India has achieved considerable progress in production of chemicals. And with slash in tariffs, Indian chemical companies with well-built systems and structured operations are likely to be benefited further.

It is not only countrys oldest industry, but the Indian Chemical Industry has been contributing to Indias growing economy in a phenomenal way. It may be hard to believe, but the industry serves the basic need of many different industry verticals like natural gas, water, oil, metals, minerals, air, oil, etc and all these verticals eventually bring into marketplace an array of products, almost 70000 products, to be precise.

Today, India has achieved considerable progress in production of basic organic and inorganic chemicals, pesticides, paints, dyestuffs and intermediates, petrochemicals, fine and specialty chemicals and toiletry product segments. And with slash in tariffs, Indian chemical companies with well-built systems and structured operations are likely to be benefited further. The companies manufacturing highly valued chemicals, and who are compliant of industrial quality standards, can make their mark not just in India but even in the overseas markets as well.

In Indian context, the rise in disposable income has led to improved chemical consumption. This has aided countrys GDP climb further, from 9% to 13%. In an attempt to make the industry more progressive and flourishing, the government of India has introduced a slew of policies and special economic zones centering on the petrochemical sector. Furthermore, several manufacturing companies are focusing on expansion plans in the coming years.

Chemicals and chemical products influence our lives in a significant way. Be it donning synthetic clothes, or consuming drugs, or when it comes to using thermoplastic furniture at homes and offices, chemicals have become a way of life in this fast-changing world. In addition, the industry plays a pivotal role in agricultural and development sectors. Some of the other sectors, like engineering, automotive, consumer durables and food processing also depend on this sector in a big way.

The industry is on a high growth trajectory. The industry, through a series of efforts is expected to achieve USD 100 billion in the upcoming years. The industrys contribution to the Indian manufacturing sector is almost 17.6 percent. Since the ages, Indian chemicals have been traded and today imports stand at USD 7.92 billion and exports at 5.95 billion. And now with the onset of liberalization and globalization, the Industry is on a major expansion spree. The industry today is into manufacturing wide range of goods including fine and specialty chemicals, drugs and pharmaceuticals, dyes and pigments, agrochemicals and fertilizers, pesticides, plastics and petrochemicals etc.

However, Indian chemical industry is yet to makes its presence felt in a big way in the international markets.

Fast-facts on Indian chemical industry

Highly fragmented

Operates at the micro level.

Increased per capita consumption level has put the industry on fast-track

Higher cost of capital, import duties and power, making it less competitive in the international markets.

Very little spotlight on Resource & Development

Presence of many multinational companies

Big players in bulk chemicals. Presence of small and big players in fine and specialty chemicals.

Major Segments

The Indian Chemical Industry has following major segments:

* Petrochemicals

* Inorganic Chemicals

* Organic Chemicals

* Fine and specialties

* Bulk Drugs

* Agrochemicals

* Paints and Dyes

Petrochemicals

Petrochemicals form the biggest category in the chemicals, and it is also one of the fastest growing sectors. The segement is into producing basic chemicals like Ethylene, Propylene, Benzene and Xylene etc, intermediates like MEG, PAN and LAB etc., synthetic fibres like Nylon, PSF and PFY etc, polymers like LDPE/HDPE, PVC, Polyester and PET etc, synthetic rubber like SBR, PBR etc. The key players include: Reliance, IPCL, NOCIL, Haldia and GAIL etc.

Inorganic Chemicals

At present it is worth US$ 2.5 Billion industry. The segment concentrates on the production of caustic, chlorine, sulphuric Acid etc. The inorganic chemicals are commonly used in detergents, glass, soap, fertiliser, alkalies etc. However, the industry is encountering stiff competition from international players, when it comes to catering to the requirements of the local markets.

Organic Chemicals

It is reportedly 1billion dollar industry and includes an array of chemicals. Most of the companies manufacturing organic chemicals can be found in western India.

Fine Specialties

The fine specialties segment is highly fragmented, with sizeable number of big players. However, all these players operate on low volume and high price margin. It is one of the fastest growing sectors with market around US$80 million p.a. And many big and small Indian companies form part of it. The major end user segments include: Textile, Leather, paper, detergent, rubber, paints, polyester, oil and gas etc.

Bulk Drugs

Bulk Drugs have a large market in India and in the outside world. Out of the 475 drugs used, 425 are locally procured. There are around 350 units in the organized sector, while there can be many more in the unorganized sector. Bulk drug production is concentrated in the areas around Bombay, Ankleshwar, Hyderabad Madras, Chandigarh.

