#catalyst market share

[envil22100]

Data Bridge Market Research analyses that the refinery catalyst market which was USD 4.34 billion in 2022, is expected to reach upto USD 5.58 billion by 2030, and is expected to undergo a CAGR of 3.20% during the forecast period of 2023 to 2030.

[neha24blog]

Catalyst Carrier Market Segmented On The Basis Of Type, End-Use, Region And Forecast 2030: Grand View Research Inc.

San Francisco, 11 July 2023: The Report Catalyst Carrier Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Carbon-based, Oxides, Zirconia), By End-use (Oil & Gas, Chemical Manufacturing), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 – 2030 The global catalyst carrier market size is expected to reach USD 798.9 million by 2030, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7% over the…

[infinitymarket123]

Polyurethane Catalyst Market Booming With Rising Demands and Massive Opportunities, 2023 - 2030 | Huntsman, Kao Corporation, Umicore N.V

The Global Polyurethane Catalyst Market study provides in-depth analyses, financial results, and other crucial details about the target market, as well as the major trends, drivers, constraints, possibilities, and threats through 2030. The research provides in-depth information on the different key players operating in the market, including information about their financials, supply chain trends,…

[srilatha]

Refining Catalysts Market - Forecast(2023 - 2028)

The refining catalysts market size is expected to reach USD 5.5 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of around 2.4% from 2022 to 2027. The refining catalyst is used in refineries for facilitating the refining process and regulating chemical reactions.

more infromation https://www.industryarc.com/Research/Refining-Catalysts-Market-Research-509386?utm_source=tumblr&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=srilatha

[informationandcommunication]

Polyolefin Catalyst Market – Forecast (2021-2026)

Polyolefin catalyst market size is forecast to reach $3.6 billion by 2026, after growing at a CAGR of 4.9% during 2021-2026. The polyolefin polymerization using the Ziegler-Natta catalysts, polyolefin has become one of the most important polymers produced industrially. In particular, polyethylene, polypropylene and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber have been widely used for catalysis. The rapid growth of the packaging industry has increased the demand for polyolefin catalysts; thereby, fueling the overall market growth. In addition, increased R&D investment on new manufacturing technologies, along with capacity expansion for polyolefin plants, would also boost product demand in the coming years. Furthermore, the flourishing automotive and packaging industry is also expected to drive the polyolefin catalyst industry substantially during the forecast period.

Polyolefin Catalyst Market COVID-19 Impact

Companies were moving steadily towards their sustainability targets before COVID-19. However, a multitude of industries around the world, especially the packaging industry, have been adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Innovative developments have been developed by packaging companies that are environmentally friendly, reusable, and biodegradable. Concerns over the hygiene and safety of recycled packaging, however, have temporarily stalled the progress of the packaging industry towards a healthy, evolving and circular supply chain. The use of polyolefin catalysts such as single-site catalyst and ziegler-natta catalyst for injection molding also suddenly halted, contributing to a major loss in the polyolefin catalysts market. Thus, there was a disruption in the supply and demand of packaging materials owing to the pandemic, which largely impacted the polyolefin catalyst market.

Report Coverage

The report: “Polyolefin Catalyst Market – Forecast (2021-2026)”, by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the polyolefin catalyst Industry.

By Resin: Polyethylene (High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE), and Others), Polypropylene (PP), and Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) Rubber.

By Catalyst Type: Ziegler-Natta catalyst, Single Site catalyst (Metallocene, and post-Metallocene), Chromium catalyst, and Others.

By Application: Injection Molding, Extrusion Molding, Blow Molding, Films, Fibers, Foam, and Others.

By End-Use Industry: Automotive (Passenger Cars, Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV), Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCV), and Others), Packaging (Food & Beverages, Cosmetics, and Others), Medical & Healthcare (Medical Packaging, Bone Substitute, Drug Delivery, Tissue Adhesive, and Others), and Others.

By Geography: North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico), Europe (U.K, Germany, France, Italy, Netherland, Spain, Russia, Belgium, and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Rest of APAC), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Rest of South America), Rest of the World (Middle East, and Africa).

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Key Takeaways

Asia-Pacific dominates the polyolefin catalyst market, owing to the increasing demand for the packaging materials in the region. The increasing per capita income coupled with the population growth is a key factor in the region's rising personal care and cosmetic products industry.

The demand for packaging has pushed steadily towards lightweight and translucent materials. This has resulted in a rising market for films with polyolefin.

