what they learned from these significant events that greatly impacted the company and how they are going to apply it as they plan for the future. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

The demand for everything chemical recovers quickly. The 2022 chemical investment outlook is promising. Victoria Meyer’s guest in this episode is Trey Hamblet, the VP of Chemicals Research for Industrial Info Resources. Trey talks with Victoria about insights and predictions on how chemical investments will fare in 2022. The best course of action is to tackle key investments that increase profitability. So far, logical constraints don’t hold back chemical investments, and technologies are developing green initiatives that garner huge public support. Do you want to know more about the 2022 chemical investment outlook? Tune in!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

For The Chemical Show's last episode of 2021, Victoria Meyer looks back on the most significant events of the year for the chemical industry. From the newest policies implemented, the disasters that shook the world, and the issues that made everyone rethink, she goes through them all. Victoria also highlights one event that contributes to the progress of the chemical industry and also very close to her heart.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

When the Toxic Substances Control Act was updated in 2016, EPA gained authority to require chemical manufacturers and industries to submit reporting, record-keeping, and testing requirements. Since this changed the way chemicals are developed, produced, and distributed, understanding TSCA is a must to remain compliant. Victoria Meyer explores this topic further with a certified TSCA expert, Lynn L. Bergeson. She is Managing Partner at Bergerson & Campbell PC and Host of All Things Chemical®. She explains how this act challenges chemical innovation and affects the global regulations of US-based businesses today. Lynn also discusses the rise of PFAS and what it actually means for chemical companies out there. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Pactiv Evergreen is one of North America’s largest fresh food and beverage packaging suppliers, a global leader in paper packaging solutions. Joining Victoria Meyer in this episode is Emelia Nosser, Chief Procurement Officer for the company. Emelia shares how Pactiv Evergreen stands out from the rest and how they’ve thrived throughout the challenges brought on by the pandemic in the last couple of years. She underscores their move towards sustainability and digitization to adapt to the needs of their customers and the world. Tune in to learn more!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

The COVID pandemic hit many industries hard, including the chemical industry. It is now adapting, with many companies facing the changes that lie ahead. In this episode, Victoria Meyer discusses how the pandemic has reshaped the chemical industry with Zeochem LLC’s Global Business Director for Chemicals and Energy, Patty Summers. Patty and Victoria analyze the changes in the industry and how they have adapted, and we hear their exciting views on the future. Learn more about how the chemical industry is changing with the times by tuning in to this episode.

We hear the term customer experience all the time. But what does it mean, and how far does it stretch? In this episode, Victoria Meyer defines customer experience and its role in creating value to grow your business. A transformation in the chemical industry is here, driven by the needs that surfaced during the pandemic. It’s now up to businesses to find what differentiates them and to attract customers by crafting an experience like no other. Tune in to learn more about how you can be deliberate in creating a customer-centric strategy for your business.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Digital Technology has not yet found its way into the chemical industry on a broad scale. Victoria Meyer’s guest today, Sebastian Brenner, explains why that needs to change. Sebastian is the Managing Director of CheMondis, the leading digital marketplace for chemicals in Europe, with over 7,000 companies participating. Join the conversation as Sebastian discusses how digital technology handles repetitive ordering, freeing up time for people to engage in more critical tasks. Despite the massive benefit digitalization brings, personal interaction will never go away. Chemical products require a deep understanding that only a human being can give. Tune in and upgrade your digital technology!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

The pandemic brought many challenges to smaller businesses and chemical distributors. Learn how Eric Byer, President and CEO of the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD), led the association and supported the chemical distribution industry, including many small, family-owned businesses, during the ups-and-downs of 2020 and 2021. Join your host Victoria Meyer and her guest Eric Byer as they discuss the pandemic, its effect on small business, the vital part that chemical distribution plays in the economy and the role that NACD has taken to support its members. How have chemical distributors managed the challenges posed by the logistics disruptions and the pandemic? Find out by listening to today's episode of The Chemical Show Podcast.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Do you understand how investment banks can help chemicals companies grow? Chris Mudd, the Managing Director at Chiron Financial LLC, shares why as he joins host Victoria Meyer in this episode. Chris uncovers the mystery of investment banking and shows the many things they offer to help those in the industry. From raising capital to M&A support to advisory services, he tells us the key distinctions that separate investment banks from the rest. Follow along to this conversation to understand more about investment banking and how you can grow to your full potential.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

