Markets Polymers General

Economy continues to show solid growth / Plastics processing also on the up / Centro Español de Plásticos estimates annual turnover of EUR 14.5 bn / Positive stimulus from construction and automotive industries

State economies embark on a new era / Creation of added value from oil products to go much deeper in the next 15 years / Refineries and petrochemicals / Aramco goes public / Direct investors sought

Butyl acetate: Oxea lifts FM in Europe

UK plastics industry seeks clarity over Brexit / Concerns surrounding free market access continue / Skills, supply chain and workforce issues unlikely to go away soon

Butyl acetate: Oxea declares force majeure in Europe

WEF, MacArthur Foundation and plastics industry in joint declaration on combatting marine litter / “New Plastics Economy” initiative presents strategies for recycling at Davos

Petrochemicals and plastics: Following earlier rise, former tiger state increasingly under pressure / Expansions in China limit sales outlets / Government-initiated restructuring / Quality over volume / Feedstock partnerships with foreign players

Plastics industry continues on the road to growth / Processing segment gains 3% / Local polymer supply still inadequate / Lack of investment / Strong customer industries / Uncertain political landscape

SPI: Good prospects through new capacities / Manufacturer's production value still pressured by low feedstock costs / Growth in other branches of the plastics industry / Export surplus declines

Plastics industry on robust growth course following military coup / Output expected to reach 9m t this year

Global plastics production grows by 3.5% / European output declines slightly / Consumption in EU rises / Turkey is the biggest buyer of resins / Trade surplus crumbles / Report from PlasticsEurope presented at "K 2016"

British Plastics Federation outlines priorities for Brexit talks / Single market access “crucial” / Converters depend on EU for polymer / Some 40% of plastics firms foreign-owned

Company investments drive growth / Plastics processing segment suffers from ageing technology / No access to key growth markets / Focus on new technologies and recycling

Broad decline in plastics industry sales in 2015 / Rise in Swiss franc's value leads to 7.5% fall in revenues / Minimal headcount reduction / Plastics waste exports down / Optimistic outlook for 2016

Plastics industry on growth course / Billions invested in booming automotive and aviation industries / Domestic polymer capacities limited to PVC, PET and PS / Highly dependent on polymer imports

Poor economic data put a strain on the economy / Fear of recession following "Brexit" vote / EU exit appears to have comparatively little impact on plastics segment / BPF conference on strategic vision

More than 50% of respondents to PIE poll say “Brexit” will not impact their business / More than a third fear negative repercussions / “Not the decision our sector wanted,” says UK chemicals association / Linpac does not expect any change

"Brexit is stupid" / 52% of British population votes to leave the EU / Plastics industry reacts calmly / Important market in Europe / Many corporate headquarters likely to relocate to the continent

First foreign company to receive Saudi trading licence / Diversification of economy

Plastics industry slowly starts to grow again / Gains still fall short of expectations / Europe's second largest processing country / Few changes on the imports front / Pagev highlights the need to improve competitiveness

Awards for best polymer supplier presented at EuPC annual meeting in Lyon / Repsol takes prizes for innovation and HDPE / “Unique insight” into supply chain dynamics

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