Formosa Plastics

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

Divestment of Asian glass fibre joint venture stakes completed / Proceeds of USD 170m

North America September 2016: Upward momentum across many segments / Rising feedstocks push up polyolefins and PS / Engineering thermoplastics producers still under pressure

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

High-pressure production: LDPE becoming increasingly tight in Europe / Global importance wanes / New plants mostly flexible and easily switched to EVA / Specifically targeted types more expensive

China Engineering Thermoplastics September 2015: Feedstock prices firm or pointing slightly up / Polymers remain soft / Strong demand / Domestic ABS producers lift output to meet orders / Outlook for October positive

Feasibility study for USD 9 bn ethane cracker and polyolefins units in Louisiana / Construction on two-phase project could start in 2016 / Future growth in US, says CEO

Plans for “first new PP production line” to be built in the US in many years / Facility to be located downstream of Texas propane dehydrogenation plant

US authorities investigate alleged dumping practices from Canada, China, India and Oman / Initial probe results to be published in August

Global volumes to rise by 4.4% per year to 2020 / Strong automotive demand for butadiene rubber and ABS / Asian players dominating / Grand View Research report

ThyssenKrupp to build Texas-based propane dehydrogenation facility

Several raw material suppliers book space for "Customer Service Centres" in Orlando / Fair at 94% of total capacity

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

China Standard Thermoplastics April/May 2014: Ethylene and propylene import prices rebound while styrene recedes / Polymer import quotes firm / Domestic prices see active dynamics / Labour Day holiday period dampens total uptake

EU greenlights PVC joint venture / Divestment plan accepted / World's third largest producer

Newest anti-dumping duties on PVC imports revealed / Korea exempted, Chinese producers face stiff penalties

Groundbreaking ceremonies held for 1.5m t/y Cedar Bayou ethane cracker / Ethylene largely for domestic consumption / Two 500,000 t/y PE plants part of USGC project

China Standard Thermoplastics February/March 2014: Ethylene and styrene rise while propylene falls / Polymer import quotes dip / Domestic prices also soft / Little change expected in coming weeks

Merging styrenic block copolymers business with Taiwan's LCY Chemical

UK distribution agreement with Longfield / Cheshire-based company will market range of masterbatches and concentrates

New PS plant in Vietnam in planning stages/ Growing demand from the electronics industry is catalyst

EU has reservations concerning JV deal / Ineos puts forward divestment of two German plants

Formosa Plastics declares force majeure for HDPE following flash fire at US site Point Comfort

Fire breaks out injuring 14 / Force majeure for PE line apparently in place

Standard Thermoplastics PVC March 2013: Deep freeze in building sector allows only minimal cost pass-through for S-PVC base / Rising plasticiser prices drive S-PVC (P) compounds / April picture dominated by rollover, despite falling ethylene notation