Base Petrochemicals, Aromatics and Feedstocks: January/February 2020

Polyethylene January 2020: Planned price hikes go up in smoke / Demand still not great / Some plants operating with reduced output / Coronavirus outbreak could hit business in China / Downtrend expected

Polypropylene January 2020: Producer price hikes mostly fall flat / Ordering surprisingly strong / Seasonal effects will boost February demand / Minimal hikes possible

PVC January 2020: Unexpectedly dynamic demand / Calls for increases initially come to nothing / Slight price reductions for compounds / Renewed attempts to improve margins in February

Styrenics January 2020: Prices turn upward again / Full cost transfer for PS and ABS in most cases / Demand receives boost from inventory replenishment / Further hikes expected in February

PET January 2020: Prices largely stable with slight hint of firming / No impetus from either costs or demand / Hardly any change expected in February / Hopes pinned on start of season in March

Engineering Thermoplastics January 2020: ABS firmer / PA 6.6, PMMA and PP compounds lower / PA 6 base polymers expected to push up compounds in the medium term / Demand slowly recovers

Previous Mexichem group analysing strategic alternatives for PVC division / Processing apparently not affected

Polyamide compounding up and running in Poland

Groundbreaking ceremony for compounding plant in China / Production expected to start in 2021

Swiss DKSH is distributor for high-performance polymers in China, South Korea and Southeast Asia

Distribution of DuPont's polymers in CIS region

Distribution of Sukano's masterbatches in Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia

Spanish compounder adds production line / Total capacity now over 220,000 t/y

Binding offer to acquire dispensing business from Albéa for USD 900m / Pumps and caps for global beauty markets

Third takeover of a protective packaging specialist in a year

Packaging group launches initial public offering on Nasdaq / IPO could raise at least USD 1.18 bn

Customers like using plastic bottles, says sustainability head at WEF / New partnership with “Benioff Ocean Initiative” to clean up polluted rivers

EUR 2 bn investment plans to hike use of recycled plastics

Aim to use 100% recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastics by 2030

Estimates of fishing gear pollution / Some data gaps for Africa, Asia and South America / Stronger ocean governance called for / EU project on information tool to reduce gear loss

ECHA adds four new SVHC candidates to list / All are used with polymers

EFSA updates assessment for five phthalates used in food-contact materials / “Not a concern for public health”

Heated debate over EU lead restriction proposals / European Parliament to vote in February

3D printing centre opened in Sweden / New plant to produce single-use kits for cell processing

Acquisition of healthcare packaging and medical device thermoformer TEQ

New pharma packaging plant opens in China / Second site in India

Expansion in Denmark / New cleanroom for moulded medical devices

New headquarters and innovation centre opened in Belgium

Medical business unit created / Colorite, Natvar and Dunn brands brought together

Ban on single-use plastics starting in 2020 / Production of household items containing microbeads to end this year

Plastic tax on single-use packaging set to be in effect this year