RUSSIA

Polymer consumption on ice / Possible economic recession takes toll on operations / Petrochemical projects likely delayed

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Ducor declares force majeure for polypropylene from Netherlands

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Polyolefins: Unipetrol refinery resumes operations after nationwide power outage in the Czech Republic

POLYURETHANE FOAM

European market constrained by slow demand, rising costs / Sustainability high on the agenda – Europur conference

LOGISTICS

Minimum wage increase causes discontent in German transport industry / Low river levels from Europe's heatwave disrupt shipping

LISBON

Launch of Europe's first city-wide reusable cup system

CHEMICAL INDUSTRY GERMANY

Industry in ‘stand-by' mode – VCI / Production, sales below previous year's level

CHEMICAL RECYCLING

Attractive opportunities exist for early movers / Mandated blending requirements could boost scale-up – Bain report

SOUTHEAST EUROPE

Romania, Bulgaria's accession to Schengen area offers benefits to plastics industry / Political uncertainty hampers execution of development plans

PLASTICS RECYCLING

Market protection and trade control: industry in danger through fraudulent imports – Bvse / 27th International Waste Plastics Day in Dresden

PLASTICS MACHINERY

Fewer exports from Europe / Germany, Austria, France struggling / India booms as importing country

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Truckloads of Scotland's rubbish to be sent to England due to landfill ban – BBC / Landfill ban for biodegradable municipal waste in Scotland starts 2026

GERMAN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Sector hopes to stabilise / 2024 characterised by further declines / Majority of construction-related plastics industries hit hard / Pipe makers positive exception

LOGISTICS

Oil market calms as Strait of Hormuz remains open – for now

GERMAN ECONOMY

Business confidence improves again / Plastics processors more pessimistic

EUROPEAN CAR MARKET

Mixed signals from EU registrations / UK sales rise / Chinese firms double market share

PVC RECYCLING

European recovered waste volume drops again in 2024 / Market outlook for 2025 highly challenging – VinylPlus report

CHEMICAL INDUSTRY GERMANY

Slight rise in production / Front-loading effects due to threat of US tariffs / Decline in polymer revenue continues

BALTIC STATES

Plastics industry follows upward trajectory despite turbulence in Europe / Evertis to construct EUR 30 mn PET film plant in Lithuania / Political turbulence, imports from non-EU countries exert pressure on businesses

UKRAINE

Polymer imports plunge by a third since start of war / Stake in Karpatnaftokhim reportedly sold to new investor