Base Petrochemicals, Aromatics and Feedstocks: November/December 2019

Polyethylene November 2019: Fall in feedstock reference price determines the reductions / Nearly all products follow suit / Film grades suffer from poor demand / Rollover likely in December despite slightly firmer ethylene price

Polypropylene November 2019: Lower reference has repercussions along the chain / Demand remains weak / Players may take half of December off

PVC November 2019: Ethylene reference sets the price span / Pro rata reductions have to be passed on / No margin improvement for producers / Depressed situation in the very short working month of December

Styrenics November 2019: Prices continue to fall / Some reductions for PS and EPS exceed styrene cost decline / Oversupply dominates market / Further decreases likely

PET November 2019: Erosion of notations continues unabated / Oversupply boosted by imports / Price pressure continuing on into December

Engineering Thermoplastics November 2019: Downward drift continues / Notations crumble, but not in one fell swoop / No interruption to market weakness / Price pressure expected to dominate in December

Massive explosion at petchem site in East Texas / Presumably TPC's C4 facilities

“Smart Verbund” site at Zhanjiang on its way / New plants for PA, PBT and TPU

EU commission clears acquisition of PA business

Integrated PP complex starts up in Southern China

Polycarbonate production in Germany to remain in-house after all / Comprehensive restructuring in the pipeline

Several additive manufacturing collaborations lined up / Shapeways, Chromatic 3D Materials and German RepRap

Scandinavia's leading 3D printing specialist acquires Acron Formservice / Norwegian product engineering specialist Minoko becomes sole owner

Centre of excellence for 3D printing in Normandy / Focus on powder bed fusion

Acquisition of French 3D printing service provider Sculpteo

Expansion of 3D printing engagement / Partnership with NXT Factory

Previous head of DuPont Ellen Kullman appointed CEO of 3D printing specialist

Partnership on bio-based polymers for carton packaging

Takeover of PE film producer Apeldoorn Flexible Packaging from Jindal

Acquisitions boost full-year sales and profits / Higher sales volume at consumer packaging in North America / Volumes fall at engineered materials

Sustainability drive spurs transition to paper / Focus on developing recyclable plastics / Recycling infrastructure needs to keep pace / Smithers report

Plastic compounds production and demand expected to fall in 2019 / Foreign trade to dip and widen deficit / Polypropylene holds largest market share

Plastics sector's exports and imports up in 2018 / Trade uncertainties remain major issue / Plastics Industry Association releases trends report at "K 2019"

Sales fairly stable in Q3 / Order backlog very low / Technical parts still a major worry / Gloomy expectations / Trend turnaround not imminent

European industry's outlook appears more subdued / Many companies worried about impacts of global trade conflicts, the automotive crisis and regulations / PIE Readers Survey