Global trade volume was up 9% for PMMA polymer and 5% for sheet in the first half of 2014. Over 240,000 tons of polymer and 230,000 tons of sheet were traded.

Asia-Pacific, mainly South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, exported much higher volumes of PMMA polymer to Western Europe (up 64%), and higher volumes also to Eastern Europe (up 16%) and the Middle East (up 9%) in the first half of this year.

Asia-Pacific also exported large volumes of PMMA sheet to North America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, each up from last year.

In June 2014, South Korea’s exports of PMMA sheet hit a new record high of 10,100 tons at an average FOB price of $3569.

(Taken from ITP’s The PMMA Trader monthly newsletter on world trade between countries and regions).