Kem One

Standard Thermoplastics Trend April 2013: Producers hold onto half of cost reductions / Falling naphtha strengthens converters' waiting game / Intensity of demand revival will decide further developments

Arkema to take EUR 125m charge for former PVC business / Six-month search for new owner

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

Painful necessities

Follow-up: PVC producer files for insolvency / Calls for aide from Arkema and Total / Arkema puts blame squarely on Klesch

PVC producer about to file for insolvency / Five chlorine and PVC plants affected / Tempers run high in Lavera

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

Locked in PVC squabble, Klesch demands high compensation from Arkema / Swiss feel cheated / French group categorically dismisses all accusations

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

Standard Thermoplastics Trend February 2013: Buyers turn a deaf ear on hike plans / Stable costs dampen momentum / Demand still slack / First upstream cost rises appear / Price spiral could turn upward

Standard Thermoplastics PVC January 2013: Producers manage to lift S-PVC base notations slightly / Matrix component in blends rising / Additives mostly stable / No movement for PVC pastes

PVC plant at Ravenna near permanent closure / Industrie Generali stumbles over feedstock question

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

Raising emulsion PVC capacity in Spain / New COO for Vinyls business

PVC November 2012: S-PVC base material gives up ground / Additives lead to some firming in compounds / Paste grades remain stable / Pilot report for extended PIE price reporting

Life is a roller coaster ride, the European plastics industry finds again in 2012 / Forces majeures and consolidation / North-South profitability gap grows as the shadow of Middle East and China shrinks

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

Divestiture of vinyls business to Klesch complete / Activities will become part of KEM One holding