India has very strong base in reverse engineering, molecular chemistry and patents on processes and not just on products. Major players in India in bulk drug category include: Ranbaxy, Dr. Reddy’s, Cheminor, Shasun, Cipla, Lupin, IPCA, Sun, Aurobindo, Kopran, Cadilla, Wockhardt, etc. It is a well-acknowledged fact that most of the bulk drug companies are Indian companies while those into formulations are primarily MNCs.

Agrochemicals

India being an agricultural dominated country, it is obvious that the country is a major user of agrochemicals; nonetheless, the average Indian consumption is reportedly low i.e., 1/20th of world average. The segment has been witnessing a growth of 10% pa and has registered revenue worth US$800 million. Consumption of the crop varies depending on the crop and region. Cash crops like sugarcane, tobacco etc. consume large amount of pesticides, almost over 60%. Major agrochemicals exports include: Insecticides, Fungicides, Herbicides, Weedicides, Rodenticides, and Fumigants.

Paint and Dyes

Indian dyes are in demand world over, thanks to ban on production of dyes in developed nations due to the reservations related to pollution. Dyes are principally used in Paints, Inks, Textiles and Polymers. The total market of paint and dyes is almost US$ 1 Billion, and the growth rate is almost 12%. In addition, the marketplace is highly fragmented. There are about 25 large and medium players, which cover 50% market share, while 2000 other organized players contribute next fifty percent. Moreover, the per capita consumption is very low in India(400 gms) as opposed to the developed countries(15 kgs).

Overseas Trade

In the early 1990s, India was more into importing of chemicals; however, with the setting up of large scale petrochemical plants like Reliance, etc exports have improved. Even exports of bulk drugs, pharma, pesticides, dyes and intermediates have climbed up.

The overall performance of Indian Chemical Industry has been good in the domestic markets; however, in the international markets the industry it is yet to make its presence felt in a significant way. And factors like recession and crises in the Middle East have had a poor impact on the manufacturing and export sector of the industry.

The International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA), an association that consists 80% of the world manufacturers of chemicals has announced its support for a new round of multilateral trade negotiations in the World Trade Organization.

ICCAs main concerns include: removal of chemical tariffs, management of anti-dumping practices, making simpler the custom processes and full execution of TRIPs agreement. While management of anti- dumping practices would profit India, the tariff-free world would lead to stiff competition

Road ahead

Highly developed technology, in-depth research capabilities, backward and forward linkages, development of domestic capacity to decrease the dependence on imports are some of the crucial factors that need to be taken into consideration. Nowadays, safety, health and environment protection issues have become the major-talking point in almost all industries and even in the Indian chemical industry too. The Indian chemical manufacturers are addressing the issue on a war-footing.

Made-from-india.com is a leading B2B portal from India, and has listed on its portal, some top manufacturers, exporters and suppliers of varied chemical products.

In recent years, China’s fast-food industry has experienced 10 years of hardships. The industry has undergone the growing process from disorder to order, from grass to towering trees. In this process, there appears a group of leading enterprises such as the real kung fu fast food chain, Da Niang Dumpling and so on.

Meanwhile, the experts pointed out that “Although western fast food in our country has a good development at current. But because the Chinese people have developed eating habits for a long time and due to the irresistible delicious Chinese food, in the future Chinese fast food will continue to dominant China’s fast food market.”

The survey shows that in China’s fast-food market, 78.9% are Chinese fast-food restaurants, while 21.1% are Western-style fast food restaurants. Chinese fast food due to its price advantage and the taste advantages still accounts for most share of the domestic fast food market. This no doubt provides a huge and yet untapped market for the Chinese fast food industry.

In addition, it is worth noting that, after 10 years of market screening, Chinese fast food has gone out of the “small”, “miscellaneous and chaotic” market misunderstanding. It has the basic formation of mature market segments to meet the needs of different consumer groups.

In addition, the arrival of the peak of China’s urban expansion also provides an opportunity for the development of the fast food industry. At present, every year about 18 million rural people come into cities. By the year of 2015, China’s urban population will for the first time exceed the rural population.

Urbanization does not only mean an overall improvement in people’s living standards, but also means the changes of people’s way of life and the rising of the resource consumption. People’s consumer attitudes will change accordingly. With the accelerated pace of life, fast food consumption has become a popular demand. The production of “public fast food” that can meet the demand of the ordinary working class will become a trend.

