Base Petrochemicals, Aromatics and Feedstocks: December 2018 / January 2019

Polyethylene December 2018: Producers manage to hang on to some of the cost reduction / First step towards margin improvement successful / Costs again decrease in January / Further reductions possible

Polypropylene December 2018: Producers improve margins / Cost relief not passed on in full / FMs tighten supply / January will see falling prices

PVC December 2018: Ethylene price reduction not passed on in full / Production restrictions shore up prices / Robust demand for the season / Further price falls expected in the new year

Styrenics December 2018: Prices still in full downswing / Further triple-digit discounts / Producers pass on cost reductions only partly / Short production month severely limits demand

PET December 2018: Price reductions predominate again / Smaller transactions increasingly stable / January could see further reductions

Engineering Thermoplastics December 2018: Slump in auto production is reflected in prices / Significant decline with PC / PMMA also starts to slide / Downward trend could intensify in January

Launch of multi-stakeholder alliance to boost recycling efforts in Europe / Need to match recyclate supply with demand and enhance quality

Report outlines technology solutions to meet EU plastics strategy / Joint R&D agenda from EuPC, SusChem, Cefic, PlasticsEurope and ECP4

PIE talks to Dimitrios Syrmos, president of Greek plastics industry association AHPI / SMEs in Greece face technology and financing challenges

Swiss R&D centre to develop environmentally friendly packaging / Deal with CarbonLite will expand use of rPET in US / Pledge of 50% plastic recyclate content by 2025

UK packaging company plans to exit plastics business / Strong growth for paper and packaging segments

US drinks giant extends deal with Ioniqa / Dutch firm set to launch factory producing high-quality food-grade rPET

Expansion of PC films production in Thailand / Focus on growth in Asia-Pacific

Italian plastic film maker sees nearly 12% revenue upsurge in 2018 / Impetus for growth comes from new plant

India's largest multinational flexible packaging maker to build new plant in Hungary

Sale of caprolactone business to Ingevity / Refocus on high-growth products

PP plant planned in southern Turkey / Gas supply from Algeria / Earmarked for Turkish feedstock market

German company announces EUR 200m investment for flame retardants production

Controlling stake in Transmare Compounding / Growth strategy progresses

Plans for compounding plant in Ireland face local opposition / Protest group readies to appeal planning approval

Swiss compounder expands production output / Twin-screw extruder installation

New extrusion lines in operation at Chinese compounding plant

Signing of incorporation agreement for styrenics recycling initiative / Inclusion of new members to unlock circular potential

Feedstock from chemically recycled plastics for European plants / MoU with UK's Plastic Energy

Replacement of plastic packaging with alternatives would have adverse environmental impacts / Life cycle analysis of most common thermoplastics / ACC study

Packaging by far largest market for injection-moulded thermoplastics / PP and PET account for biggest share / AMI database

PP to outpace growth of other polymers / Packaging to remain dominant end-use market / Volatile feedstock costs and sustainability issues are challenges / BCC Research study