SAP for Chemicals: A Packaged Solution for Mid-market Companies
Olin Thompson and PJ Jakovljevic - May 30, 2006

A Rough-and-tumble Ride

Although one might get the impression that life has been kind to the chemical industry, that certainly hasn't always been the case. True, chemical players today are virtually minting money on their own terms, but only two years ago, the industry was moribund, and chemical products were selling like sludge rather than hotcakes. Chemical companies were rife with overflowing inventories, and their pricing power was anemic. But now, plants are operating at a feverish pace to meet demand; profitability and cash flow are at an all-time high (and still looking up); and storage tanks are emptying of inventory swiftly and briskly...