Relatively limited market growth in 2017 / Share of exports declining slightly / Paris declares closed-loop economy a priority issue / Plastics converters' association FEP opposes quota for recyclate use

PIE talks to Emmanuel Guichard, managing director at Elipso / A French perspective on EU plastics strategy / Much debate on bottle deposit scheme in France / Emmanuel Macron's goals for recycled plastics exceed EU's

PIE talks to Jürgen Bruder, head of German plastics packaging association IK / Over half of domestic plastics packaging is already recycled / Plans in progress to improve eco-design and recyclate use

EU discussing plastic tax / Internal decision on action in July / Hot topic at Petcore conference

UK government brings in cosmetics microbeads ban / Move comes as prime minister demands reduction in plastic use and waste / BPF cautions on government's tone of language

Takeover of A. Schulman / Advanced Polymer Solutions' revenues will double turnover

Record results with engineering plastics business / Acquisition of Omni Plastics complete

Wanhua enters global PMMA market / Upstream MMA production in Yantal / Several other Chinese production facilities starting up in 2018

Stable net profits and higher sales in 2017 on healthy polyolefins margins and Borouge / Major projects over coming years to boost growth

Thermoplastic elastomers compounding to begin mid-2018 in India

PPE production resumes in the Netherlands / World's third plant for "Ultem" PEI in Singapore

Acquisition of US PVC compounder / Netafim buy concluded / New CEO in Mexico

US compounder plans new facility in Poland

Greek subsidiary merges with unit from Delta Chemicals / PU distribution in Greece and Balkan countries

New hub for plastics imports in Antwerp

German firm acquires Memolex's distribution business / Expansion of plastics additives supply in France

Russia January 2018: Quiet month in terms of demand with little movement in most cases / PET still heading sharply upwards

China Standard Thermoplastics January 2018: Tight supply results in hikes for most polymers / Only LDPE and PS decrease slightly / Low demand expected due to holidays in February

North America January 2018: PE moves sideways with lively export demand / Signs of a trend turnaround following PP price explosion in January / PVC expected to become firmer / PS moves up / Engineering plastics continue firm

China Engineering Thermoplastics January 2018: Prices mixed / Continuing scarcity for POM, PMMA, PBT and PA 6.6 / Sideways movements expected due to slump in demand with upcoming Lunar New Year holidays

Standard Thermoplastics Trend February 2018: Producers factor in feedstock cost increases to varying extents / Bigger rises with PVC and PP / Further hikes expected / Falling oil prices should ease situation a little

Composites/GRP January 2018: Firmer styrene drives resins higher / Trend shows no signs of ending / Glass fibre products upward too

Standard Recyclate February 2018: Prices turning upwards across the board / China boosts rLDPE demand / Updraught in rPET / Uptrend likely continuing into March

Uplift pressure drives up trading prices for PP

Engineering Recyclate February 2018: Prices for all types on the up / Extremely tight supply situation with base material / No relief on the horizon / Significantly longer delivery times

Business tops expectations in 2017 / Hiring still a problem / Growth likely to continue robust / Supply security again an issue / Concerns about protectionism