James R. Crocco worked for petrochemical distributors and international traders for more than twenty years before creating his own consulting business in 1983. He wrote International Liquid Bulk Petrochemical Logistics and Other Important Market Functions: A Review of Certain Costly Risk Factors Involving International Trade as an essential guidebook to the fundamentals of the business.

Beginning just after World War II, American petrochemical producers and distributors have been crucial players in international economies. However, in order to reduce associated gas flaring and other reasons, such as a response to the complexities of the global market, remote-area petrochemical producers began creating and maintaining their own logistical and marketing departments. This book provides a thorough outline on all important elements of safe and profitable trade. James R. Crocco covers selecting and working with ocean transport to handling insurance and documents to working with other companies in product exchange. He is careful to highlight the crucial issues that all global businesses need to be aware of: the variety of each country’s banking and billing practices, currency exchange rates and how the stability of countries affects future expansion plans.

While James R. Crocco’s text focuses on familiarizing executives with every aspect of the petrochemical business, workers on all levels from traffic to marketing to finance to students will find this work interesting and informative. Broad in scope, this is an ideal primer on the wide range of factors that influence transportation and trade.

About the Author

James R. Crocco graduated high school in North Plainfield, New Jersey. He served a tour of duty in Korea with the U.S. Army infantry, after which he studied business administration at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey.

In 1961, James R. Crocco joined AMSCO, a large nationwide petrochemical distributor. He also worked for Fallek Chemical, BV Carbonit of Amsterdam and was instrumental in forming Carbonit America in New York City, but moved to Houston in 1974. He also launched the very first global methanol consulting business for DeWitt & Co. During his years in the petrochemical business, James R. Crocco travelled to more than 70 countries, city-states and protectorates. He published weekly research reports on the petrochemical market, performed client studies, and gave presentations. Semi-retired, James R. Crocco continues to consult.

While active in the business, he was a member of the National Petrochemical and Refiner’s Association of Washington, DC, The European Petrochemical Association of Brussels and worked with The International Methanol Producers and Consumers Association of Brussels.