Blogs
Inflation and energy prices to choke Europe’s growth engine
Inflation and energy prices are problematic nearly everywhere. High energy prices are likely to be especially troublesome for Germany and this trouble is certain to spread to this side of the Atlantic.
Oil prices have fallen but remain volatile
Many factors affect the price of crude oil beyond supply and demand—seasonal driving patterns, Atlantic storms, political developments in the Middle East, the outbreak of war, and dozens of others. Another factor that doesn’t get much attention is the volume of oil stored in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
Developing shorter supply chains, strengthening domestic manufacturing
Offshoring was all the rage for a while, helping OEMs remain competitive in the international marketplace. Eventually the excitement wore off. Long supply chains hampered timely deliveries and made quality control difficult. Reshoring took hold, and the many supply chain shocks of recent years are likely to reinforce this trend.
Petroleum products pricing isn’t as simple as supply and demand
The prices for petroleum-based products aren’t determined strictly by the crude oil supply on one side and demand for petroleum products on the other. In between the supply and the demand is the refining industry, and it plays a key role. In the U.S., the refining capacity hasn’t been growing as fast as consumption, and this could spell trouble. Click on the title to read the blog.
Insights for Tube, Pipe, Profile, and Panel Manufacturers
IIf you manufacture tube, pipe, profile, or panel, you’re a member of a fraternity that deals with difficult business challenges every single day. Unpredictable raw materials prices, lead times that are always too long, reliance on skilled labor that is increasingly hard to find, fickle markets, unrelenting competition—it’s just one thing after another.
Business analysts offer opinions and predictions 24/7, but how many of them focus on the challenges pertinent to tube and pipe production or roll forming? The staff at T&H Lemont decided to cut through some of the noise, distill some of the most relevant data, and put it into perspective.
A Snapshot for Durable Goods Manufacturers
Industrial production in the U.S. includes many activities, such as mining, petroleum extraction and refining, energy production, and manufacturing. Keeping track of it all can be daunting, so the staff at T&H Lemont created Snapshot, a brief overview of economic activity with a focus on the automotive industry.