In the 21st century, China’s fast-food industry has achieved new development, opening up new prospects for the development of Chinese fast food. In the face of new development conditions and opportunities, how to promote scientific development and make new progress for the Chinese fast-food industry is the tasks and challenges we are facing. Experts say that there is still a long way for the Chinese fast food industry to go in the future.

Today, it is critical for all businesses to be in compliance with PCI security standards and guidelines, not just in the name of good business, but to protect consumers and avoid significant consequences. Almost every organization that deals with card payments must ensure that it is following the PCI standard for ensuring with the Payment Card Industry compliance. If you go through the current PCI requirements, there are many areas calling for documented PCI policies for a wide variety of I.T. resources that relating to the cardholder data environment. By working with a PCI compliance service provider you can ensure that cardholder account data being processed across your technical environment is protected and thus minimizes the risk to your business. Verifying and authenticating consumer identities before proceeding with a transaction can protect your payment systems from unauthorized access and prevent losses incurred through fraudulent transactions. Consultants in the Payment Card Industry compliance are currently charging organizations high fees for developing PCI policy documentation for purposes of compliance, which is beginning to become a threatening issue for many businesses. To show your compliance as a business, you must possess a secure collection of customer data that is tamper-proof and ready for analysis.

The main benefits of keeping your business PCI compliant is improving organizational security so that you can rest assured that cardholders information is safe from harm. This will help build up your customer base and your overall brand image will be positive, showing your company as a responsible and productive member in the market. Business partners and investors will become confident in your capabilities as a company.

There can be long-term implications because of a non PCI compliant and ultimately a breach in security, like losing your reputation and customer loyalty. The solution is to find a reputable vendor selling PCI policy templates one can use. NSAP IT is the leading provider of on-demand and subscription-based information security and payment card industry compliance management solutions to businesses and government entities throughout the world. Dedicated to building long-term relationships NSAP (IT) put its clients in an excellent position to validate compliance with the PCI DSS and other regulatory standards.

The Promotional Products Industry is composed of a network of suppliers that produce or contract production of products which are sold through a network of promotional products distributors who interface directly with the customers. While this structure is not unlike the retail industry where a supplier like American Apparel distributes clothing to department stores which then sell it to the customer, the distributor-customer relationship is even more essential in the promotional products industry in order to support the customization of products with the customers logo and/or decorations.

There are thousands of suppliers of promotional products and customizable apparel that serve the industry. These suppliers range from small business focused on one product to large, international corporations that produce multiple product lines. While most suppliers produce products exclusively for the promotional products industry, some also have separate retail product lines sold through consumer channels.

In most cases, the suppliers not only handle the production of the products but will also perform the customization (e.g. logo engraving, etching, etc.) of the promotional products. The most common exception to this rule is for customized apparel (e.g. t-shirts, polos, button down shirts, fleece, sweat shirts, caps, etc.). While some suppliers of apparel do customize the garments, in most cases the decorations are applied by separate companies specializing in silk screening, embroidery, laser etching or other decorating techniques.

Suppliers establish the retail pricing structure for their products based on volume. Because of economies of scale (think Costco and Sams Club) as well as the fact that larger quantities can be customized more efficiently, prices typically decrease at specific incremental order quantities. Because the prices are presented in a table format with pricing associated with specific prices, it is referred to as column pricing. Each column is also referred to as price breaks representing the quantity required before reaching the next lower pricing level. The right most column represents the highest order quantity and lowest price and is referred to as End Column Pricing or End Quantity Price. It is common for the industry to advertise prices as from the End Quantity Price. Depending on the cost of the product and relative cost of customizing the product, the pricing for larger quantities may be slight or significant. In addition, suppliers and decorators will often establish a minimum order quantity, referred to simply as minimums, for most products based on the cost effectiveness of processing and customizing the product. Typically, lower cost items will have higher minimums while high cost items may have minimums as low as one. Some suppliers will accept orders below the minimums for an incremental fee, referred to as a below minimum charge.

Suppliers will typically specify what decorating method is included at the listed prices. While a one color imprint in one location on the product is common, it is not a standard. Catalogs and websites which sell promotional products will typically identify what imprint method is included in the pricing specified. While some suppliers will only sell decorated/imprinted products, others will sell products without decoration which are commonly referred to as blank goods. In most cases, suppliers will require an incremental charge for initial orders, referred to as set up charges, associated with decorating the product. These set up charges are associated with the costs of creating screens, dies, pads, digitizing tapes and other one-time efforts associated with imprinting a specific product. In addition, suppliers will typically provide samples of the artwork in the size/shape as they will appear on the product, referred to as proofs. These charges are typically waived on any reorder of the exact same product with the exact same logo and/or decorations. In addition, many suppliers will offer additional decorating options including additional colors (e.g. for 2 color logos, for example) and additional imprint locations based on the product and their imprint capabilities. Its important to note that there will typically be additional costs for printing each additional color and/or location which are referred to as run charges as well as additional set up charges.

