1. business and industrial
2. chemicals industry
3. plastics and polymers

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MAY 2014
IN THIS REPORT
• Frank Esposito discusses price changes ..................... PAGE 4
• Film remains key use for LDPE ....................................... PAGE 5
• Flat PE pricing a surprise to buyers .............................. PAGE 5
• PVC flat despite construction boost ............................. PAGE 9
• PP prices slide amid solid demand ............................... PAGE 9
• Competition from China fuels PVC export slide..... PAGE 20
• Europe key market in global resin picture ............. PAGE 21
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
May 2014
Crain Communications Inc.
1155 Gratiot Ave.
Detroit, MI 48207-2732
United States
Phone: +1-313-446-6000
Fax: +1-313-567-7681
Web: www.crain.com
Publisher
Brennan Lafferty
blafferty@crain.com
Editor
Donald Loepp
dloepp@crain.com
Plastics News
RESINREPORT
Resin Sales Overview
Spotlight: LDPE film....................................................................5
Polyethylene .................................................................................5
Polypropylene ..............................................................................9
PVC......................................................................................................9
PET................................................................................................... 10
Polystyrene.................................................................................. 10
Volatility Trends & Tables
Resin volatility ...............................................................................5
Director, Digital Strategy & Marketing
Pam Gillies
pgillies@crain.com
Director, Research & Data Products
Kelley Trost
ktrost@crain.com
Lead Analyst
Frank Esposito
fesposito@crain.com
Research Analyst
David Hutton
dhutton@crain.com
Price Trends & Tables
Polystyrene.....................................................................................6
PET......................................................................................................7
LLDPE.................................................................................................7
LDPE...................................................................................................7
PVC......................................................................................................7
PP ........................................................................................................7
HDPE .................................................................................................7
U.S. Ethylene Expansion ..........................................................8
Resin Exports & End Markets
Overview of U.S. resin export trends............................... 20
U.S. resin export charts - March 2014....................... 22-24
Producer Financial Snapshots
Stock summaries............................................................... 14-20
Kraton, Omnova........................................................................ 14
Huntsman, Eastman, Dow.................................................... 15
LyondellBasell, Cytec, PolyOne........................................... 16
DuPont, Westlake...................................................................... 17
Hexcel, Rogers, Ferro............................................................... 18
A. Schulman, Celanese, Axiall............................................. 19
News Briefs
Roundup of recent news stories ........................................ 25
(Chevron Phillips Chemical, Honeywell Resins, TCI
Plastics, Celanese, Formosa Plastics, PolyOne,
LyondellBasell, Dow Chemical Co. Shintech, Sabic)
Upcoming Reports From
Plastics News Research
Shale Gas Market
Review and Outlook 2014
Release: June 2014
Pipe, Profile & Tubing Market
Review and Outlook 2014
Release: July 2014
Plastics Caps & Closures Market
Review and Outlook 2014
Release: August 2014
Research Coordinator
Hollee Keller
hkeller@crain.com
Statistical data contained in this report
is compiled by primary and secondary
research and in-house analysis by
Plastics News’ team of experts.
To view our complete library
of market reports and data
products, please visit:
www.plasticsnews.com/data or contact:
Kelley Trost
+1-313-446-6761 or
ktrost@crain.com
FRANK ESPOSITO
Serving as lead analyst for The Resin Report is Plastics News Senior
Reporter Frank Esposito. He has more than 15 years experience
covering the plastics industry, specializing in tracking resin pricing.
He is regarded as one of the industry’s leading experts on resin
price trends and the various issues affecting pricing. He is a 1992
graduate of Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
Production Assistant
Kristy Polefrone
Entire contents copyright 2014 Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the permission of Plastics News’ Research Division.
Plastics News Research Division, Copyright © 2014 Crain Communications, Inc.
2
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3
Inside this report: Analysis of current resin trends ...
Film key end use for LDPE despite shaky Q1
Film key end use for LDPE despite shaky Q1
The film market is on track to be the
largest U.S./Canadian end use for low
The
density
filmpolyethylene
market is onagain
track in
to 2014
be the–
largest
but it didn’t
U.S./Canadian
exactly have
end ause
great
for first
low
density
quarter of
polyethylene
the year.
again in 2014 –
but it didn’t exactly have a great first
quarter
In the quarter,
of the year.
film accounted for just
under 50 percent of the region’s LDPE
In
sales,
theaccording
quarter, film
to the
accounted
Americanfor
Chemjust
under
istry Council.
