POLYMER PRICES

China Engineering Thermoplastics February/March 2013: Feedstock prices down post-Chinese new year / Plans to hike ABS prices / PC also rising / Little movement for polyamides, PBT and POM

POLYMER PRICES

China Engineering Thermoplastics January/February 2013: Feedstock prices see moderate rises ahead of lunar new year break / PC largely stable / ABS slightly up / Introducing PIE's latest China price report

ENGINEERING THERMOPLASTICS

Balance of worldwide capacity has shifted to Asia / Polyamide is a rare exception / European market holds up relatively well / Massive expansion in China likely to continue

SOUTH KOREA

Petrochemicals capacity to rise by about 6m t/y to 2016 / Expansions expected in olefins and aromatics segments

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL

14m t of new petrochemical capacity brought on stream in 2011 / Saudi Arabia leads the pack / Regional players are setting their sights to the east / Feedstock surplus will sweep global markets in near future

BPCL

Joint venture with LG Chem for Kochi fluid catalytic cracker

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

LG CHEM

Joint venture PE complex planned in Kazakhstan / Investment estimated at USD 4 bn / Expected onstream in 2016

LG CHEM

Korean group plans compounding plant in Poland

STYROLUTION

BASF and Ineos plan to operate new business as a 50:50 joint venture / New big styrene player is born

DOW

LG Chem takes over all Korean polycarbonate lines / Joint venture in the red since 2008