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Learning to live with feedstock variability
Last November, Jack Bolick, CEO of Honeywell Process Solutions did a podcast interview with Marc Moschetto. One of the topics of conversation was that process manufacturers are having to deal with a greater level of variability in materials and feedstocks given that suppliers are having to hunt for new sources in new places. All these things are related to growing shortages and resource redistribution given industrial development in Asia and other areas.
Well, here's another one: Variability due to changing crop growing conditions. This isn't exactly news for companies that use agricultural products as raw materials. On the contrary, the ebbs and flows of bounty and famine are as old as history itself. However, I suspect the degree of global interconnection and number of ways that agricultural products are used are higher than ever. So when weather predictors see this summer as a poor one for rainfall in the U.S. Midwest, it gives one pause to consider the impact of reduced harvests.
Much of our "green" technology has been developed for us simply to maintain our current lifestyle in a way that is somewhat more responsible. Sort of like buying a hybrid SUV. Why give up anything? On the other hand, the most important green technology may not be technology at all, but simply consuming less. A dry summer may leave us with few other choices. The latest green solution: A tighter belt.
Learning to live with feedstock variability
April 21, 2008
Last November, Jack Bolick, CEO of Honeywell Process Solutions did a podcast interview with Marc Moschetto. One of the topics of conversation was that process manufacturers are having to deal with a greater level of variability in materials and feedstocks given that suppliers are having to hunt for new sources in new places. All these things are related to growing shortages and resource redistribution given industrial development in Asia and other areas.Well, here's another one: Variability due to changing crop growing conditions. This isn't exactly news for companies that use agricultural products as raw materials. On the contrary, the ebbs and flows of bounty and famine are as old as history itself. However, I suspect the degree of global interconnection and number of ways that agricultural products are used are higher than ever. So when weather predictors see this summer as a poor one for rainfall in the U.S. Midwest, it gives one pause to consider the impact of reduced harvests.
Much of our "green" technology has been developed for us simply to maintain our current lifestyle in a way that is somewhat more responsible. Sort of like buying a hybrid SUV. Why give up anything? On the other hand, the most important green technology may not be technology at all, but simply consuming less. A dry summer may leave us with few other choices. The latest green solution: A tighter belt.
Posted by Peter Welander on April 21, 2008 | Comments (0)
Industries: Process Control
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