Commentary: As Winter Shows, It Could Be Hard To Deliver Propane by Rail
As Winter Shows, It Could Be Hard To Deliver Propane by Rail So far, so good for propane distribution this winter. It's been a mild fall. Crop drying demand has been minimal and there's been no early cold snap. That said, it might be difficult and costly to get supply to...
2021’s 12 Days of Content: Our Most Popular Posts
2021’s 12 Days of Content: Our Most Popular PostsWelcome to PLG Consulting’s 2021’s “Twelve Days of Content”! Read our 2021 recap of our top 12 most popular resources written by our experts and published in 2021. They include presentations and white papers, case studies, and feature insight articles. Our goal...
Commentary: Propane Tank Car Volumes See Shift to Seasonal Cyclical Trend
Propane Tank Car Volumes See Shift to Seasonal Cyclical Trend Rail shipments of propane are seeing a shift to seasonal swings. The trendline of rail propane shipments was once a steadily rising trend. Rail shipments were required to clear propane and butane from shale plays. If the shale play had enough...
Circular economy is no longer a crunchy pipe dream – its value is estimated to hit $4.5T worldwide by 2030
The Circular Economy Explained Imagine you need a new pair of Adidas® athletic shoes. When you buy them, the clerk tells you they come with the following promise -- after you’ve worn them out, bring them back and they can be traded for a new pair. Meanwhile, the store sends your...
E-Commerce Boom Drives Warehouse and Logistics Gold Rush
E-Commerce Boom Drives Warehouse and Logistics Gold Rush Amazon defined e-commerce; Covid-19 accelerated the trend’s growth. That’s spurring a warehousing and logistics “gold rush”, says PLG Consulting. Even amid a frenzy of development “we’re still on the front end of that runway.” PLG estimates there’s another 5x of current warehousing demand to play...
The Un-balanced Circular Economy – Demand for Waste Plastic Seen Outpacing Supply
The Un-balanced Circular Economy - Demand for Waste Plastic Seen Outpacing Supply The circular economy – the use of recycled plastics to create basic materials and energy – is a key developing supply chain identified by PLG Consulting for the 2020s. But the circle is more ovoid – as demand for...
Calculating Rail-Car Fleet Needs: How to Build Your Own Model
Introduction “How many cars do I need for my fleet?” That’s question heard from a rail shipper. While every situation seems unique, you can build a simple rail car calculator model that will give a good approximation of your rolling stock needs. The Tool of the Trade – The Rail Car In starting...
US Polyethylene Production Expected to Exceed 25,000 KTPA by 2030, representing +50% of all Domestic Production Exports
US Polyethylene Production Expected to Exceed 25,000 KTPA by 2030Today, the U.S. produces about 6 million tons more of plastic resin polyethylene (PE) per year than it did five years ago. Yet, there is still room to grow 2020’s volume of 21,500 Kilo-Tons per Annum (KTPA), judging by resin producers’...
US Ethylene Projected Growth Patterns Remain Impressive Through 2030
US Ethylene Projected Growth Patterns Remain Impressive Through 2030Cheap and abundant natural gas has fueled new investment in U.S. chemical production, including ethylene, a key plastics feedstock. U.S. Ethylene production grew approximately 10,000 Kilo-Tons Per Annum (KTPA) in the five years preceding 2020.PLG Consulting recently revisited its projections for ethylene....
North America’s Newest No Interchange, No Problem Rail Network
North America’s Newest No Interchange, No Problem Rail NetworkNorth America is about to have its first real transcontinental railroad – east-west and north-south. On March 30, 2021, Canadian Pacific (CP) and Kansas City Southern (KCS) announced plans to merge in a deal estimated to be worth $29 billion. If approved,...
Commentary: Narrow WCS-WTI Spread Pressures Tank Car Lease Rates
Commentary: Narrow Western Canada Select (WCS) and Western Texas Intermediate (WTI) spread pressures tank car lease rates It’s not profitable to ship crude oil by rail. The main driver of crude-by-rail shipments is the price difference between Canada’s benchmark Western Canada Select and Western Texas Intermediate, a U.S. benchmark. When the...
Commentary: Lower LPG-by-rail volumes lead to lower leases
Commentary: Lower LPG-by-rail volumes lead to lower leases LPG-by-rail shipment data from the Department of Energy shows just how much propane and butane rail volumes fell through 2020. The decline has its roots in a shift of shipments from rail to pipeline as Energy Transfer Partners’ Mariner East 2 (ME2) natural...
