- by Cara Brosius
- May 9 2017
- consumer goods
- consumer trends
- holiday decorations
- holiday shopping
Back to the Future: Retro Products and LEDs Light the Way for Christmas Decoration Demand
US demand for Christmas lighting sets is forecast to total $515 million in 2021. Anticipated contraction in Christmas tree purchases in unit terms will weigh on demand for associated lights...
- by Luke Hickman
- April 19 2017
- Energy & Resources
- liquid natural gas (LNG)
- natural gas
US Natural Gas Suppliers Enter the LNG Export Industry
US natural gas producers are expected to benefit significantly from the emerging liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade. Prior to 2016, only one LNG export facility operated in the US, located in Kenai, Alaska. However, by 2021 six LNG export facilities are projected to be operating in the lower 48 states...
- by Steven Richmond
- April 19 2017
- hospitality
- hotel
- services & miscellaneous
Is the Airbnb Threat Overhyped?
A great deal of electronic ink has been spilled in recent years over the threat Airbnb poses to traditional hotel operators. Pundits often draw on the effects of ridesharing services on taxi companies to support claims that home sharing services will be the death of hotels. So US hotel operators are near collapse in the face of this inevitable march of progress, right?
- by Leon Mengri
- April 3 2017
- composting
- food waste
- recycling
- services & miscellaneous
- Waste Management
Composting: The Next Frontier (in Waste Management)
.jpg)
Municipal solid waste (MSW) presents two major challenges for municipalities: collection and management. Over the past few decades, many cities have addressed collection by outsourcing it to firms...
- by Luke Hickman
- April 3 2017
- electric arc furnace
- Metals & Minerals
- mini mill
The Rise of EAFs Provides Flexibility to Steel Producers
In the US, steel is primarily produced in either basic oxygen furnaces (BOFs) or electric arc furnaces (EAFs). Of the approximately 80 million metric tons of raw steel produced in the US in 2016, 67% of it was created in EAFs...
- by Cara Brosius
- March 12 2017
- construction
- Industrials
Fabricated Metals Drilling Into Growing Construction Market
The US fabricated metals industry is highly affected by construction markets, as a significant amount of fabricated metal products are used in various construction projects. Robust growth in construction activity – both in the US and in key export markets – is allowing fabricated metal producers, particularly those specializing in structural metals, to forge a better path to 2021...
- by Erica Keenan
- March 12 2017
- Consumer Products
- food
- mergers and acquisitions
Kraft Heinz’s Bid for Unilever Shows Processed Food Industry’s Appetite for Change
Unilever declined a takeover offer of over $140 billion from Kraft Heinz, stating that the offer “fundamentally undervalues” the company. The rebuff prompted Kraft Heinz to withdraw the offer, but speculation continues that the company may be hungry for another merger...
- by Cara Brosius
- March 12 2017
- Consumer Products
- kitchenware
- tableware
Celebrity Chefs & Premium Items Heating up Demand for Tableware & Kitchenware
US demand for tableware and kitchenware is projected to total $12.7 billion in 2021. Growth will be aided by gains in disposable personal income, improvements in household formation and home sales, and increases in new marriages...
- by Steven Richmond
- March 2 2017
- Consumer Products
Turmoil in Textiletown
There’s trouble in the US home textiles market. Leading retailers and their suppliers have been shaken by a series of supply chain scandals that have brought the veracity of a wide swath of product claims under scrutiny. While these events have created a major headache for leading players, they represent an opportunity for others...
- by Luke Hickman
- February 22 2017
- Glass
- Materials & Chemicals
- Recycling
- Single-Stream Collection
A New Path for Glass Recycling
Houston, Texas removed glass from its curbside recycling program back in March of 2016 as a result of increasing processing costs and budget constraints. Similar developments in other cities paint a glum picture for the future of the recovered glass industry. Or do they?