Summer is the season of blockbuster movies, weekend barbecues, garden weddings, and, of course, chain restaurants making every attempt to lure in new customers with seasonal cold beverage offerings. This year alone, we saw Starbucks introduce its blended Granitas drinks (only available after 3 pm as a part of its Sunset Menu), Chick-fil-A debut a frozen lemonade, and Checkers and Rally’s whip up six different frozen drinks and smoothies as a part of its new Chill Spot menu.

This past month, MarketResearch.com’s publishing divisions were cited in a wide variety of publications including the New York Times, Slate Magazine, and numerous trade journals. Take a look at a selection of press highlights below. To access more information about a particular topic, click the link to the report page.

While food is historically known as one of the major uses for salt, the advent of chlorine and synthetic soda ash manufacture in the late nineteenth century and the use of salt for road deicing in the mid-twentieth century changed the importance of the food processing market.

Chemical manufacturing now is by far the largest outlet for salt, accounting for three-fifths of 2015 global consumption. Road deicing is the second largest share of world salt demand, followed by the food processing and livestock segments. Among other applications, water treatment and pharmaceutical manufacturing account for significant shares of salt consumption. 

When it comes to transportation in the US, most people drive themselves. The US Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates for 2014 indicate that about a quarter of American workers get to work primarily by driving themselves. In 2014, there were 214 million licensed drivers in the US, and light vehicles traveled 2.7 trillion miles.

However, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, between 2000 and 2015 consumer spending on public transportation services outgrew spending on new motor vehicles, with the former increasing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.2 percent and the latter at a CAGR of 1.8 percent. In 2015, consumer spending on public transportation exceeded $100 billion in the US for the first time ever.

The publishing divisions at MarketResearch.com are frequently cited in top publications and trade journals. In June, research by Kalorama information appeared in articles on direct-to-consumer laboratory testing, the market for electronic medical records, and outsourcing in drug discovery. A variety of media outlets turned to Packaged Facts for its expertise on pet litter products, coffee creamer trends, and meal kit delivery services.

Take a look at press highlights from June below. To access more information, click the link to the report page.

While the potential of autonomous vehicles should not be underestimated, it would be a mistake to ignore other fast-growing technologies in the transportation industry.

Before self-driving cars become the norm, a host of other innovations will change how people move. Read on to learn about four global transportation markets that are poised to achieve exponential growth by 2020.

Both residential and nonresidential construction markets are on solid footing, and steady gains can be expected over the next 12 to 18 months. In 2016, year-to-date new home sales are up 9 percent and existing home sales are up about 5.5 percent, according the latest US Census and National Realtors Association.

Furthermore, housing prices are trending upwards and have increased 5 to 6 percent compared to the same period the year before.[1] The US Census indicated in May that the residential housing market was on pace for about 1.164 million starts for 2016, while Freedonia anticipates new residential housing starts will ultimately reach above 1.2 million for the year. In addition, home builder confidence has remained positive throughout all of 2016.[2]

U.S. sales for natural polymers will exceed $5 billion in 2020. Natural polymers are polymeric products derived from plant and/or animal sources, including copolymers containing synthetic compounds such as cellulose ethers, starch and fermentation products, exudate and vegetable gums, protein-based polymers, marine polymers, and others.   

These natural ingredients are used extensively in the large food and beverage industry. However, the medical market will take over as the largest outlet for natural polymers by 2020. A slowdown in oil and gas drilling activity will restrain growth for natural polymer use in this industry, especially for gums and other polymers that are used as additives in drilling and fracturing fluids. Read on to see how the many and varied natural polymers are used, and learn how the demand is shifting.

MarketResearch.com's publishing divisions are frequently quoted in a broad range of trade journals and business publications. Packaged Facts was recently cited for a variety of trending topics including local foods, salty snacks, millennial menus, and pet product trends. Research from the Freedonia Group appeared in articles focusing on corrosion inhibitors, insulation, and corrugated boxes.

Check out the press highlights from April and May below. Links to the full reports are included so you can dive deeper into the subjects that interest you most.

Refractories are key production components that are integral to the recovery of America’s manufacturing sector. In the short term, the $2.6 billion refractory industry will face significant challenges as its largest market, iron and steel production, slows. In the US, sales of refractories used in iron and steel production will be weakened by the decline in the production of fracking-related steel pipe, while on a global scale, refractory suppliers will experience more limited sales opportunities as China idles 100-150 million tons of steel capacity by 2020 — an amount larger than the entire US output. To combat these issues, refractory manufacturers are adopting new strategies.