Plastics once more in demand / Plastics processing witnesses upward trend / Rising prices for raw materials / Government launches programme to spur consumption

Polymer consumption slips to 7.1m t in 2008 / Output still declining / Optimism at Milan exhibitions / Upswing in summer may be on the cards / Core machinery manufacture in a dismal state

PVC futures trading expected soon on DCE

Plastics production in its infancy / Five major petchems complexes under construction or planned / Many small plastics converters / High energy and material consumption due to outdated machinery

Dubai exchange again delays plastics futures launch

Central European country leads market growth / Consumption levels pass Scandinavia / More than 2.3m t of thermoplastics processed / New AMI report spotlights over 1,000 companies

US demand forecast to rise 7.1% annually to 2012 / Growth boosted by strong demand for starch products

Demand again grew faster than GDP in 2007 / Consumption 52.5m t / Germany still the biggest producer / Half of European plastics waste is recycled / PlasticsEurope report “Compelling Facts about Plastics 2007” on the EU27 plus Norway and Switzerland

Rise of 27% rise in value of plastics production in 2007 / Pipes and profiles segments on the brink of consolidation / More stringent safety regulations for the chemical industry

Lower export duty on plastic products

Plastics market growth unabated / Now Europe's fourth largest processor / Per capita consumption above 60 kg / Industrial park for converters in special zone near Istanbul

Trade deficit is affecting plastics processors / Abiplast: State should facilitate fair competition

Plastics industry with record sales in 2007 / Double-digit sales improvement / Exports continue to rise / Packaging growth even higher / Cautious optimism for 2008 / More cooperation agreements predicted

KAEC Plastics Valley to be developed at Rabigh / “Centre of excellence” / Cooperation with US state of Ohio

Chemical and plastics industry can expect a difficult 2008 / Double-digit growth in plastics processing / Machinery exports top EUR 1 bn / Plastics sector employs 65,000 people