The U.S. created more new jobs in January than expected, especially in healthcare. And there was more ethanol produced last week than the market expected. Soyoil hit a new contract high, but South American production continues to look quite substantial. The mixed news produced mixed results, but the overall tone is steady as she goes. On the margins, there is some new competition in global grain exports – China. The Middle Kingdom’s overcapacity doesn’t exist solely in manufacturing. It is exporting soyoil to India, and now its feed output is growing more than ten times faster than its livestock production. All that surplus feed has to go somewhere, and the export market is a likely direction unless Beijing instead p...
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.