Polyethylene March 2018: Producers pass on most of cost reduction / First LLDPE imports from US put pressure on prices / Slight uptrend likely in April due to rise in ethylene reference

Polypropylene March 2018: Cost relief broadly passed on / Sufficient supply / Converters' buying tactics shred producers' margins / Firm rollover likely in April

Styrenics March 2018: Increased SM costs further drive up prices / New all-time high for EPS / Price expectations limit demand / Significant reductions expected for April

PVC March 2018: Marginal declines in base grades and rigid compounds / High price of plasticiser pushes up plasticised compounds / Pastes stay at same level / Slight upward trend in April

PET March 2018: Moderate improvements possible in producer margins / Asian exports heading more towards North America / Few offers in Europe / First season peak now over / Balanced momentum in April

Base Petrochemicals, Aromatics and Feedstocks: March / April 2018

Engineering Thermoplastics March 2018: Notations continue to rise but at a slower rate / Quarterly increases factored in / Next round of hikes due in April / Greater focus on specified grades

Exit from resins business / Plans of selling butanediol production at Marl

Plans for new world-scale styrene plant on US Gulf

Plans for PP expansion on US Gulf advance

PA 6.6: Time for strategic alternatives

Around 600 jobs to be made redundant worldwide / R&D reorganisation and expansion in Europe

Polycarbonate sheet extrusion business up for sale / US plant to be acquired by Plaskolite / Bidding process for European plants

EuPC survey to gain insight into 3D printing in European plastics converting industry

Dutch subsidiary Innofil3D signs strategic partnership with Beijing Tiertime / 3D printing filaments for US and China

Dutch Filaments bought as part of investments in 3D printing business

Additive manufacturing partnerships with Carbon and HP

3D printer manufacturing expansion in Germany

Plastics recycling joint venture with Suez begins in the Netherlands

Slovenian home appliance manufacturer is divesting recycling subsidiary

Renewable energy halves carbon dioxide emissions of rPET at Austrian recycling plant

Far-reaching EU packaging directives poised for adoption / Lengthy transition periods for recycling

French bioplastics specialist unveils new PET recycling process

Dublin-based recycling firm builds new plant in UK / Irish red tape cited as reason to set up in Corby

Initial operations at US carpet recycling facility / Recycled PA destined for Slovenian plant

Nordic investor Altor to acquire Swedish PE film manufacturer / Management to hold a share

Austrian flexible packaging firm dips into India for a second time / Deal to buy Kolkata-based Creative Polypack

Production up 2% in 2017 / Outlook positive, with stable demand

Study finds lightweight LDPE bags have lowest environmental impact / Independent life cycle assessment in Denmark

Global polymer material output rises 4% to 280m t in 2016 / EU's resins exports stagnating / European converters hold their ground / PlasticsEurope report