With Hurricane Ida gone and the unpredictability of the weather, many people are wondering what effects hurricanes have on the chemical industry. What impacts did it have on the feedstocks, exports, and chemical workers? Join your host Victoria Meyer and her guest John Stekla on how Hurricane Ida changed the petrochemical chemical industry and how it will recover. John is a petrochemicals industry expert, with 30+ years of experience. He is also the director at PERIN Resources. Listen in on today's episode to know more about the impact Hurricane Ida had, the prices of natural gas, feedstocks, and much more.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Due to the pandemic and many natural disasters in 2020-21, today's volatile markets provided a considerable amount of challenge to Leo Maguchi and his company. But even with this rocky situation, the demand is not going anywhere and must be addressed. Leo joins Victoria Meyer to share his work at ITOCHU, a leading distributor and marketer of inorganic, organic, functional and specialty chemicals. He explains how they operate amid the COVID-19 scare, freight rate increases, and tons of regional shortages. Leo also discusses the need for decisive and flexible leadership today that prioritizes digitization and sustainability for businesses to survive.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Do you see what influence one has on the market? It's important to understand different markets so you could get informed about the demand. Victoria Meyer sits down for a conversation with John Richardson about strategies to enable companies to be headed in the right direction. John Richardson is a Senior Consultant at ICIS. John focuses on the polyolefins markets (polypropylene, polyethylene) in China, Asia and Europe. He shares the objective analysis you need to manage your business in today’s incredibly uncertain world. ICIS is the global source of Independent Commodity Intelligence Services. He shares how he sees recycled products drive towards sustainability and circularity, and taxes. Learn a lot of valuable insights on market demand, economics, sustainability and circularity so you could grow as a professional.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Some of the most successful companies always put their customers first. That is why, if you want to emulate their success, the first thing you need to do is focus on taking care of your customers and your people. Victoria Meyer’s guest in this episode is Megan E. Gluth-Bohan, the CEO and Founder of TRInternational. Megan shares with Victoria how the huge success of TRInternational leans heavily on standing relationships. After all, the most successful companies are those that are led by people with good character. Listen to this episode and discover how you can put your customers first. Tune in!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Did you know that the average age of a professional driver in the US has been growing steadily? This is not a good sign because this can lead to disruption, especially in the chemical industry. Considered as the backbone of a lot of industries, drivers deserve respect and proper pay. To learn more about the freight and transportation industry, join Victoria Meyer and her guest, Brain Fielkow. Brian is the CEO of Jetco Delivery where they provide a wide array of logistics and transportation services. Join in the conversation to know why you need to know your market for maximum efficiency. Learn why safety is the foundation of the transportation industry. Discover why the number of professional truck drivers is dwindling down. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

The chemical industry is a male-dominated space, but women are making inroads in it. Our guests created Women In Chemicals, a non-profit designed to help women create and identify opportunities in the industry. Victoria Meyer discusses things with Amelia Greene, Global Product Manager at Wego Chemical Group, and Kylie Wittl, Strategic Sourcing at 3M. They talk about their goals in founding Women in Chemicals and give their insights on the role of women in the industry. Tune in and hear more on how these two women are empowering their peers in the chemical industry. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Digital is all around us.The onset of the pandemic only accelerated the expansion and progress of digitization in almost every industry years ahead. Still, not all of them are making the most out of it just yet. The chemical industry’s love-hate relationship with digitization is founded on its belief in human-to-human interaction. However, we shouldn’t let that hold us back from the innovations that only aim to improve business processes and outcomes. In this episode, your host Victoria Meyer shares the many ways the chemical industry is embracing digitization and explains why executives should start seeing it as a value-creating investment. Tune in and learn the impacts and benefits of digitization.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