The increasing commercial performance of polyolefin materials in various end-user segments, including automotive, food and beverage and packaging, among others, is expected to contribute significantly during the forecast period to the overall demand for catalysts.

Polyolefin Catalyst Market Segment Analysis - By Resin

The polypropylene and polyethylene segment held a significant share in the polyolefin catalyst market in 2020 and is growing at a CAGR of 5.6% during 2021-2026. Polypropylene is being utilized in everything from drinking straws and food containers and reusable water bottles, to thermal underwear, roofing materials, marine ropes and carpet. Polypropylene, the polymerized embodiment of propylene, is both solid and versatile (hence its use in drinking straws), highly resistant to heat (making it useful in laboratory research applications) and lightweight. By polymerizing ethylene, polyethylene (PE) is formed. It is the most common type of plastic that occurs everywhere, from plastic bags and bottles to electrical cable insulation and water pipes. Such wide application of polypropylene and polyethylene is the major factor driving the segment growth.

Polyolefin Catalyst Market Segment Analysis - By Catalyst Type

The Ziegler-Natta catalyst segment held the largest share in the polyolefin catalyst market in 2020. Because of their wide use in the production of polypropylene, high density polyethylene, and linear low-density polyethylene, Ziegler-Natta catalysts are the most common. Ziegler-Natta catalyst is used by over 90% of global polypropylene production, while ziegler-Natta catalyst is used by more than 50 percent in all cases in polyethylene production. Another big catalyst used mostly to manufacture high density polyethylene is the Phillips or chromium catalyst (HDPE). The catalyst used for the development of polypropylene is mainly a titanium-based ZN catalyst enabled by aluminium alkydes and external donors, whereas the catalyst used for HDPE comprises titanium, Phillips and metallocene systems. Linear low density polyethylene use over 80% of Ziegler Natta catalyst and metallocene catalyst at a lesser extent.

Polyolefin Catalyst Market Segment Analysis - By Application

The film segment held the largest share in the polyolefin catalyst market in 2020 and is growing at a CAGR of 5.4% during 2021-2026. Among the different polymers that are used in film extrusion, polyethylene (HDPE, LDPE and LLDPE) is the main polymer. PVC films are increasingly being replaced by polyolefin films because they are safer for food packaging and more stable in a wide range of temperatures. In 2018, approximately 2.53 million tonnes of plastic films and sheets were manufactured in Japan, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, Japan, reflecting a small increase from about 2.46 million tonnes in 2016. This increase can be attributed to the increasing packaging industry in various regions. Thus, the continuous growth of these industries has made films the largest and fastest-growing segment under the application segmentation of the market during the forecast period.

Polyolefin Catalyst Market Segment Analysis - By End-Use Industry

The packaging segment held the largest share in the polyolefin catalyst market in 2020 and is growing at a CAGR of 5.9% during 2021-2026, owing to the increasing usage of polyolefins in the packaging industry. Polyolefins are chemically inert and do not react with the contents of the material. This makes them perfect food packaging materials. No hazardous chemicals, additives or goods are present that can be ingested by the contents of the packaging and thus consumed by the consumer. Polyolefins, when in contact with food, are extremely healthy. It can then be used to manufacture anything from lightweight food packaging wrap to much heavier film for agricultural use, depending on the thickness of the film. According to the Sea-Circular Organization, the packaging industry in China is projected to record a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13.5 percent during the forecast period (2021-2026). It is anticipated that the flourishing packaging industry will accelerate the growth of polyolefin catalyst market for manufacturing packaging materials.

Polyolefin Catalyst Market Segment Analysis - By Geography

Asia-Pacific region held the largest share in the polyolefin catalyst market in 2020 up to 38%, owing to the flourishing food & beverage industry, which is boosting the demand for packaging materials in the region. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), in 2018, the total value of all retail food and beverage sales in Japan was $479.29 billion (¥53,339 billion), an overall increase of 2.3 percent. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), China’s food processing industry continued to grow in 2017. Revenue climbed to $1.47 trillion, an increase of 6.3 percent compared with the previous year. The rising disposable income has resulted in the increasing demand for the food and beverage industry in various regions, which is further driving the growth of the packaging material in the region. And with the increasing demand for packaging materials in the region, the demand for polyolefin to manufacture packaging materials will substantially increase, which will then drive the polyolefin market growth in Asia Pacific during the forecast period.

