APIC 2009: petchems show green shoots of recovery ...(BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS)(Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference)

The global financial crisis, its impact on the petrochemical industry, and ways to turn the crisis into opportunities were among the main topics debated by the 800 delegates attending the 2009 Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference (APIC), held recently in Seoul.

The petchem industry "is fortunately showing a sign of recovery," Hur Won-joon, chairman of the Korean Petrochemical Industry Association and vice chairman of Hanwka Chemical (Seoul), said in the opening address. It is unclear, however, whether this is a fully fledged improvement, he says. Hur called for a strategy to tackle the drastic challenges that the industry is facing worldwide. "Our efforts could involve …