Can OMNOVA Profit in DuPont and Dow's Shadow?

OMNOVA Solutions (NYSE: OMN) will release its quarterly report on Monday, and the specialty chemical maker has seen shares rise back to its highest levels in recent years. So far, the company has been able to thrive by serving very focused niche needs, but changes in the industry have affected giants Dow Chemical (NYSE: DOW) and DuPont (NYSE: DD) and could end up having a substantial impact on OMNOVA as well. 

OMNOVA makes emulsion polymers and other chemicals that find their way into many industries, ranging from furniture, carpet, and textiles to paint and specialty products for the energy industry. With roots going back nearly a century to originally being part of General Tire and Rubber, OMNOVA has a global reach even as it seeks to broaden its product lines further. Let's take an early look at what's been happening with OMNOVA Solutions over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its report. Read More : OMNOVA Profit

E I Du Pont De Nemours And Co: DuPont Hosts Executive Forums in Dubai Focusing on Sustainable Business Growth

DuPont hosted its Executive Forums this week, bringing together business executives, academics and government officials to focus on accelerating sustainable business growth through innovation and collaboration.

"Uncertainty in the global market, combined with new pressures to be more competitive and agile, is creating new challenges for business leaders," said Jim Weigand, president, DuPont Sustainable Solutions. "The DuPont Executive Forums are designed to give business leaders a chance to collaborate on ways to grow our businesses sustainably, while balancing shareholder accountability with stakeholder concerns, and company success with social progress." Read More : E I DuPont De Nemours And Co

DuPont: New Life for an Ancient Company

Back in 1802, when President Jefferson was trudging around the White House, DuPont (NYSE: DD) was born. It's since moved from an initial concentration in gunpowder manufacturing into the vast world of chemicals, and now to its latest manifestation in agricultural and food-related products.

The most recent transmogrification has clearly gained momentum since Ellen Kuhlman assumed its CEO mantel five years ago. It's hard to see that directional change doing anything but intensifying.

In that context, it's probably not unrealistic to assume that, in another five years, the company will be devoting virtually all of its efforts creating the bio-engineered seeds, pesticides, and other products that will play key roles in feeding the 2 million additional folks who are expected to join us on Planet Earth in the next several decades. Read More : DuPont