FORMOSA PLASTICS

Expansion of PVC production in USA / Judges renew approval for Sunshine Project

PVC

EU imposes provisional anti-dumping duties on imports from US, Egypt / Surcharge of 109% from 12 July

POLYMER PRICES

North America May 2024: Rollover for most grades / Feedstock prices mixed / Converters still holding back on ordering / No price surges expected in June, but risk of hurricanes exists

POLYMER PRICES

North America April 2024: Prices move in different directions / PP falls again / Cost situation supports prices for engineering thermoplastics / No major price jumps expected in May

PVC MARKET

EU starts anti-dumping investigation for imports from US and Egypt

PLASTICS AND FINANCE

Brand Finance rates corporate brand performance / BASF wins again / Resin makers dominate top 25 / Consultants increasingly reward sustainability

PLASTICS AND FINANCE

Consultant Brand Finance rates “most valuable” and “strongest” chemical brands / BASF, DuPont, Rongsheng, and Ineos in prominent positions

PVC MARKET

Westlake Vinnolit lifts force majeure / Slight improvement in European supply situation / Supply disruption from Ukraine

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

PVC: Shin-Etsu ends force majeure at Cires unit in Portugal / Plants in Czech Republic, Poland back on-line / Hardly any improvement in imports

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

PVC: Shin-Etsu ends force majeure for deliveries from Rotterdam / Disruption at Unipetrol in Czech Republic

SABIC

Dielectric film handles high temperature and voltage / Bio-based reinforced compound targets electrical applications / Recyclability of 3D-printed scrap parts

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

PVC: Shin-Etsu declares force majeure for Portuguese subsidiary Cires

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

PVC: Shin-Etsu declares force majeure in Rotterdam / Available capacity in Europe drops to 70%

SHINTECH

Louisiana grants USD 6.6m in aid to Plaquemine upgrade / Start-up late 2023?

ORBIA

Previous Mexichem group analysing strategic alternatives for PVC division / Processing apparently not affected

PVC

Shift in international trade flows / US producers push towards Europe / Trade war causes collapse of US deliveries to Turkey / European market desirable due to high-price structure

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

PVC: Shin-Etsu lifts force majeure in Pernis / Shell resumes full operations at its refinery

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Follow-up: Shell's refinery in Pernis online towards the end of August / FM remains for the time being

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Follow-up: Shell's Pernis refinery to be offline until at least mid-August

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

PVC: Shin-Etsu declares force majeure on deliveries from Rotterdam

USA

Shale gas carousel turns faster / Giant field found in west Texas / President-elect Trump expected to promote fracking / Much of new plastics output earmarked for export

WESTLAKE

USD 3.8 bn is the magic number / Latest takeover bid accepted by Axiall / Combined company will become North America's second-largest PVC producer

PVC MARKET

European production landscape undergoing massive changes / Global capacity shifts drive consolidations / Overcapacities mean additional closures cannot be avoided / Who will be the next victim in this game of Russian roulette?

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Work on US Gulf Coast crackers and PE plants gears up / ChevronPhillips and ExxonMobil lead the way / Some 30% of expanded US commodity plastics output to be exported by 2020

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics PVC May 2013: Large percentage of cost reductions passed on / Plasticised compounds strong downward adjustment / Paste prices also falling / Consolidation in June