50 percent of the region’s LDPE
sales, according to the American Chemistry
At almost
Council.
554 million pounds of firstquarter demand, the segment is on
At
pace
almost
to match
554ormillion
slightlypounds
surpassofthefirst2.2
quarter
billion pounds
demand,
totalthe
it’s achieved
segmentiniseach
on
pace
of thetolast
match
three
oryears,
slightly
according
surpass the
to the
2.2
ACC. pounds total it’s achieved in each
billion
of the last three years, according to the
ACC.
The sector’s 10-year high occurred in
2004 when it accounted for 2.7 billion
pounds
of LDPE
demand.
The
sector’s
10-year
high occurred in
2004 when it accounted for 2.7 billion
pounds of LDPE demand.
Within the LDPE film category, food
packaging film was the largest single
first-quarter
application
with 221.3food
milWithin
the LDPE
film category,
lion poundsfilm
of was
demand
– accounting
packaging
the largest
single
for almost 40application
percent of with
the total.
first-quarter
221.3Nonmilfood pounds
packaging
– including
induslion
of film
demand
– accounting
trialalmost
liners 40
and
shipping
sacks
held
for
percent
of the
total.– Nonthe number
twofilm
spot
at 156.1 million
food
packaging
– including
induspounds,
equaling
almost 23
percent
of
trial
liners
and shipping
sacks
– held
demand.
the
number two spot at 156.1 million
pounds, equaling almost 23 percent of
Rounding out the LDPE film category
demand.
are shrink film, stretch film and nonpackaging out
film,theincluding
retail
bags
Rounding
LDPE film
category
and shrink
trash and
canstretch
liners. Shrink
filmnonwas
are
film,
film and
the largest of
theincluding
remainingretail
categories
packaging
film,
bags
withtrash
93.6 million
of first-quarter
and
and canpounds
liners. Shrink
film was
consumption,
or almost
17 percent
of
the
largest of the
remaining
categories
the total.
with
93.6 million pounds of first-quarter
consumption, or almost 17 percent of
First-quarter
sales of LDPE film sales,
the
total.
however, were down more than three
percent compared to the same quarter
in 2013. Sales
food
packaging
film
however,
wereinto
down
more
than three
fell almost
eight percent,
of
percent
compared
to the while
same sales
quarter
the2013.
material
non-packaging
in
Sales into
into food
packaging film
tumbled
just
overpercent,
seven percent.
fell
almost
eight
while sales of
the material into non-packaging film
With a heavy
emphasis
on consumer
tumbled
just over
seven percent.
spending habits and disposable products, the
sectoremphasis
likely wason
impacted
by
With
a heavy
consumer
the impact
of harsh
winter weather.
spending
habits
and disposable
prodStorms
heavy
snow
buyucts,
theand
sector
likely
wasaffected
impacted
by
ing patterns,
the
impact ofeither
harshkeeping
winter shoppers
weather.
homebound
or preventing
products
Storms
and heavy
snow affected
buyfrompatterns,
reachingeither
stores.keeping
These conditions
ing
shoppers
helped limit or
U.S.preventing
GDP growth
to an
homebound
products
anemic
0.1 percent
the first
quarter
from
reaching
stores.inThese
conditions
of 2014. limit
SomeU.S.
economic
observers
helped
GDP growth
to bean
lieve that
may be
revised
show
anemic
0.1total
percent
in the
first to
quarter
an 2014.
actualSome
loss ofeconomic
as much as
0.5 percent
of
observers
befor GDP
fortotal
the quarter.
n
lieve
that
may be revised
to show
an actual loss of as much as 0.5 percent
for GDP for the quarter. n
More flat PE pricing surprises buyers
More flat PE pricing surprises buyers
First-quarter sales of LDPE film sales,
April marked the sixth time in the last sev- in 2014 came in February, when prices
en months that North American polyethyl- climbed an average of 4 cents per pound.
April
ene resin
marked
prices
theremained
sixth time
unchanged.
in current
the last sev- in
An 2014
attempt
came
by in
major
February,
PE makers
whentoprices
raise...
Charts
detailing
resin
volatility
trends
en months that North American polyethyl- climbed
prices 6 cents
an average
per pound
of 4 cents
in March
perwas
pound.
unene
The resin
only prices
price remained
change witnessed
unchanged.
so far An
successful.
attempt by major PE makers to raise
prices 6 cents per pound in March was unThe only price change witnessed so far successful.
