POLAND

Plastics consumption on the rise / Net importer of polymers / World production estimated at 335m t in 2016

CHINA

Supply-side economics reform encourages investment in high-end polymers / Mid- to low-end plastics capacities optimised

TURKEY

Plastics sector fraught with structural difficulties / Dependence on imported raw materials / Private investments remain low / Upturn through economic stimulus programme / Pagev association demands removal of trade barriers

ARAB GULF STATES

GCC polymer capacity to reach 34.5m t in 2022 / New capacity located mainly in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait / GPCA report

INDIA

Plastics industry is accelerating / Rising global importance / Domestic polymer consumption to reach 20m t by 2020 / Two-digit growth anticipated for propylene and PVC

RIGID PACKAGING

Global market expanding due to rising packaged food demand / Plastics accounted for 39% of market in 2015 / Grand View Research report

PLASTICS APPLICATIONS

Security printing market set for growth / Polymer banknotes gain credibility / Smithers Pira report

PLASTICS PROCESSING BENELUX

Steady growth forecast for the region's well-developed processing sector / AMI database

PLASTICS PACKAGING TURKEY

Rising demand for packaged products / Production, imports and exports higher in 2016 / Plans for global centre of excellence to support domestic industry / Pagev report

POLYURETHANE FOAMS

European flexible foam market grows in 2016 / Upsurge in tonnage of EU exports as imports drop / Trend for higher density PU foams

TURKEY

Plastic thermoforming materials market shrinks 8% to USD 972m despite higher volumes / PET contribution falls 7% to USD 424m / Pagev report

PACKAGING RECYCLING AUSTRIA

ARA collected 534,000 t of separated waste in first half of 2017 / Collection volumes grew for all materials

GERMAN PLASTICS ECONOMY

Excellent first half of 2017 / Business forecasts exceeded / End-users the most upbeat, machinery more subdued / Industry can expect a record year / Readership survey

PLASTICS RECYCLING CHINA

Severely restricted imports of plastic waste by end of 2017 / Official notification to the WTO

PET RECYCLING

Yield from recyclers has gone down 5% in 5 years / Rising costs for European PET recyclers / PRE sees need to upgrade sorting processes

CHINA

Signs of intensifying scrap import controls