Markets Polymers General

Strikes widened to include nuclear plants / Refinery blockade hits plastics converters

Police slowly clear union barricades blocking refineries / Public mood flags / Union threatens to extend strikes to rail and nuclear plants / More force majeure declarations

Petrochemical output increasingly threatened by strike / Most refineries affected / Many FM declarations / Minister says the country has been taken hostage

Sales flat, output slightly higher in 2015 / PlasticsEurope arm draws mixed picture

PlasticsEurope president Patrick Thomas: Plastics industry needs to be at the forefront of combating problems like marine litter / Lessons from "PolyTalk" to be applied at global level / Europe is the source of the solution

Brexit: Leaving the EU could harm UK chemicals trade, warns industry group CIA / Survey shows 62% of chemical companies in UK want to remain in EU

Industry on solid course for growth / Both exports and imports of plastics on the rise / Plastics processing activities continue to increase / Automotive segment a key driver / Political impasse in Madrid slows economic dynamics

Counter-offer for DuPont reportedly being considered / No comment from Ludwigshafen

Growth expectations slow on concerns about global economy / Two thirds of BPF members want UK to stay in EU / BPF survey

Government publishes report on Tianjin blasts / Numerous chemical firms ordered to relocate / Move of ABS and PVC producer Tianjin Dagu already said to be underway

Eye on the world: A journey from Brazil to China, from Russia to Italy / Challenges experienced by most countries

Polyolefins: A year of sweeping changes in Europe / Global PE market consolidates / Prices decouple from base feedstock costs / Comprehensive restructuring / Plastics processing faces new challenges

US chemicals giant said to be in talks with DuPont over potential merge / Combination would create company worth USD 120 bn / Plans for three-way split of activities / Response to shareholder pressure?

Positive outlook for GCC chemicals / Saudi Arabia offers opportunities to downstream investors / New petrochemical projects temporarily halted / Exports to China continue to grow

Polymer production grows by 4% in 2014 / EU 28 trade surplus widens / Turkey still most important resin buyer / PlasticsEurope recommends landfill ban to improve recycling / "Plastics – the Facts 2015"

Acquisition of Samsung's polymers slate / USD 2.5 bn mega deal slammed as too expensive

Confidence maintained despite minimal output growth / Sales down 4% / Trade surplus deteriorates / Polymers output continues pointing down in June / Cefic chemicals trends report

Devastating explosion in China rocks Tianjin free trade zone / Dagang refinery hub apparently not affected

BPF survey points to improved business confidence / Increased expectations for higher sales and investments

Plastics industry sees dynamic growth / Processing rises by 7% in 2014 / 3.1m t polymer consumption / Dependent on feedstock imports / Few petrochemical projects / Large-scale investment in packaging

Formidable competitive turnaround through shale gas / Exports to Europe and Latin America will improve US trade balance / American Chemistry Council report

New online store opened on Alibaba / PA and MDI among first products / SMEs targeted

Germany's GKV industry association says plastic processors can apply for specific tariff quotas / Cooperation among European associations / Long-term application process

EuPC unveils agenda of “Polymers for Europe Alliance” / Pan-European platform to address recent spate of FMs / Potential legal action against producers / Lobby work against EU import tariffs / Potential group purchasing platforms for imported material

Belgium's Federplast industry association sounds the alarm over recent FMs / Future of countless companies and jobs at risk / Calls on suppliers to make “necessary” investments