The Chemical Show: Leadership Conversations on Strategy, Supply Chain, Innovation, Talent and Trends

Many people have tried innovating and coming up with new ideas for a more sustainable world, but only a few have made a dent. The process is long, and it takes more than a brilliant mind to develop a breakthrough product that would revolutionize the use of plastic. One of those few is Avantium. In this episode, CEO Tom van Aken shares their initiatives that would soon revolutionize plant-to-plastics technology, and conversion of industrial sugars, in addition to using plant-based carbon sources. He also shares the importance of getting the right partners on board to commercialize new technologies and how that consortium fosters trust, cooperation, and collaboration in moving everything to a renewable and sustainable level.

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It's hard to recruit the right talent in the chemical industry because it's a very complicated and specialized industry. It’s looking for a specific set of skills, especially with the rise of technological innovation. Join Victoria Meyer as she talks to Ron Malachuk about talent acquisition and how to retain them. Ron is a Partner in the Chicago office of JM Search and a core member of the firm’s Chemicals and Materials practice. Learn what skills are needed to be a CEO or part of the board. Discover the importance of networking, especially in the chemical industry. Tune in and start mapping out your career today.

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The pandemic, disputes, recession, and inflation are just a few of the adversities that we all have to get through. But imagine what it's like to be in logistics. It's one thing for a company to keep afloat and another to advance. NUCO Logistics has not only done both, but they were also awarded the Ecovadis Silver Medal for their compliance in the areas of environment, ethics, labor, human rights, and sustainable approach to Shipping and Freight Forwarding. In this episode, President and CEO, Noushin Shamsili talk about the challenges that logistics are facing today and how recognizing areas of improvement and taking action can bring about more opportunities. She also gives insights on the importance of sustainability and shares the measures they’ve taken in their commitment to providing innovative solutions for their customers’ logistic needs. 

This episode is sponsored by Grace.

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Two heads are better than one. When building a business or providing service, having partners and leveraging their strengths is key to scaling your business. In this episode, Gulay Serhatkulu, Senior Vice President of Performance Materials North America at BASF, stresses the importance of partnership and teamwork when it comes to innovation and meeting specific client needs. She also talks about how generational differences play into managing expectations, innovation, and the quality and speed of delivering solutions. Tune in and learn more about BASF's unique approach and strategy to improve the overall customer experience.  

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Distribution is such an important part of the chemical industry, but we don’t often get to hear from the people who make this vital link possible. In this episode, Terry Hill, the CEO of Barentz, talks about a variety of things that are transforming this particular side of the industry right now. Sitting down with Victoria Meyer, Terry compares what the industry was like when he started and how it has changed and evolved over the years. He pays particular attention to the cultural shift and the adoption of digital technology that is accelerating change and innovation in the space. Tune in and learn a lot of things from this insightful conversation with an industry veteran. 

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Plastic has been around for the longest time and is the staple material for packaging. And with the recent pandemic and online shopping, you would think that the use of plastic has diminished, but you couldn’t be more wrong. It has increased significantly along with the misconception of destroying the planet. Would you believe that you, as the consumer, play the biggest role in the life cycle of plastic materials and how it affects the environment? In this episode, Jonathan Quinn, Director of Market Development and Sustainability at Pregis, shares their commitment to preserving the environment. He also talks about the Emerging Leadership Council’s mission and the importance of educating the consumers, especially the younger generation, about the value of recyclable flexible materials and avoiding misconceptions about the use of flexible packaging and plastic recycling. Tune in and learn how you can make a difference when using plastic.

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Extreme weather, heat waves, droughts. Climate change has continued to affect our environment and our lives. And what are we doing about it? Fortunately, there are companies like LanzaTech who dedicated 17 years and $500 million to innovating the use of waste carbon in sustainable fuels, fabrics, packaging, and other products that we use every day. In this episode, we are joined by their CEO, Jennifer Holmgren, to talk about their breakthrough in carbon capture and transformation. And how finding the right partners like Zara, Denote, and other industry-leading companies can shine the light on carbon capture and take their shared vision for a healthier environment into reality. Tune in and learn more about how this diverse team came together to help save our planet.  

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According to Forbes, the inflation reading from January 2021 to January 2022 was a whopping 7.5%. Let’s face it, we are certainly facing inflation, and nobody is exempt, including the chemical industry. So what can chemical companies do to handle inflation and still manage to succeed? Today, Victoria Meyer shares five strategies for how chemical companies should manage and lead through these current economic times.

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Recently we have seen senior-level leaders transitioning, which opened new opportunities for internal succession or external job requisition. And with the significant changes in work setups and company culture, The Ropella Group, with its Chairman & CEO, Patrick Ropella, took to a new category with a different set of requirements when profiling candidates, specifically for C-Suite positions in the chemical, consumer products, and technology industries. In this episode, Patrick tells us what Backable CEO means, how it brings value to a company, and what experience or expertise one needs to qualify. He also shares insights on how the chemical industry is doing in executive recruiting or hiring demands after the great recession, how social media platforms have changed the game for job seekers, and how they provided an avenue for the companies to source candidates. So, if you have positions to fill in your company or someone is looking for an available spot, tune in and get tips on what makes a good candidate and how you can stock up on employment history the right way to become the best fit.

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Chemistry pretty much affects our everyday lives even in its most trivial aspects. Therefore, chemical education is something all people must give some attention to, especially the youth. Victoria Meyer goes to the Chemical Educational Foundation to talk with the people behind it: Terry Hill (Barentz), Aileen Doyle (Univar Solutions), Calvin Emanuel (Ecolab), and Nicole Domingues. They dive into the importance of studying chemistry and how to make students more interested in it, mainly through the foundation's chemist competition.

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