Markets Regions and Countries Asia

Close to 12m t turned out in 2011 / Price of chip exports abroad down year-on-year / First PET resin line installed in 1990 / New capacity expansion wave underway

New massive propane dehydrogenation line in China / Country's propylene capacities set to triple until 2015

Chinese market expected to grow at 6-8% a year / Automotive sector drives / Foreign players vying to get in on the action / CCM International report

Government grant to support local plastics industry / Sector dominated by SMEs / Plastics consumption expected to rise by 10-12% per year

Compliance with government ban on super-thin plastic bags varies / Supermarkets score high, farmers' markets low / Cities more obliging than the countryside

USD 3.3 bn state grant to revamp petrochemical sector

Polymer demand outstrips GDP / Third largest consumer after China, US / GlobalData report

Licensing contracts for Jamnagar ethylene cracker and PX line awarded / Mega-hub scheduled to go on stream in 2015

Collaboration with India's Hindoostan Technical Fabrics to develop carbon fibre fabrics for use in composites

Environmental legislation could see planned cracker project relocated to Malaysia

Full range of engineering plastics now available directly in Japan

Supreme Court to consider total plastics ban / Anti-littering effort supported by TV station

Agreement with China Lumena New Materials to market and sell PA 4.6 and PPS / Examining other options at cooperation

Map Ta Phut accidents prompt government to set up new industry control regime / Explosion at Bangkok Synthetics leaves 12 dead / Dozens hurt as chlorine escapes from Aditya Birla Chemicals' plant

Spotlight on China's Zhang Mu Tou plastic trading centre in Dongguan / PIE visits regional hub for plastic buying and selling activities / EUR 1.2 bn in annual turnover

Accelerated Chinese demand spurs new investments / UOP technology selected for two more China propylene projects / Start-ups expected in 2014

Record number of visitors at Chinaplas 2012 / Rising share in foreign attendees at world's second largest plastics fair / Processing sector focuses on sustainability / Increasingly difficult market environment / Domestic demand needs to grow

Merger of key plastics industry groups creates China Synthetic Resin Marketing Association / Tasked with aiding government draw up, implement plastics policies / Resins market continues to grow / PIE exclusive with group head Zheng Kai

Manufacturers reap order bonanza in China / Germany and Japan are the largest exporters

New PU production site in India / Favourable location for supplying customers in the north and northwest / Total investment of EUR 150m

Output and volume sales decline in 2011 / Both standard and engineering thermoplastics hit

Plastics scrap imports up 5% in 2011 / Rise of 21% in value terms over 2010 / PET scrap sees largest price gains

Mitsubishi and Celanese joint venture raises POM output / New capacity to come on stream in early 2014

China February/March 2012: Hardly any demand growth as work resumes post-Chinese New Year / Exports slow / Business expected to pick up again as agricultural season starts / Oil price could push notations up

Plans to relocate ACN production to mainland China / Response to government resolution to encourage more environmentally friendly production