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Polyolefin Catalyst Market Drivers

Increasing Automotive Production

Polyolefins in automobiles have experienced a great deal of interest in the recent years, and their applications have been increasing with a tendency of further growth compared with other materials used in automobiles. The major advantages of polyolefin catalysts are their functionality, cost-effective manufacturing methods, and comparatively lower fuel consumption. In automobiles, the polyolefin catalysts are largely used in the internal and external areas, in the engine section, and in the bodywork. The automotive production is increasing. For instance, the Automotive Mission Plan 2016-26 (AMP 2026) initiatives is launched by the Indian government to boost the automotive industry in the country. According to Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles (OICA), the production of passenger cars in Africa was 776,967 in 2018, which then rose to 787,287 in 2019, an increase of 1.3%. Thus, increasing automation production will require more polyolefin catalyst, which will act as a driver for the polyolefin catalyst market.

Increasing Demand for Polyolefins from the Healthcare Industry

In the medical and healthcare sectors, polyolefin catalysts has recently gained traction as they are easy to fabricate into useful products and have increasing design capability. They also have the potential for use in many applications because of their excellent cost/performance values such as low density, easy recyclability, and diverse processability. Biomedical applications of these POs are in medical implants, medical devices, and in the production of pharmaceutical consumables in the form of packaging materials; vials, bottles, and syringes. And the growing investment in healthcare services is strengthening the healthcare industry. For instance, in 2018, the Australian Government announced to drive a new era of better health care in Australia and will invest $1.3 billion in the Health and Medical Industry Growth Plan. According to the European Commission, public expenditure on healthcare and long-term care is expected to increase by one-third by 2060 in Europe. Thus, the polyolefin catalysts market growth will be spurred by the rapid expansion of the healthcare industry across the regions

Polyolefin Catalyst Market Challenges

Volatility in Crude Oil Prices

Polyolefin catalyst is a derivative of crude oil and its domestic price is highly susceptible to the prices of its crude oil-derived feedstock. Both polyethylene and polypropylene are produced from crude oils; thus, increases in feedstock prices in turn hamper the overall production, adversely affecting the market for catalysts. In the last few years, there has been volatility in the price of crude oil. For instance, the price of crude oil has decreased from $98.95/bbl in 2014 to $52.39/bbl in 2015 and increased from $43.73/bbl in 2016 to $71.31/bbl in 2018 and then decreased to $64.21/bbl in 2019, according to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy. And because of this uncertainty in crude oil prices, the price of polyolefin catalysts also increases, which is expected to be a significant challenge for the polyolefin catalyst market manufacturers during the forecast period.

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Polyolefin Catalyst Market Landscape

Technology launches, acquisitions, and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the polyolefin catalyst market. Major players in the polyolefin catalyst market are W.R. Grace, Univation Technologies, LLC, LyondellBasell Industries N.V., Johnson Matthey Inc., TOHO Titanium Company Limited, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., INEOS Group, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc, Clariant AG, Evonik Industries, DuPont, Inc., DORF-KETAL Chemicals India Private Limited, AGC Chemicals Inc., and NOVA Chemicals Corporation.

Acquisitions/Technology Launches

In March 2020, LyondellBasell signed definitive agreements to expand in China with the Liaoning Bora Enterprise Group through a 50-50 joint venture. Under the agreement, the partners formed a Sino-foreign joint venture, the Bora LyondellBasell Petrochemical Co. Ltd, which operated a 1.1 million metric tons per annum ethylene cracker and associated polyolefin derivatives complex in Panjin, China.

In November 2019, PQ Group Holdings Inc. signed an agreement with INEOS Polyolefin Catalysts to commercialize certain polyethylene catalysts to customers of selected processes. This collaboration expanded PQ’s current catalyst product offering to its customers. In addition, enabled PQ to access new customers through an enhanced product offering and associated technical support.