A factor often overlooked when selecting products and suppliers is the costs associated with shipping products from the supplier and/or decorator to the final destination. This can be especially important for heavier items such as ceramic coffee cups. In some cases, while a supplier may offer less expensive prices on a per-piece basis, if they are located across the country the costs for shipping may increase the final costs over those of a closer supplier.

Another key factor to take into consideration is your need date for the product. Often, this is one of the primary factors in driving the selection of both a product and a supplier. The lead time required for a supplier to fulfill an order is referred to as the production time. It is important to note that the production time is an estimate based on the suppliers typical workloads. The production time begins only after orders have been officially placed and artwork proofs been approved. Many suppliers offer expedited production or Rush production services for an additional fee. Some suppliers offer a selection of products which are eligible for Rush production at a discounted rates or even free. It is important to note that, the production time does not include shipping after the product is completed. Shipping from coast to coast can take up to 5 days or more depending on the method of shipping. While expedited shipping options are often available, the costs can be significant.

Those who have searched the internet for promotional products may have noticed that there are often multiple suppliers offering comparable products but with varying prices, price breaks, minimums, run charges and set up charges. In many cases, the products may be nearly identical while in others there may be differences in quality, color options or other features.

As you can see, even beyond finding your ideal promotional product, there are a number of variables involved in selecting the supplier that will produce your product. This can be overwhelming even for those familiar with ordering promotional products. Thats where a a reliable, experienced promotional products distributor comes into play. The promotional product distributor helps customers not only select a product that fits their image and meets their needs but also navigates the subsequent decisions to ensure that you get the product you want, decorated in the manner you prefer and delivered in support of your need date. A dependable promotional products distributor will help to ensure that you get the best value for your dollar considering all the factors associated with the product, decorations and shipping. In addition, the distributors experience within the industry can be instrumental in the selection of a reliable, high-quality supplier.

As kids every week we were taken to the school library. An array of books right from informational to comics to novels was spread in front of us and we were asked to choose one from the list. We were given a 40 minute reading time and then stripped us of our priced possession. Sometimes, if we were lucky, we were allowed to keep it for a full whole week. Then it was college time. Library was our second home. Notes and assignments always found their way to the library and there was a huge rush during exam time to grab the right book.

EBooks, then, were still slowly making inroads into the publishing industry in India. Our work was mainly dependent on printed books and even now we find it pretty satisfying. But with the entry of technology into our lives, everything around us in the world has gone digital. Ebooks today is a reality. Many book publishers around the world have found this segment as a lucrative one and have pegged millions behind this form of books. To add to it the entry of Ebook readers like Kindle have set the cash counters ringing. The publishing industry is abuzz with marketing and advertising professionals trying to dig out ways to explore the market and with technologists exploring new techniques and patterns through which these virtual docs could be handled easily by clients. The publishing industry has definitely seen gold and with time this technology will change the perception of reading.

What’s more interesting about Ebooks is its portability. With the ease of storing it on a device as simple and light as a mobile phone, Ebooks has already started occupying space inside the users’ device. Mobile applications are a rage and Ebook publishers have not shied away from creating applications where users can easily download Ebooks, share them and even upload them for others to use through custom made Ebook Libraries. Their ease of use has been a major factor in Ebook getting chosen over printed books.

The shutting shop of Borders bookstore in the US in 2011 marked a change where sales of printed books were on the decline and Ebooks sales were getting higher by the day. In a recent Times of India report, according to a FICCI, India has an estimated 600 million book readers and, with Penguin, the country’s largest English publisher, releasing 250 new titles in digital form. EBooks seem to have found a footing in the country. Though per capita expenditure on books in India is as low as Rs.80 as compared to Rs.4000 in the UK, this figure is expected to see a rise in the near future. Penguin further believes that the usage of technology has increased the future prospects of Ebooks in India.

Though there is still time to predict the outcome of this new form of books, what needs to be seen is the way in which Ebooks make a place in the hearts of Indian readers. Though choosy in nature, Indian have always adopted technology from the west. Hope this too goes the same way.