RESIN VOLATILITY
RESIN VOLATILITY
PP
HDPE
LDPE
LLDPE
Blow Molding Homopolymer Dairy
Extrusion Film, Liner
Butene-1 co-monomer ext. liner film
Year HDPE
Amount
Blow Molding Homopolymer Dairy
2003
$0.32
Year
Amount
2004
$0.21
2003
$0.32
2005
$0.42
2004
$0.21
2006
$0.46
2005
$0.42
2007
$0.27
2006
$0.46
2008
$0.57
2007
$0.27
2009
$0.30
2008
$0.57
2010
$0.41
2009
$0.30
2011
$0.22
2010
$0.41
2012
$0.32
2011
$0.22
2013
$0.16
2012
$0.32
2014
$0.04
2013
$0.16
Source: American Chemistry Council
NOTE:
2014 figures through
2014
$0.04February
Source: American Chemistry Council
PVC
PS
PET
Homopolymer Injection, GP
Suspension Resin, Pipe Grade
High-Impact Injection
Bottle Resin
Year LDPE
Amount
Year LLDPE
Amount
Extrusion Film, Liner
Butene-1 co-monomer ext. liner film
2003
$0.32
2003
$0.32
Year
Amount
Year
Amount
2004
$0.20
2004
$0.20
2003
$0.32
2003
$0.32
2005
$0.42
2005
$0.42
2004
$0.20
2004
$0.20
2006
$0.46
2006
$0.46
2005
$0.42
2005
$0.42
2007
$0.27
2007
$0.27
2006
$0.46
2006
$0.46
2008
$0.55
2008
$0.57
2007
$0.27
2007
$0.27
2009
$0.32
2009
$0.32
2008
$0.55
2008
$0.57
2010
$0.35
2010
$0.41
2009
$0.32
2009
$0.32
2011
$0.25
2011
$0.22
2010
$0.35
2010
$0.41
2012
$0.34
2012
$0.32
2011
$0.25
2011
$0.22
2013
$0.14
2013
$0.14
2012
$0.34
2012
$0.32
2014
$0.04
2014
$0.04
2013
$0.14
2013
$0.14
Year PPAmount
Homopolymer Injection, GP
2003
$0.18
Year
Amount
2004
$0.23
2003
$0.18
2005
$0.45
2004
$0.23
2006
$0.29
2005
$0.45
2007
$0.24
2006
$0.29
2008
$0.84
2007
$0.24
2009
$0.59
2008
$0.84
2010
$0.53
2009
$0.59
2011
$0.89
2010
$0.53
2012
$0.59
2011
$0.89
2013
$0.38
2012
$0.59
2014
$0.02
2013
$0.38
Year PVCAmount
Suspension Resin, Pipe Grade
2003
$0.15
Year
Amount
2004
$0.12
2003
$0.15
2005
$0.22
2004
$0.12
2006
$0.12
2005
$0.22
2007
$0.14
2006
$0.12
2008
$0.19
2007
$0.14
2009
$0.25
2008
$0.19
2010
$0.20
2009
$0.25
2011
$0.15
2010
$0.20
2012
$0.20
2011
$0.15
2013
$0.11
2012
$0.20
2014
$0.06
2013
$0.11
Year PSAmount
High-Impact Injection
2003
$0.24
Year
Amount
2004
$0.30
2003
$0.24
2005
$0.31
2004
$0.30
2006
$0.15
2005
$0.31
2007
$0.19
2006
$0.15
2008
$0.60
2007
$0.19
2009
$0.44
2008
$0.60
2010
$0.25
2009
$0.44
2011
$0.32
2010
$0.25
2012
$0.27
2011
$0.32
2013
$0.16
2012
$0.27
2014
$0.05
2013
$0.16
Year PETAmount
Bottle Resin
2003
$0.18
Year
Amount
2004
$0.14
2003
$0.18
2005
$0.62
2004
$0.14
2006
$0.26
2005
$0.62
2007
$0.15
2006
$0.26
2008
$0.57
2007
$0.15
2009
$0.18
2008
$0.57
2010
$0.27
2009
$0.18
2011
$0.40
2010
$0.27
2012
$0.31
2011
$0.40
2013
$0.12
2012
$0.31
2014
$0.03
2013
$0.12
2014
2014
2014
2014
$0.04
2014
$0.04
Plastics News Research Division, Copyright © 2014 Crain Communications, Inc.