Relevant Reports

Polyolefin Foam Market – Forecast (2021 - 2026)

Report Code: CMR 1179

Polyethylene Catalyst Market – Forecast (2021 - 2026)

Report Code: CMR 1325

For more Chemicals and Materials Market reports, Please click here

[coldpenguintaco]

Asia-Pacific Region will Aribute Towards the Polyolefins Market Growth through Forecast Period| MarketsandMarkets™

Asia-Pacific Region will Aribute Towards the Polyolefins Market Growth through Forecast Period| MarketsandMarkets™

The report “global Polyolefins Market by Type (Polethylene, Polypropylene, and Functional Polyolefins, Application (Film & Sheet, Injection Molding, Blow Molding, Fibers & Raffia), and Region – Global Forecasts to 2021”, The market size of PO is estimated to grow from USD 206.81 Billion in 2015 to USD 297.09 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 7.82% between 2016 and 2021. The Polyolefins market size is…

[imrreport]

Global Emission Control Catalysts Expected To | HIT USD 15.58 Billion By The Year 2028

To minimise the release of harmful contaminants into the environment, ECCs are used to break down the toxic gases and pollutants discharged by the fumes of the exhaust system of an automobile or any industrial apparatus. Additionally, catalysts’ low maintenance requirements and negligible adverse effects on gasoline and engines have raised their demand in the industry. Additionally, the automakers are compelled by the escalating environmental problems to control the emission of these pollutants as well as the growing concern over the toxic gases and pollutants released from the automotive and industrial segments, such as HC (a product of burned or half-burned fuel), CO (a product of incomplete combustion), NOx (produced of air and oxygen at high temperature and pressure), SOx (produced if fuel contains sulphur), soot, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Read more: https://introspectivemarketresearch.com/reports/emission-control-catalysts-market/ 

[constructioandchemicalblog]

Hydrodesulfurization Catalysts Market Size, Growth Factors, Demand, Trends and Forecast to 2028

According to the MRFR analysis, The Global Hydrodesulfurization (HDS) Catalysts Market is projected to reach a market value of over USD 3.68 billion by the end of 2028 at a CAGR of over 4 % during forecast period.

Hydrodesulfurization is a catalytic hydrotreating process for sulfur removal from fuel oils and naphtha. The refinery feedstock and natural gas contain a wide range of organic sulfur compounds, including thiols, thiophenes, and organic sulfides and disulfides. In catalytic hydrodesulfurization, the feedstock is de-aerated and mixed with hydrogen, preheated in a fired heater, and then charged under pressure through a fixed-bed catalytic reactor. The standard catalyst for hydrogenation of Organic Sulphur compounds in Hydrocarbon feedstock is Cobalt-Molybdenum and Nickel-Molybdenum supported on Alumina base. The sulfur and nitrogen compounds that exist in the feedstock are converted into H2S and NH3 in the reactor. After cooling down, the reaction products leave the reactor and enter a liquid/gas separator. The hydrogen-rich gas obtained from the high-pressure separation is recycled to combine with the feedstock, and the low-pressure gas stream rich in H2S is sent to a gas treating unit where H2S is removed.

The purpose of removing the sulfur from these fuel oils and natural gas is to reduce the sulfur dioxide emissions resulting from several combustions. Another key reason for removing sulfur from the naphtha streams within a petroleum refinery is that, even in very low concentrations, sulfur poisons the noble metal catalysts (platinum and rhenium) in the catalytic reforming units that are then used to upgrade the octane rating of the naphtha streams. Damage to these precious metal catalysts can severely impact the process and lead to high costs. Moreover, with the increasing regulations on emissions from fuel combustion, the demand for hydrodesulfurization catalysts market is likely to increase at a steady pace during the forecast period.

Segmentation

By Application

Diesel – Diesel is one of the prominent fuels used in several industrial and commercial applications, including transportation and industrial operation. The combustion efficiency of diesel engines is 25%−40% higher than that of similar gasoline engines. However, the combustion of impurities in diesel generates several toxic emissions and particulates such as NOx, SOx, inhalable particulates, and other substances harmful to human health, livelihood and the environment.More and more countries have increasingly begun to gradually restrict their diesel standards to ultralow sulfur or even sulfur-free levels because of this. With the rise of diesel standards in various countries, refineries need to shift their focus on producing ultralow sulfur diesel (ULSD) to meet the market’s increasing demand for clean diesel. The increasingly strict diesel standards in most countries globally drive the demand for deep processing of diesel oil to ultralow sulfur. Therefore, an efficient catalytic hydrodesulfurization technology is the requirement of the time for the commercial production of sulfur-less automobile fuels. The HDS technology has the advantages of a high desulfurization rate, long catalyst lifetime, and strong catalyst adaptability to the feed; hence, the demand will likely increase soon. 

Naphtha: High-octane gasoline production by catalytic naphtha reforming is a major process in the petroleum industry. However, naphtha contains several sulfur components, which, if involved in the reforming process, cancause pollutions and catalyst poisoning.

