PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

PVC: Vinnolit declares force majeure for deliveries from Knapsack

EVENTS

“Vinyl Sustainability Forum 2016” to take place in Vienna / Focus on “Smart Vinyl for Our Cities”

AXIALL / WESTLAKE

PVC group plans to divest all downstream units / Write-offs almost reach USD 1 bn / Poker game over takeover continues

AXIALL

Board summarily rejects latest Westlake takeover proposal / Shareholders addressed in open letter

VINNOLIT

CEO Josef Ertl to retire in October / Karl-Martin Schellerer to take the lead

BILCARE RESEARCH

Price hike for rigid PVC film

CORRECTION - PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

LyondellBasell declares force majeure for PP from Wesseling and Knapsack

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Vinnolit announces force majeure for S-PVC from Knapsack / Germany

GERMAN PLASTICS PRODUCTION

Slight reduction in output in 2014 / Market's current zigzag movements prove exhausting

YEAR IN REVIEW 2014

Part 2 – Plastics Production: Shale gas revolution drives Europe into a corner / Ailing facilities are consolidated / Massive changes in PVC market / Shale oil reserves change the balance once again

WESTLAKE

Expanded US vinyls complex dedicated / Cracker converted to ethane / Raising output in Lake Charles

VESTOLIT

SVC Global sells German PVC producer to Mexichem / Further changes in the European PVC market

WESTLAKE

Vinnolit acquisition wrapped up / “Major step” on US PVC producer's strategic path

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?

VINNOLIT

PVC prices to rise

SOLVAY

Benvic PVC compounding subsidiary divested to OpenGate Capital / European market reshuffle continues

WESTLAKE

North American PVC producer acquires Vinnolit / Latest consolidation in the global PVC market

GERMAN PLASTICS PRODUCTION

Production volumes recover in 2013 / Automotive, building and foreign trade drive sales / PlasticsEurope Deutschland president sees dark clouds

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

South German ethylene pipeline dedicated in Munich

CHINAPLAS

Growing number of international visitors and exhibitors in Guangzhou / Focus on sustainability and production efficiency

VINNOLIT

First time at Chinaplas / PVC specialities for Chinese market

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend March 2013: Falling costs upstream dash producers' hopes of triple-digit hikes / Polyolefins rise less than costs / Higher input prices added to PVC, PS and EPS / Supply in line with demand

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics PVC February 2013: Minor increases for base polymer / Additives stable / Paste grade flat / Weak building demand pressures / Pronounced upswing expected in spring

VINNOLIT

New world-scale plant for paste PVC on stream in Burghausen / Total PVC specialities output will rise to over 500,000 t/y

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics in September 2012: Cost momentum in first half drives polymers / Supply adequate despite production cuts / Slack ordering pressures the market / Price zenith evidently reached