WINTER SPORTS

Recycling initiative in Austria / Wintrust project aims to recover ski equipment

EPS RECYCLING

EPSolutely pilot project gathers insulation board trimmings in Austria / QR codes on collection bags help boost reclaim

UPDATE - SUNPOR

Fire during inspection leaves one dead, one injured

STYRENE

Infringement of cartel ban: EU competition regulators impose million-euro fines

POLYSTYRENELOOP

German EPS converters rescue Terneuzen recycling plant from insolvency / Plant to restart soon

EPS PACKAGING

Launch of “Smart Packaging Europe” campaign to promote expanded polystyrene packaging

EPS

Materials becoming scarce / Styrene cost explosion drives danger of bottlenecks / Prices likely to hit record high in March

EPS

PIE extends price reporting to include grey EPS / Slight growth expected for the EPS segment as a whole / Consolidation in the European processing sector / Impulses for recycling

NOVA CHEMICALS

Canadian plastics producer signs North American distribution deal for Sunpor's grey EPS

EPS INSULATION

Consortium lobbying for extended use of HBCD flame retardant largely disbanded / Availability of REACH-compliant alternatives said to be good enough to allow regular supply

STYRENICS

Global production increasingly consolidated / PS market declining / Capacity expansions in Asia / Worldwide EPS demand continues to rise / Germany is the exception / Insulation segment largely switching to grey EPS

EPS INSULATION

Fierce competition and high volatility drive consolidation in Germany / French state fund for renovations / New UK market leader is born / Cladding segment increasingly trends towards grey EPS / Prolonged use of HBCD has no notable market relevance

SUNPOR

First phase in expansion of grey EPS output commissioned

BASF

Spanish XPS plant now switched to PolyFR flame retardant / All plants to be converted by year's end / ECHA opens consultation on petition for exceptions from the 2015 HBCD phase-out

EPS INSULATION

Syndicate plans to lobby EU to prolong use of HBCD as flame retardant / Decision expected by year's end / Ban already enforced in Switzerland / German association members plan to follow in mid-2014

EPS

European market shifts / Switch from HBCD to other flame retardants / Slashing white EPS capacities / Output of grey material on the rise

SUNPOR

EPS capacity expansion postponed to 2015 / Plans to raise “Lambdapor” grey EPS output by 60,000 t/y in two stages

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend January 2013: Slight margin improvement for polyolefin producers / No sharp order rise at month's begin / PVC and EPS still weak / PS moving in tandem with costs

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics in December 2012: PE slide halted / PP follows monomer downward / PS producers recoup cost rises / PVC and EPS prices softer / Polyolefin producers will seek triple-digit hikes in January

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend December 2012: Notations tend unusually firm / Occasional increases for PE / Only building applications weaker / Fear of triple-digit rises in January

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics in November 2012: Autumn mist softens notations / Producers see fresh margin losses / Supply stabilises / December could see an unusual stabilisation

SIBUR

Raising Perm-based EPS capacity / Second production phase to go on stream this summer

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend January 2012: Complete change of direction / Producers succeed only in factoring in extra costs / Supply generally balanced / Possibility of improved margins before end of month

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics in December 2011: Notations still tending soft / No more bargains for polyolefin buyers / Supply nearly balanced again / Demand robust / Rising costs to drive January notations

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend December 2011: Weak rollover for most products / HDPE very firm / Producers clear inventories / Bonus targets and end markets stimulate demand / Quiet end to the year