Sulfur and sulfur-containing compounds such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), mercaptans, organic sulfides, and disulfides are present in crude oil. The presence of sulfur in naphtha invariably has a negative and immediate effect on the performance of catalysts used in the reforming process. To prevent the release of toxic gases in the atmosphere and avoid the consequent reforming catalyst poisoning, the HDS processes are used to convert sulfur compound to H2S (hydrogen sulfide), which is removed by washing and hydrocarbons. Bifunctional metal/acid catalysts are applied in the hydrodesulfurization process to minimize sulfur compounds.

Natural Gas: The condensates of natural gases are made of various hydrocarbon components and contaminants such as mercaptans (thiols), hydrogen sulfide, and others. Hence, the condensates of natural gases can be considered as a fuel resource. Others– The others segment includes jet fuel, marine fuel, etc.

Access full report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/hydrodesulfurization-catalysts-market-10633

Key Players

Some of the key players operating in the global hydrodesulfurization catalysts market are Axens (US), Albemarle Corporation (US), Johnson Matthey (UK), Royal Dutch Shell PLC (Netherlands), China Petroleum Chemical Corporation (China), Clariant AG (Switzerland), HaldorTopsoe (Denmark), Honeywell International Inc (US), Chiyoda Corporation (Japan), Dorf Ketal Chemicals (US), UNICAT Catalyst Technologies, LLC (US), and JGC Catalysts and Chemicals Ltd (Japan). By Region

North America: North America accounted for over 30% of the global revenue in 2020. The regional market is further categorized into the US and Canada.

Europe: Western European countries, including Germany, France, and Spain, are the major contributors to the regional market growth.

Asia-Pacific: Asia-Pacific isthe fastest-growing regional market for hydrodesulfurization catalysts, with China being the leading country-level market. India is all set to be the fastest-growing country-level market region.

Latin America: An increasing demand for the application of low sulfur and cleaner fuels is fuelling the growth of this market.

Middle East Africa: The countries such as UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia are some of the large exporters of crude oil with low-sulfur concentration globally, driving the growth of the hydrodesulfurization catalysts market in this region.

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[researchexpert]

Stringent emission standards and the stress on fuel efficiency are key factors anticipated to drive the automotive catalyst market. 

[markettrend24]

Polypropylene Catalyst Market risks and challenges that the industry is facing

Polypropylene Catalyst Market risks and challenges that the industry is facing

This report studies the Polypropylene Catalyst Market with many aspects of the industry like the market size, market status, market trends and forecast, the report also provides brief information of the competitors and the specific growth opportunities with key market drivers. Find the complete Polypropylene Catalyst Market analysis segmented by companies, region, type and applications in the…

[blogaarti]

China Refinery Catalyst Market -Growth, Trends, Demand and Analysis Report Forecast 2030

Fairfield Market Research, a renowned market intelligence firm, has released an insightful report highlighting significant role in the growth of the refinery catalyst market. With a large number of oil refineries and a strong focus on clean fuel alternatives, is poised to drive substantial growth in the refinery catalyst market.

For More Industry Insights Read: https://www.fairfieldmarketresearch.com/report/refinery-catalyst-market 

According to the market intelligence report, China's robust capacity expansions in oil refineries and the increasing demand for clean fuel alternatives have positioned the country as a leading growth driver in the refinery catalyst market. As China addresses its energy security needs and strives to reduce its carbon footprint, the demand for refinery catalysts is expected to surge. 

The report projects that between 2023 and 2030, will continue to dominate in terms of demand generation within the refinery catalyst market. With a rapidly expanding economy and a growing population, energy requirements are increasing. The country is actively investing in refinery capacities and leveraging refinery catalysts to meet its growing energy demands sustainably. 

The report further highlights the demand for distillate hydrotreating and hydrocracking catalysts. These catalysts play a crucial role in the country's efforts to produce cleaner fuels and meet stringent regulatory standards. As China focuses on reducing emissions and enhancing air quality, the adoption of refinery catalysts becomes imperative. 

Additionally, the report segments the market based on catalyst types, including nickel, cobalt, zeolites, molybdenum, and others. The nickel segment, currently holding over 28% of the market share, is expected to witness remarkable growth. The molybdenum segment will also experience sustained demand, with refineries utilizing over 17% of the total molybdenum production. Zeolites, known for their lucrative prospects, are anticipated to thrive steadily in the refinery catalyst market. 