Plastics News Research Division, Copyright © 2014 Crain Communications, Inc.
NOTE: 2014 figures through February
To say this level of inactivity is historic
would be an understatement. If prices are
To
flat say
again
this
in May,
levelitof
would
inactivity
be only
is the
historic
fifth
would
time since
be an
2000
understatement.
that markets for
If prices
that resin
are
flat
wereagain
flat for
in May,
at least
it would
three months
be only in
the
a row.
fifth
time since 2000 that markets for that resin
were flat for at least three months in a row.
$0.02
2014
$0.06
$0.05
$0.03
4
1
A Roundup of recent industry news...
News Briefs
Chevron Phillips Chemical
names Holzhauser VP of environment, health, safetyand
security
Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. LLC has
named Kate Holzhauser vice president,
environment, health, safety and security,
replacing Don Lycette, who was recently
named senior vice president, research
and technology.
Holzhauser’s appointment is effective
June 1.
tomer demand. The new line will have a
capacity of 40,000 metric tons per year
and is expected to start production in the
fourth quarter of 2015, expanding capacity at the facility to 200,000 metric tons
per year.
“We continue to invest in the production
capabilities to meet our global customers’ current and future needs, and this
new production line will provide greater
flexibility to produce both nylon 6 and
nylon 6/6.6 as required,” Qamar Bhatia,
vice president and general manager of
Honeywell Resins and Chemicals., said in
a statement. “As a fully integrated nylon 6
producer, Honeywell remains well positioned as a reliable and competitive supplier to customers worldwide.”
Holzhauser joins
Chevron Phillips
Chemical
from
INEOS
Nitriles,
where she held
the position of
Honeywell’s resins, sold under the Aegis
director and vice
brand name, are used in diverse applipresident, operacations such as fibers and filaments for
tions in its Rolle,
Switzerland office. Kate Holzhauser
carpeting, fabrics, nets and cords; engiHolzhauser holds a
neered plastic components for automobachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineer- tive, consumer and industrial applicaing from South Dakota School of Mines tions; and films for food and protective
and Technology and
a master’s degree
in packaging.
Producer
financial
snapshots
... For food packaging applicaBusiness Administration from the Univer- tions, Aegis resins provide excellent barrisity of Houston.
er properties to oxygen, helping to retain
flavor and maintain product freshness.
Throughout her career she has held
various roles for companies including Honeywell Resins and Chemicals is also
Hoechst Celanese, Amoco and BP.
a major producer and global supplier of
a merchant-grade, nylon 6
Kraton sees sales revenue dip caprolactam,
the construction phase of the new 30
Holzhauser
will
to
report
to
Pete
Cella,
intermediate
used
in a range of applicain first quarter
kiloton HSBC plant in Mailiao, Taiwan,”
president and chief executive officer.
tions, including carpet, textiles, engineerhe said. “Further, we started up the new
ing plastics, films and industrial filament.
Kraton Performance Polymers Inc. on semi-works facility in Belpre, which will
The Honeywell plant in Hopewell, Va.,
Honeywell Resins and
April 30 announced financial results for benefit our product development capaChemicals to expand nylon
with a capacity of 350,000 metric tons of
the quarter ended March 31.
bilities.
polymer production capacity
caprolactam per year, is one of the largest
single-site caprolactam production faciliThe company’s first quarter 2014 sales Also in late April, Kraton announced the
Honeywell Resins and Chemicals an- ties in the world. Honeywell caprolactam
revenue was $311.7 million, down $28.5 introduction of two new hydrogenated
nounced April 29 that it will expand pro- is sold globally and shipped either in
million compared to sales revenue of styrenic block copolymers (HSBCs).
duction capacity at its Chesterfield, Va., molten or flake form to a variety of down$340.1 million in the first quarter 2013.
facility to meet demand for high-grade stream customers.
According to a release by the company,
nylon polymers for packaging film and
Kraton MD6951 and MD1648 present a
TCI Plastics investing $36
other applications.
balance of high elasticity, extraordinary
million to increase resin
tensile strength and exceptional lower
The new production line will be able to exports from New Orleans
melt viscosity, which will allow for a
produce both nylon 6 and copolymer nyhost of new process applications to be
lon 6/6.6 resins, with flexibility to produce TCI Plastics will spend $36.5 million to
According to Kevin M. Fogarty, Kraton’s explored. Both polymers are an exteneither or both as needed to match cus- increase resin warehousing capacity and
president and CEO, the company’s first sion of the versatile family of HSBCs
quarter
sales volume reflected sales - Kraton A and ERS polymers - and
Plastics News Research Division, Copyright © 2014 Crain Communications, Inc.
growth in the company’s Cariflex iso- will enable innovators to pursue melt
Stock Briefs
add plastic film production in New Orleans. The project is expected to create
340 permanent jobs.