In this short episode, Victoria Meyer zooms in on three big key trends on sustainability and highlights the importance of owning the narrative. The chemical industry already has made tremendous progress toward sustainability and circularity, and contirubtes in many ways toward a healthier and greener environment. Yet, we are allowing less-informed groups to own the narrative about sustainability in chemicals and plastics. The industry needs to be more transparent with our processes to showcase how we take sustainability seriously. Want to learn about the remaining key trends? Tune in!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Pivoting a family-owned business during a pandemic is challenging. The key is to maintain a free-form culture of growth where everyone wins. Victoria Meyer’s guest in this episode is Cameron Whaley, President of Southern Chemical & Textiles. Cameron shares with Victoria how the company thrives on taking great care of its people. Make the best opportunities available so everyone succeeds. Tune in!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Coming up with a business sustainability report is an important thing in any team's growth and planning. What can you do to streamline this process and make it better? Jennifer Sadenwater presents the solution through ESGLynk. Joining Victoria Meyer, she explains how they connect people with the value that matters in three important points: environmental, social, and governance. Together, they talk about which industries can benefit the most from this strategy, its impact on investing, and the standards the come with it. Most importantly, Jennifer discusses how ESG can improve a company's performance and plan execution.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

The key to establishing and achieving your business goal is to know your intellectual property strategy. However, many business leaders don’t understand concepts of intellectual property, trademarks, and patents. Victoria Meyer’s guest in this episode is James Drake, a patent attorney and the Managing Counsel of Drake & Associates. James discusses what intellectual property is and how you can use it to achieve your business goal. Tune in and listen to this conversion to learn more about what you, as a business leader, need to know about intellectual property.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Every day, it seems that more and more things are coming out of the chemical industry. One such innovation is the development of a bio-based polymer, the functionality of which seems endless. On today’s show, Victoria Meyer interviews Michael Suver, the EVP of Integrity BioChem. Michael has over 25 years of experience at a couple of innovative companies including Integrity BioChem. He shares how this bio-based polymer the company developed fulfills a need in the oil fields, especially in industrial mining. He also touches on the global need for anything bio-based and how people are now looking towards reformulating to get more green.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

NUCO Logistics is an international logistics, freight forwarding, and NVOCC company. Victoria Meyer's guest today is its CEO Noushin Shamsili to discuss how NUCO Logistics pivoted during the pandemic. On the one hand, the demand during COVID has increased tremendously. On the other, many steamship lines canceled their sailings to make sure that they would reduce their losses. What Noushin did was to pull strings through all contacts throughout the world to form a plan B. Learn more about what this is and stay updated with the happenings around marine logistics and more by tuning in!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

The petrochemical industry has been impacted by current events, causing massive swings in the market. This includes the already volatile Propylene and Olefin market. Victoria Meyer is joined by the Director of PERIN Resources, John Stekla. John is an accomplished senior sales and marketing executive with broad international and domestic experience in petrochemicals, lubricant and fuel additives, and performance chemicals. They talk about the current market trends in the Propylene and Olefin market and how it has been impacted by the COVID pandemic. They also talk about petrochemical investments in the US, and the opportunities and challenges the industry is facing. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

In some form or another, people interact with chemicals and compounds on a daily basis, just like surfactants which can be found in detergents, emulsifiers or dispersants. Neil Burns joins Victoria Meyer to explain more about it. Neil is the CEO of P2 Science Inc., a manufacturing company that focuses on cosmetics and personal care, fragrances and aroma chemicals. Neil tells Victoria that prior to the innovation they did in P2 Science Inc., the individual customers were the most fundamental and it is what they focused on early on. He also shares the correlation between chemicals and where green chemistry stands in the whole process.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Chemical distribution is a wholly unique space within the chemical industry as a whole. Ronald Zmich has been working in this space for over 25 years. He is the Vice President of CASE at Palmer Holland, which is a specialty chemical and ingredient distributor of raw materials based in Cleveland, Ohio. Join your host, Victoria Meyer and her guest, Ronald Zmich as they talk about all things chemical distribution. Learn how the chemical industry was affected by COVID-19, how eCommerce is changing things, and how big of a role environmental sustainability plays in the chemical industry.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Relaunching a company is not an easy task. It comes with a lot of struggle and burden to whoever gets appointed to lead the charge. John Foley proved himself up for the challenge when he found himself thrust into leadership in the newly formed Verdant Specialty Solutions. Verdant is a specialty chemical company that got formed by the acquisition of a private equity firm, OpenGate Capital from Solvay S.A. Victoria Meyer brings John in to the show to talk about the acquisition and what it’s like to relaunch a business in the chemical industry. Learn a thing or two about change leadership as John talks about the burdens and the strategies he used to launch Verdant.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

