A look back on the year's top stories for the plastics industry

PP increase planned in Belgium / Beringen facilities to be converted to "Borstar" and expanded

Start-up of commercial PLA plant in Thailand / Boost to global output by nearly 50%

Increase in aniline production for MDI / Second facility planned in Antwerp

Distribution of Solvay's sulfone polymers in Switzerland

“Solplast” portfolio extended by halogen-free flame-retardant TPE

Composites distribution agreement with Ashland expands into Nordic region

European distribution of post-consumer recycled polyolefins from QCP

Multi-year rPET supply agreements with Coca-Cola and PepsiCo / Chemical recycler's net loss widens in H1 2018

Collaboration on chemical recycling of PET / Demonstration plant construction in France's "Chemical Valley" to start in 2019

Pact for sustainable polyolefin materials produced from renewable hydrocarbons

Greenpeace's global plastics pollution audit identifies top brands / Coca-Cola world's worst offender / PS and PET most common plastic waste

European Commission receives over 60 voluntary pledges / Companies and industry associations commit to plastics recycling

Plastic construction materials dogged by low prices / Imports clearly outpace exports / Domestic building activity rising

"The world is about cooperation" / Adsale chairman Stanley Chu on US-China trade war / Chinese move to technological innovations will help domestic growth

Taiwan restricting imports of plastics waste

Standard Thermoplastics Trend December 2018: Hefty price cuts with all polymers after triple-digit fall in olefin and SM reference prices / Producers nevertheless improve margins

Composites/GRP November 2018: Resins slip / More downward momentum likely / Demand from all but automotive holds up / Glass fibre unchanged

Polyurethane Feedstocks December 2018: Isocyanates price slide halted / Weak demand across the board / Downwards into January / Polyols under pressure

Standard Recyclate December 2018: Slight price changes, if any / Modest discounts only for rLDPE and rPP / Restrained demand ahead of holiday shutdowns / No significant movements foreseeable

Polyolefin notations looking to bottom out

Russia November 2018: Market shifts down a gear / Demand significantly more subdued

China Standard Thermoplastics November 2018: Prices of most types nosedive / SM notations hit record low for the year / Impacts from global market unease and weak oil prices / Mostly low demand projected for December

North America November 2018: PE weakens / PP falls sharply / PS and PVC stagnating / Engineering plastics prices erode / Only PA 6.6 still in short supply / Further reductions in December

China Engineering Thermoplastics November 2018: Feedstocks and polymers head downwards / Impacts from falling crude oil prices / Low demand across the board / Downtrends projected for ABS, PA 6.6 and PMMA in December

“Formnext” trade fair showcases advancing technology / Increasing use in production / Plastics still most common material / Further success depends on material availability and costs

New alliances in the 3D printing market / Collaborations in UK, China and US