POLYMER PRICES

Composites/GRP March 2012: Ortho resins make further slight gains / Demand more robust on the whole / Supply adequate/ Consolidation in epoxy segment / Glass fibre downswing has bottomed out

DOW

Cost-reduction plan will see 900 jobs slashed worldwide / Plant closures in Europe and the Americas / Move expected to deliver USD 250m in annual savings

DOW

EMEA polyethylene prices to increase

SINOPEC

China's leading petrochemical player breaks all previous records in financial 2011 / State-owned group produced about 10m t of ethylene last year

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Dow declares force majeure for MDI from Freeport

SHENHUA

Ineos license for PP plant in Yulin City / Methanol-to-olefins complex starts to take shape

POLYMER PRICES

Polyurethane feedstocks in March 2012: Seasonal influences spark demand / TDI producers see triple-digit gains, MDI and polyols up by single-digit figures / Producers will seek further margin gains in April

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend March 2012: Polyolefin and PVC producers pursue margin improvement / Stable cost base for PS, EPS / Cracker outages tighten supply / Upward price pressure continues

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics in February 2012: Polyolefins see triple-digit rises as margins improve / PVC producers also enjoy some margin relief / Styrenics reach limit / Olefin costs will rise again in March

DOW

Higher polyethylene prices in EMEA

FAIRS

“UTech Europe Exhibition and Conference” in Maastricht

BASF

Earnings hit new record in 2011 / Plastics profits decline in weak Q4 / Feedstock rise hits margins

POLYMER PRICES

Polyurethane feedstocks in February 2012: Notations rise across the board / TDI gains further momentum / MDI and polyols also move forward / Robust demand for flexible polyols / Supply and cost issues drive

PLASTICS AND ENVIRONMENT

Scottish environmental agency slaps ExxonMobile with record fine for failing to report climate pollution from Fife ethylene cracker / Dow Chemical penalised as well

RUSSIA

Market for standard thermoplastics grapples with old and new challenges / WTO entry will force lower import tariffs that could further pressure local producers / Price developments similar to western Europe

LYONDELLBASELL

Improvement across the board in 2011 / Earnings pressure in Q4 / Refinery operations drive

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend February 2012: Producers improve margins / Only styrenics players fail to cover their costs / Icy conditions hamper production / Upward price trend likely to continue up to Easter

POLYMER PRICES

North America January 2012: PE and PP hold firm / PVC sees a slight rise / PS follows costs upward / Engineering plastics still moving sideways / C3 cost explosion in February will propel notations upward

DOW

US chemical giant reports net loss for Q4 2011 / Plastics capacity use down / Brighter outlook

DOW

Higher polyethylene prices in EMEA

DOW

Latest polymeric flame retardant licence illustrates increased substitution of HBCD in insulation foam / Smooth transition to REACH norms

ISRAEL CHEMICALS

Dow technology selected for new brominated polymeric flame retardants / Manufacturing plant under construction

DOW

Teknor Apex appointed to market “Ecolibrium” bio-based plasticisers in North America

VINYL ACETATE

European Commission lifts provisional anti-dumping duties on North American VAM imports / Releases all funds secured so far

BASF

Building new TDI line in Ludwigshafen / Commissioning scheduled for 2014 / Schwarzheide TDI plant to close / EUR 1 bn investment