Base Petrochemicals, Aromatics and Feedstocks: July / August 2018

Polyethylene July 2018: Prices only slowly orientate to fall in ethylene reference / Changes range from rollovers to moderate reductions / Special offers disappear / August tending very quiet

Polypropylene July 2018: No major price movements / Slack demand slows momentum / Firmer reference means fewer concessions in August despite lull

PVC July 2018: Price pressure arises from softer cost structure and trend towards oversupply / Holiday period weakens already low demand / August expected to be rather weak

Styrenics July 2018: Prices follow the cost reduction / Construction season stimulates EPS / Demand for PS and ABS drops / Further price declines expected in August

PET July 2018: Upswing comes to a halt / Supply improves in Europe / Asian material on offer again / Lively demand keeps notations at record level / Situation likely to ease further from September

Engineering Thermoplastics July 2018: Next explosion of PA 6.6 prices / Otherwise mostly stable conditions / Demand noticeably shrinks / Minor movements expected in August

Large-scale expansion of ethylene and metallocene-catalysed PE in South Korea

Azerbaijan's first PP plant opened / Construction ending on HDPE plant / Majority of output targeted to Europe and Turkey

Third PET line in Lithuania complete / Number two in Europe / Part of Retal group

Hromatka appointed eastern European distributor for engineering polymers / Focus on Poland, Romania and Bulgaria

Extended distribution of Valtris' “Santicizer” products in France

New European distribution partner for SK Chemicals' 3D printing materials

Rigid packaging business taken over by Lindsay Goldberg / Owner of Weener and Schur Flexibles intends to add to list of acquisitions

Acquisition of US protective packaging specialist CSP / Binding offer includes production site in France

Plastics group extends films production worldwide / Investments totalling over EUR 100m

Expansion of film and closure site in Lithuania

Austrian packaging manufacturer takes over Greek company Argo

Italian packaging group acquired by Melitta

Acquisition of French recycling company Sorepla / Food-grade rPET a major focus

Danish packaging manufacturer takes over Dutch recycling company 4PET

Acquisition of Austrian recycler Ecoplast / Capacity expansion for rPE in Austria

Recovery plant for poly-laminated waste in Italy / Amut facility to produce "Ecoallene" resin in September

Catalyst partnership with German institute / Steps toward chemical recycling

Sustainable multilayer film recycling project / Regrind with “near virgin” properties

No appearance yet of an easing of PET waste import restrictions / Domestic rPET production moving to Southeast Asia?

Malaysia closes its doors to flood of plastics waste / Third Southeast Asian country to stop imports

Plastics and rubber machinery imports fall in 2017 / China still leading supplier although share shrinks / German exports jump

Enormous potential requires investments / Plastic packaging recycling rate around 50% / Government estimates rates will rise in line with EU targets within two years