Base Petrochemicals, Aromatics and Feedstocks: June/July 2019

Polyethylene June 2019: Most contracts fixed with a rollover / Supply returns to normal / Business generally slow / Significant price cuts expected across the board in July

Polypropylene June 2019: Most contracts roll over / Long supply pressures copo / Demand generally weak / C3 slide heralds substantial rebates in July

PVC June 2019: Rollovers predominate on European market / No bottlenecks despite production curtailments / Exports on the increase / Declining costs and weak demand mean prices expected to fall

Styrenics June 2019: Notations plummet by three digits / Price correction after SM crash / Market characterised by oversupply and weak demand / Discounts expected in July

PET June 2019: Notations fall more sharply than in May / Demand remains weak overall / Favourable import offers / Will the current hot summer weather last for a few weeks?

Engineering Thermoplastics June 2019: Majority of prices on the decline / Weak automotive demand puts more pressure on notations / Downtrend likely to continue in July

Reuters reports acquisition plan for Nova Chemicals / Further concentration on the North American PE market?

Texas cracker complex receives green light / Start-up in 2022

Owner Odebrecht files for bankruptcy protection

New structural realignment plans unveiled / 6,000 job losses to up to 2021

Thai JV to add fourth PP plant / Growing demand in Southeast Asia

"Best Polymer Producers Awards for Europe 2019": Nine producers awarded / Vynova wins overarching prize for customer communication / Ceremony at EuPC conference in Berlin

Automotive industry hitting the brakes is noticeable in the first quarter / Decline in sales of technical parts / Picture is one of uncertainty

Italian sheet manufacturer opens plant in Serbia

Acquisition of US stock shapes manufacturer APT / Synergies in injection moulding and extrusion

Ground-breaking ceremony for new production facility in China / Plant expansion in Mexico

Danish profile manufacturer acquires Essentra's extrusion business

PARA rod stock from Drake Medical Plastics / Alternative to prototype tooling for single-use medical devices

Domestic sales fall quarter-on-quarter, rise year-on-year / Exports ebb slightly in Q1 / Weaker economy and trade issues cloud outlook

Wages rising sharply / German and Austrian machinery manufacturers continue to hire local employees / VDMA survey

Deteriorating outlook for 2019 as orders fall in Q1 / Growth in 2018 lower than anticipated / China takes top export position

Trade association Elipso welcomes bottle deposit scheme consultation / Concern over access to rPET for packaging

Switzerland bans bisphenol A and bisphenol S in thermal paper / EU to follow in 2020

Several African countries ban single-use plastics to fight pollution / Many plastic carrier bag bans already in effect

Canadian government proposes SUP ban from 2021 / Based on European model

NGOs publish study on impact of plastics production on the environment / Call to stop future petrochemicals development / Ambitious targets for greenhouse gas emissions sought

Ingestion of microplastics widespread / Drinking a lot of bottled water increases particle consumption / Canadian study sees health concerns