Plans call for construction of a new
500,000 square-foot building that will allow New Orleans-based TCI to increase
the amount of PVC and polyethylene
resin it can export. The new structure also
will allow TCI to make its own film that will
be used to package this resin.
“TCI is ready to play its part in the valueadded supply chain needed to keep Louisiana petrochemicals moving through
Louisiana ports,” CEO Jack Jensen said in
a statement.
The expansion is part of TCI’s development of a “mega-plastics district” along
an inner harbor cargo site between the
Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain.
TCI built a 150,000 square-foot building
for resin exports there in 2010. The firm
also has leased more than 150,000 square
feet of warehouse space in New Orleans
to handle growing demand for exported
resin.
Numerous resin expansion projects —
mainly for PE — have been announced
for Louisiana and Texas as a result of lowpriced natural gas becoming increasingly
available as a feedstock throughout North
America.
with thermoplastic polyurethane, polyAs part of the expansion, TCI will spend
styrene, polyphenylene oxide, among
$3.1 million to buy 32 acres of land from
others. MD6951 is FDA-compliant, posthe Port of New Orleans. That parcel is
sesses exceptional elasticity, and makes
near the firm’s existing property. In adeveryday products more durable, resildition to 160 jobs at TCI, the expansion
ient and comfortable - adding value for
is expected to create about 180 indirect
product innovators, while expanding
jobs in the area.
process application techniques.
Construction for the new building will
“MD6951 and MD1648 allow many difbegin in mid-2014 and is expected to be
ferent industries to explore new marcompleted in the third quarter of 2016.
kets and uncover new process applicaFifty of the 160 new TCI jobs should be
tions that were never before available.
in place by 2015. In the release, Louisiana
We are proud to bridge this gap that
Gov. Bobby Jindal said that his state “is
will allow innovators across the globe to
encouraging the expansion of major loproduce new and better products that
gistics facilities.”
will enhance our everyday lives,” said
Lothar Freund, vice president of TechTCI is part of Jensen Companies, a New
nology at Kraton.
Omnova director sells off
5
Celanese Corp.
62
industry
from
News senior
reporter frank esposito ...
Kraton
sees analysis
sales revenue
dip Plastics
product grades.”
60
in first quarter
Kraton Performance Polymers Inc. on
April 30 announced financial results for
the quarter ended March 31.
Fogarty
added
that the company
achieved two significant strategic
milestones in the
first quarter.
58
56
54
52
50
48
“First,
Kraton
and FPCC broke
ground on the
The company’s first quarter 2014 sales c o n s t r u c t i o n
Celanese Corp.
revenue was $311.7 million, down $28.5 phase of the new
62
million compared to sales revenue of 30 kiloton HSBC
60
plant in Mailiao,
$340.1 million in the first quarter 2013.
58
Taiwan,” he said.
56
According to Kevin M. Fogarty, Kraton’s “Further, we start54
president and CEO, the company’s first ed up the new
52
quarter sales volume reflected sales semi-works facility
growth in the company’s Cariflex iso- in Belpre, which
50
polyethylene,
myrubber
old friend
I’ve come
to talk
returns to the predicted activity level of more than 1
benefit
our market
preneello,
rubber
and isoprene
latex. …will
48
with you again …
product develop- million housing starts for the year.
“However, in the first quarter we in- ment capabilities.
OK, so maybe
Simon & Garfunkel
weren’t thinking about resin Makers of PET bottle resin in the region are having neither a
curred
costs associated
with the weathwhen they outage
sang those
words
in their
1965 Also
hit “The
of Coke nor a smile so far in 2014. Prices for that material have
er-related
at our
Belpre,
Ohio,
in Sounds
late April,
Silence.”and
But that’s
what’s
thatannounced
sector for the
dipped
for four straight
months
as theand
carbonated
soft lower
drink
facility
a small
fire been
at ouremerging
facility from
Kraton
introduction
of tensile
strength
exceptional
quite
a while
in North
market
continues
in
Berre,
France,
bothAmerica.
disclosed previ- two new hydrogenated
styrenic
blockto struggle.
melt viscosity, which will allow for a
ously,” he said. “Although we were able copolymers (HSBCs).
host of new process applications to be
Prices
werethe
flatmajority
in April of
forour
thecustomsixth time in the last seven The solid polystyreneexplored.
to
supply
Bothseem
polymers
are an
extenmarket can’t
to decide
if it’s
premonths
and for thethe
11th
time in the
16 months.toThat’s
a releasedictable
by the company,
ers’
requirements,
production
out-last According
sion of
thehikes
versatile
family feedstock
of HSBCs
or unpredictable.
