Martin Bäcker

POLYMER PRICES PVC September: Prices persist at rollover level / Weak demand from construction, automotive thwarts producers' ambitions for price hikes	01.10.2025
LOGISTICS Artificial capacity shortages lend breath of fresh air to freight rates	12.09.2025
POLYMER PRICES PVC: Non-market adjustment essential for quotations from January 2026 onwards / PVC compound formulation to be revised / Two types of rPVC to be included in future	03.09.2025
POLYMER PRICES PVC August: Virtually no movement despite falling ethylene costs / Demand from construction and automotive still weak / Exports offer glimmer of hope as India could provide new momentum	01.09.2025
POLYMER PRICES PVC July: Price stability at start of holidays / Little change with supply and demand / Smaller decline likely in August	01.08.2025
PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS PU: Covestro declares force majeure on TDI and polyols from Germany	17.07.2025
PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS Ducor declares force majeure for polypropylene from Netherlands	08.07.2025
POLYMER PRICES PX June: Contract delayed again / Experts expect an increase	07.07.2025
POLYMER PRICES PVC June: Prices stable despite a weak order situation / Waiting for movement – will July lack direction too?	01.07.2025
PLASTIC RECYCLING 27th International Waste Plastics Day set to take place on 24-25 June in Germany / PIE market expert Martin Bäcker to give presentation	19.06.2025
LOGISTICS Trade war truce between US and China pushes freight rates up	16.05.2025
US-CHINA TARIFFS De-escalation: Both nations agree to significantly slash tariffs / Positive reactions on the oil market	12.05.2025
PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS PET: Spain's Novapet reportedly faces problems after blackout	30.04.2025
POLYMERS FOR EUROPE ALLIANCE Webinar: Securing Europe's Plastics Future / PIE's Bäcker to talk global trade, geopolitics	14.04.2025
PLASTICS RECYCLING EUROPE “An industry that is still fighting has not lost” / Lessons and impressions from PRSE, Amsterdam	04.04.2025
GERMAN ECONOMY Will the German plastics industry benefit from EUR 1 tn special fund? / Assessment by PIE market expert Martin Bäcker	26.03.2025
LOGISTICS Trump's attacks on Houthis could cause freight rates to skyrocket / Price of polymer imports to Europe expected to increase	21.03.2025
TRADE WAR EU Commission plans retaliatory tariffs; PE reportedly targeted / Move could aid European producers / US-Houthi attacks expected to aggravate impact of US tariffs	19.03.2025
PLASTICS RECYCLING SHOW EUROPE AI innovation showcased in Amsterdam / Conference programme covers current and future recycling challenges / PIE joins trade fair with own stand	11.03.2025
LOGISTICS The renaissance of the pork cycle: are shipping companies digging their own graves again?	14.02.2025
LOGISTICS Onset of winter affects US goods traffic / Houthi militia to cease terrorist attacks on Red Sea shipping	24.01.2025
POLYMER PRICE FORECASTS Upward trend for several quotations in February / US trade policy poses danger	16.01.2025
YEAR-ENDER: EUROPEAN RECYCLATE MARKET Insolvencies abound as industry faces slowdown / Wider price gap to virgin plastics weighs heavy / Two more difficult years / Will Trump policies aid EU recycling sector?	19.12.2024
YEAR-ENDER: POLYMER PRICES Cheaper materials from Asia pressure European manufacturers / PU, PET under special focus / Trump policies could raise European production costs / “If construction doesn't take off by March, the year is over.”	17.12.2024
LOGISTICS Shipping companies to buy more CO2 certificates for container transport 1 January onward / Freight rates likely to rise	06.12.2024