A lot has changed in these recent years for the chemical industry when doing business in China and Asia due to the changing regulations and globalization. Now that China continues to become more and more self-sufficient, chemical companies are called to embrace adaptability and versatility in the future. Joining Victoria Meyer is Dan McLeod of East West Associates to explore the industry's current status in the Chinese setting. He looks at the topic from various perspectives, from the alarming environmental regulations that cause shutdowns and relocations, the many adjustments in logistics, to the country's call for more local business leadership. Dan also talks about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the chemical industry in China, exploring the many opportunities western companies can still find there after a challenging time.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Change and transformations are a fact of life. It’s how you deal with change that sets you apart from the crowd. Victoria Meyer is joined by Laura Schwinn, President of the Specialty Catalysts division at W.R Grace, Co., to talk about transformations and business leadership in contemporary times. Laura discusses customer engagement, listening to customers, and knowing when to get out of the way of employees so they can get things done. She also talks about inspiring innovation and the challenges of being the only woman on a board full of men.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

The chemical industry underwent a rude awakening in the post-pandemic world. Having an e-commerce solution to meet the customers’ needs is no longer “nice to have”; it’s a must-have! But selling chemicals online is not as simple as selling books or frying pans on Amazon because chemicals require specific regulations, storage, and transportation. How do you get around this dilemma? Today’s guest is Jay Bhatia, founder and CEO of Agilis Chemicals Inc., a highly successful e-commerce platform for the chemical industry. Jay discusses with Victoria Meyer how you can conform your digital channels to reflect existing trade patterns in the chemical industry. Tune in and learn how!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

In order to survive and cope with the current trends, business transformation is a must. Unless it undergoes such a significant yet challenging episode, it can continuously improve and not die out. Victoria Meyer talks with Joey Gullion, COO at SI Group, to share their story of profound transformation that pushed them to their limits. He talks about how they struggled with the COVID-19 pandemic and the Texas winter storm, their move from a major distributor to a producer-supplier model, and their approach to the trend of digitalization. Joey also touches the three most important pillars that impact business transformation, as well as the legacy he wants to establish for both himself and their company as a whole.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

From running newspaper ads to clicking LinkedIn profiles, Patrick Ropella has witnessed first-hand how much executive recruiting in the chemical industry has changed over time. Patrick is the chairman of the Ropella Group, whose mission is to grow great companies by sourcing, recruiting, and training top talents. Patrick discusses with Victoria Meyer how recruiting is a relationship business. Modern tools like Monster and LinkedIn only help quicken the process, but in the end, it's about establishing personal connections with transformational leaders. Patrick also dives into challenges the chemical industries face at present, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the lack of talent. If you want to learn more about recruiting and training, then this episode is for you! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

Holding a $60 billion slice in the chemical manufacturing pie, the cleaning products industry has always been a mainstay of society, but it rose to unprecedented prominence with the impact of COVID-19. When droves of manufacturers pivoted to the production of disinfectants and hand sanitizers, it became incumbent for industry leaders to set the standards of how things are done. Foremost among these prominent companies is the American Cleaning Institute, a 95-year-old company that is currently headed by President and CEO Melissa Hockstad. In this chat with Victoria Meyer, Melissa shares the challenges of being a leader in an essential industry during these pivotal times, including the task of managing teams in a virtual or hybrid setting. She also shares about the company’s efforts around sustainability, digitalization and other trends that affect the chemical industry as a whole.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

How have you been coping with COVID-19 that began in earnest during 2020? Many companies found themselves in desperate situations during the pandemic. As President and CEO of Carpenter Company, Brad Beauchamp is no different! Brad had to figure out how to keep the company afloat when sales hit rock bottom. If you want to learn how to lead your team more efficiently through challenging times, then this episode is for you. Brad sits down with Victoria Meyer to share two critical strategies that helped keep the company afloat: interpersonal connection and making good decisions. Tune in and discover how you can excel in both and come out equipped to face the aftermath of this crisis!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/

The chemical industry is probably one of the biggest and most impactful businesses that you never really hear much about. That’s all going to change starting now as The Chemical Show finally gives the industry the voice that it deserves. With Progressio Global’s Victoria Meyer as your host, you will get to listen to some great stories, rising trends, challenges and bold visions from some of the industry’s greatest leaders. As a $565 billion enterprise that supports more than 500,000 jobs across the US and many times that number across the world, the chemical industry certainly needs much more positive attention than it presently gets. It all starts here and now.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/