Price
for benzene
aboutdid
as limit
muchour
action
asto
you
might
expect
at a MD6951
VCR repair
Kraton
and MD1648
ages
ability
fully
satisfy
Kraton
A and
polymers
- anddrove up present
PS pricesa in -late
2013 and
earlyERS
2014
(predictable!)
shop
these
days.
balance
of
high
elasticity,
extraordinary
demand,
particularly
for
certain
USBC
will
enable
innovators
to
pursue
melt
Current resin export trends ...
but lower benzene prices failed to bring prices down in March
(unpredictable!) Then, in April, benzene prices fell again – but
Unfortunately for PE buyers, all five of those moves have been
this time PS prices followed. “Just kidding about that whole
increases, meaning prices haven’t seen an actual decrease
March thing,” PS makers might have said.
since late 2012.
Resin price changes move in wrong direction
H
Competition from China fuels decline in PVC exports
All of this occurred amid a backdrop of a U.S. economy that
Processors often can benefit from price declines by holding
grew at a paltry rate of 0.1 percent in the first quarter, acon
to higher
for aprovided
month or two,
thein
market’s
firmResin
exportprices
figures
somebuting
increased
exports.
lower
U.S. exports
to Canada,
which
cording to an advance
estimate.
Harsh winter
weather
put is
a
ness
has prevented
from happening.
interesting
numbersthat
in March,
particuthe country’s biggest market, and much
damper on economic activity nationwide. Growth will have
larly with a decline in PVC export sales “China’s exports of uncompounded PVC lower shipments this year to Brazil, Rusto make a swift turnaround to reach the 2-3 percent levels
North
America
also in
did2013
a double-take
that have
left polypropylene
some market buyers
watchers
jumped 68 percent, to 662,000 sia and Turkey – imports into each imby many economists for the year.
in
April as prices for that material fell againtons,
in spite
of strongto expected
surprised.
in contrast
US exports which pacted by different factors.”
demand.
were down 3 percent, to 2.9 million
More detailed info on these markets is included in this and
PVC export sales have been a source of tons,” Sudol said.
Regarding other polymers, an upward
Plastics
Resin
Read
Fingers
pointed
at the
propylene
strengthwere
in recent
years
amid
a strug-monomer market and every edition of the trend
is News
not clear
at Report.
this point
for on!I
U.S.
now
will
return
to
listening
to
Simon
&
Garfunkel’s
Greatest
bad
culprits.
glingearly-year
domesticweather
housingas
market
that has An upward trend in exports from China exports of LDPE, LLDPE, polypropylene
Hits.innU.S. exports and propylene copolymers, although
been trying to recover since the reces- and a declining trend
PVC
sion. buyers got a reprieve in April afterisbeing
visibleclobbered
in first quarter 2014 statistics shipments were up 4 percent – 15 perFrank
Esposito
is lead analyst for
with three consecutive 3-cent price hikes to
start
2014.
Now Plastics News Senior Reporter
from
both
countries.
cent in first
quarter
2014.
they’ve
gottotheir
thatofthe U.S. construction The Resin Report.
According
Jeanfingers
Sudol,crossed
president
International Trader Publications, one “Not only have U.S. exports fallen to “Exports of HDPE were down 17 percent
reason for the decline in U.S. exports of China, one of its top markets, but also for the quarter,” Sudol explained.
PVC is competition from China, where to several markets in Asia-Pacific and
a great deal of new PVC capacity has elsewhere to which China is now ex- The PVC export trend could be partially
been installed. Moreover, economic porting more polymer,” Sudol pointed offset by the residential construction
growth also has slowed this year, result- out. “Other factors I would mention are sector, which is poised to regain upward
Plastics News Research Division, Copyright © 2014 Crain Communications, Inc.
Plastics News Research Division, Copyright © 2014 Crain Communications, Inc.
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