In terms of refinery types, the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) segment is expected to maintain its dominance. Other key refinery categories include hydrocracking, catalytic reforming, H-oil unit, alkylation, and hydrotreating. The FCC segment, currently accounting for 44.3% of the market's value share, is projected to display a promising Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of more than 5% by the end of 2030. This growth is driven by increasing production of high-octane gasoline. 

The report also highlights leading players in the refinery catalyst market, including Exxon Mobil Corporation, W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn, BASF SE, China Petrochemical Corporation, Albemarle Corporation, Honeywell International Inc., Johnson Matthey, Haldor Topsoe A/S, and Royal Dutch Shell plc. 

For a comprehensive understanding of the Chinese refinery catalyst market and detailed insights, please refer to the full report published by Fairfield Market Research.

For More Information Visit:  https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/06/26/2694805/0/en/Refinery-Catalyst-Market-Size-in-2030-Will-be-US-15-Bn-Fairfield-Market-Research-Provides-Growth-Analysis-in-a-New-Report.html

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Monopoly is capitalism's gerrymander

For the rest of May, my bestselling solarpunk utopian novel THE LOST CAUSE (2023) is available as a $2.99, DRM-free ebook!

You don't have to accept the arguments of capitalism's defenders to take those arguments seriously. When Adam Smith railed against rentiers and elevated the profit motive to a means of converting the intrinsic selfishness of the wealthy into an engine of production, he had a point:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/28/cloudalists/#cloud-capital

Smith – like Marx and Engels in Chapter One of The Communist Manifesto – saw competition as a catalyst that could convert selfishness to the public good: a rich person who craves more riches still will treat their customers, suppliers and workers well, not out of the goodness of their heart, but out of fear of their defection to a rival:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/19/make-them-afraid/#fear-is-their-mind-killer

This starting point is imperfect, but it's not wrong. The pre-enshittified internet was run by the same people who later came to enshittify it. They didn't have a change of heart that caused them to wreck the thing they'd worked so hard to build: rather, as they became isolated from the consequences of their enshittificatory impulses, it was easier to yield to them.

Once Google captured its market, its regulators and its workforce, it no longer had to worry about being a good search-engine – it could sacrifice quality for profits, without consequence:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/24/naming-names/#prabhakar-raghavan

It could focus on shifting value from its suppliers, its customers and its users to its shareholders:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/15/they-trust-me-dumb-fucks/#ai-search

The thing is, all of this is well understood and predicted by traditional capitalist orthodoxy. It was only after a gnostic cult of conspiratorialists hijacked the practice of antitrust law that capitalists started to view monopolies as compatible with capitalism:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/20/we-should-not-endure-a-king/

The argument goes like this: companies that attain monopolies might be cheating, but because markets are actually pretty excellent arbiters of quality, it's far more likely that if we discover that everyone is buying the same product from the same store, that this is the best store, selling the best products. How perverse would it be to shut down the very best stores and halt the sale of the very best products merely to satisfy some doctrinal reflex against big business!

To understand the problem with this argument, we should consider another doctrinal reflex: conservatives' insistence that governments just can't do anything well or efficiently. There's a low-information version of this that goes, "Governments are where stupid people who can't get private sector jobs go. They're lazy and entitled." (There's a racial dimension to this, since the federal government has historically led the private sector in hiring and promoting Black workers and workers of color more broadly.)

But beyond that racially tinged caricature, there's a more rigorous version of the argument: government officials are unlikely to face consequences for failure. Appointees and government employees – especially in the unionized federal workforce – are insulated from such consequences by overlapping layers of labor protection and deflection of blame.

Elected officials can in theory be fired in the next election, but if they keep their cheating or incompetence below a certain threshold, most of us won't punish them at the polls. Elected officials can further improve their odds of re-election by cheating some of us and sharing the loot with others, through handouts and programs. Elections themselves have a strong incumbency bias, meaning that once a cheater gets elected, they will likely get re-elected, even if their cheating becomes well-known:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/gold-bars-featured-bob-menendez-bribery-case-linked-2013-robbery-recor-rcna128006

What's more, electoral redistricting opens the doors to gerrymandering – designing districts to create safe seats where one party always wins. That way, the real election consists of the official choosing the voters, not the voters choosing the official:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REDMAP

Inter-party elections – primaries and other nomination processes – have fundamental weaknesses that mean they're no substitute for well-run, democratic elections:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/30/weak-institutions/

Contrast this with the theory of competitive markets. For capitalism's "moral philosophers," the physics by which greedy desires led to altruistic outcomes was to be found in the swift retribution of markets. A capitalist, exposed to the possibility of worker and customers defecting to their rival, knows that their greed is best served by playing fair.

