Expert Team for APIC 2024: Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference

The last time our team convened with chemicals industry experts and market participants at the Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference was 2019. 

This year's Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference (APIC) event will be the first time we fully present our shared expertise as the new brand ResourceWise to an audience in Asia. And it marks 42 years since our chemicals-focused legacy company Tecnon OrbiChem first presented at the event. 

This theme for this year's APIC is Trailblazing the Path in a Sustainable Era. The conference will be held at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, Korea from 30-31 May 2024. It is organized by the Korea Chemicals & Petrochemicals Manufacturers’ Association.

ResourceWise Senior Advisor Charles Fryer, who founded Tecnon OrbiChem in the 1970s, recalls his first APIC in 1982 as one of the organization's earliest conferences.

Back at the beginning, APIC was very much a closed shop event, Fryer remembers. Reminiscent of an intergovernmental forum, akin to the G20 summits that happen nowadays. Each country sent its delegation to APIC, as opposed to APIC being a commercial event, open to businesses to register and attend, as it is today. 

The Tecnon consultancy, as one of the world's first petrochemicals marketing advisors, attended by special invitation, says Fryer. Incidentally, he adds, this country-hopping event was also held in Seoul that year. 

The barycenter of global chemicals has been shifting from west to east over the past decades, and we have witnessed firsthand Asia's growing influence.

Charles Fryer, Senior Advisor ResourceWise Chemicals, and Tecnon OrbiChem Founder

"A team of speakers from Tecnon, myself included, presented the official seminar for that year, meaning we gave a program of speeches on world petrochemical markets. World-ranging views of chemicals markets were still something of a novelty at that time.

APIC Over the Years: An Evolving Event 

"The 1982 event was due to start at 9am and I turned up at 8.55am and sat down in the nearest empty spot I could see. At a tap on the shoulder I heard, "Dr Fryer"... And right then, I realized every seat had a name on it. The usher took me to a seat bearing my name, which was at the front. 

"There we all were, like the presidium of an august body, with everyone dressed in dark suits, with white shirts and blue ties, everybody in their seat in good time, all ordered and neat.

"Over the years, Tecnon OrbiChem cohorts have seen the event become more relaxed and open. But the changes did not stop there...

"The barycenter of global chemicals has been shifting from west to east over the past decades and for some products - such as PTA - Asia is now the dominant point of production and consumption. We have been happy to attend for the past 40 years and to witness the growing influence of the Asian chemical industry first-hand."

An Evolving Offering from the ResourceWise Team

Today, our insight and industry analysis continue to evolve. Soon after the last APIC event began, ResourceWise was leveraging Tecnon OrbiChem's chemicals sector expertise; Forest2Market's forestry products focus and Fisher International 's Pulp and Paper sector insights to build powerfully perceptive cross-commodity Environment, Sustainability and Governance-focused tools for businesses. 

We have since acquired three more companies Chemical Intelligence—with its solvents, glycols and methanol focus; Wood Products International to fortify our forest products offering and Prima Markets—which monitors prices and trends in low-carbon fuels and feedstock markets. 

The ResourceWise Team for APIC 2024

The ResourceWise Team welcomes APIC 2024 delegates to our dedicated suite within the event complex. 

We will be offering guests a range of refreshments, warm conversation and invaluable insight into the markets we cover. 

Visiting Seoul from our offices in Shanghai, China is Michelle Yang, Senior Consultant, ResourceWise Chemicals. Since joining our company almost 20 years ago Yang has covered many products in our portfolio.

Today Yang's focus is on paraxylene, PTA along with polyamide 66 and its intermediates. Historically, Yang monitored acetyls, ethylene glycol, ethylene oxide (and derivatives) and acrylonitrile and its derivatives. 

To contact Yang, click on her photograph.

Hyun-Min Kim (Min), Senior Consultant, ResourceWise Chemicals, has also been with the company for almost two decades. He is based in Seoul full time and represents ResourceWise US and European events.

Historically, Min monitored price movements and provided market commentary for MEG and ethylene oxides and derivatives.

Today, he leads our Asian polyester fiber and PET packaging resin market analysis. 

To contact Min, click on his photograph.

Both members of our expert chemicals-focused teams will be available for meetings in our dedicated APIC suite—Lotus on the second floor of the InterContinental Parnas—throughout the event.

Demo One (or more) ResourceWise BI platforms

You can also see our range of feedstock and fuels platforms demonstrated on a big screen. 

For chemicals value chain-focused delegates, our OrbiChem360 business intelligence platform includes prices, trade flows, capacities and forecasting portals for well over 100 chemicals. 

Our ChemEdge360 platform focuses on solvents, glycols and methanol markets and is praised for its depth of commentary and real-time price updates. 

For insight on low-carbon fuels and feedstocks, it's our PrimaCarbonZero platform.

Matteo Baldi, Global Sales Manager ResourceWise Chemicals will be on hand to demo our platforms throughout the event. 

To contact Baldi, click on his photograph. 

Meet our wider China-based Team in Seoul

In addition to the ResourceWise team in situ at APIC 2024, members of our China-based analyst team are available for meetings during the event. 

To meet with one of our team, email us.

Until APIC 2024, 잘 가세요 (Pronounced: Jal gaseyo)—Take care