5 Reasons Amazon’s Plans for China Fell Through
In July 2019, Amazon shuttered its online store in China after failing to make headway with shoppers. The move indicates that the e-commerce titan is recalibrating its strategy in the Asia/Pacific, leaving China to entrenched local leaders Alibaba and JD.com – which together account for the vast majority of e-commerce sales in the country – while pursuing other opportunities in the region.
Clean Water Rule Repeal: What Does it Mean for the Water Treatment Industry?
On Thursday, September 12, 2019, the Trump administration continued its series of environmental regulatory rollbacks with the repeal of the Obama-era Clean Water Rule (also known as the Waters of the United States rule, or WOTUS). How is this expected to impact the water treatment market and adjacent industries?
Increasing Need for Energy Efficiency Spurs Demand for Windows and Doors
Windows and doors are an integral part of any home or commercial structure. They enable entry and egress, provide access to light and air, and, in many cases, can improve the exterior appearance of a property. Furthermore, they play a key role in improving a structure's energy efficiency.
School Buses in North America Are Going Green
Most of the school buses operating in the US and Canada today are diesel, compressed natural gas/liquefied natural gas, or conventional gas-powered types. Recently, however, this has begun to change, with several major manufacturers introducing and promoting new electric and hybrid school bus models.
US ITC Ruling: US Countertop Industry Has Been Injured by Low Cost Imports from China
On May 31, 2018, the US International Trade Commission announced that it had reason to believe the US quartz countertop industry had been materially injured by imported Chinese products being sold at less than fair value.
Following this ruling, a series of tariffs were levied against Chinese quartz slab imports, ranging from 311% to 528%. How is this expected to impact the global countertops market going forward?
The Sustainable Packaging Conundrum: Would You Like Paper or Plastic?
Most consumers have made an online purchase at some point in the past year - and at least one of them was probably from Amazon. The ubiquity of Amazon and other e-commerce sites in American life has broadly increased consumer awareness of not just online shopping, but also protective packaging - a $27 billion market in 2018.
Alternative Water Sources: Overcoming the “Ick” Factor to Address Global Shortages
The global market for water treatment equipment and chemicals is expected to grow 5.6% per year through 2023, and part of the reason for this growth is the rising use of recycled wastewater or desalinated seawater.
Historically, the use of these water sources has been spurned due to unappealing aesthetics/taste or technological difficulties. So what’s changing?