But just as importantly, capitalists who don't internalize this lesson are put out of business and superceded by better capitalists. The market's invisible hand can pat you on the head – but it can also choke you to death.

This is where monopoly comes in. Even if you accept the consumer welfare theory that says that monopolies are most often the result of excellence, we should still break up monopolies. Even if someone secures an advantage by being great, that greatness will soon regress to the mean. But if the monopolist can extinguish the possibility of competition, they can maintain their power even after they cease deserving it.

In other words, the monopolist is like a politician who wins power – whether through greatness or by deceit – and then gerrymanders their district so that they can do anything and gain re-election. Even the noblest politician, shorn of accountability, will be hard pressed to avoid yielding to temptation.

Capitalism's theory proceeds from the idea that we are driven by our self-interest, and that competition turns self-interest into communal sentiment. Take away the competition, and all that's left is the self-interest.

I think this is broadly true, even though it's not the main reason I oppose monopolies (I oppose monopolies because they corrupt our democracy and pauperize workers). But even if capitalism's ability to turn greed into public benefit isn't the principle that's uppermost in my mind, it's what capitalists claim to believe – and treasure.

I think that most of the right's defense of monopolies stems from cynical, bad-faith rationalizations – but there are people who've absorbed these rationalizations and find them superficially plausible. It's worth developing these critiques, for their sake.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/18/market-discipline/#too-big-to-care

[fuckyeahgoodomens]

The Good Omens Article From the TotalFilm Magazine, Issue August 2023 :)

POST APOCALYPSE GOOD OMENS The heavenly and hellish creations of Gaiman and Pratchett ride again…

Having averted Armageddon, angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and demon Crowley (David Tennant) have settled down to the quiet life in London – but the arrival of a familiar face shakes things up for everyone.

Season 1 covered events in the novel you wrote with Terry Pratchett – what was the inspiration this time?

Neil Gaiman (showrunner): Terry and I were sharing a room at Seattle’s World Fantasy Con in 1989 and, by the end of one night chatting, we had a huge, apocalyptic sequel to Good Omens. Season 2 is all the stuff we had to put in place before we could get to that sequel, and it starts with the archangel Gabriel [Jon Hamm] wandering through Soho, with no memory – a mystery that doesn’t have giant consequences for the universe, even if it does for Aziraphale and Crowley.

What has changed between Crowley and Aziraphale?

David Tennant (Crowley): Aziraphale is a much more enthusiastic detective in this mystery and, as with most things, Crowley is reluctant to get involved or to exhibit any kind of energy or enthusiasm, so he’s dragged into it. They no longer have to report to head offices, so they’re in this slightly grey area – neither supernatural, nor of the Earth.

Michael Sheen (Aziraphale): They’ve always been the only two beings who could understand each other’s position, but now they’re slightly freer agents so they’re pushed even closer together. It’s an interesting dynamic.

Maggie and Nina, you’re back too – although not as satanic nuns this time…

Nina Sosanya (Nina): No – we’re two human women! Nina is slightly cynical, churlish and owns a coffee shop, Maggie runs the record shop and she’s rather sweet and hopeful. It’s an ‘opposites attract’ thing and Neil kindly gave the characters our names so we couldn’t say no.

Maggie Service (Maggie): Aziraphale is still running his bookshop, but he’s also Maggie’s landlord. She thinks he’s the best because he lets her stay on and doesn’t really mind if she doesn’t make too much money. Maggie and Nina act as catalysts in a way, when Crowley and Aziraphale get involved in their relationship.

Neil, you’ve had some writing help this year…

NG: That’s right. We have three 25-minute ‘minisodes’ within episodes. You learn Aziraphale and Crowley’s part in the story of Job, written by John Finnemore. Cat Clarke takes us to 1820s Edinburgh for a tale of bodysnatching. Finally, Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman reunite the League of Gentlemen, because I fell in love with Season 1’s Nazi spies and kept wondering what would happen if they came back as zombies on a mission from hell to investigate whether Crowley and Aziraphale were fraternising. That story involves the Windmill Theatre, black market whisky, and a bullet catch…