Eastern Europe’s trade in commodity polymers in 2024 was characterized by sizable exports of HDPE and polypropylene homopolymer (PP). Eastern Europe was the largest volume commodity polymer importer of any region with the exception of Asia-Pacific, and, for HDPE with a small increment, also Latin America.
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Western Europe’s PE, PP, PS and PVC Trade in 2024: Key Trends, Challenges, and Regional Shifts
Weak demand, competition in export markets and imports from other regions were reflected in Western Europe’s trade in polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and PVC in 2024.
Continue readingChina’s Trade in Commodity Polymers Has Shifted by 20 Million Tons from 2020 to 2024 – Imports Have Dropped by 10 million tons, Exports Have Risen by 10 Million Tons
The changes in China’s trade in polyethylene, polypropylene, styrenic polymers, PVC and PET have profoundly impacted trade flows for both exporting and importing countries.
Continue readingGlobal Trade in Commodity Polymers in 2024
ITP’s analysis of commodity polymers trade projects higher global trade volume in 2024 versus 2023 for all of the polymers listed below except polystyrene, which is projected flat, and EVA and high pressure LDPE, which are projected to contract. Changes in trade volume are linked to changes in demand, production and shipping.
Continue readingITP Projects Higher Global Trade Volume in 2024 For Many Widely Traded Polymers and Chemicals
Although final trade statistics for 2024 will not be available for many countries until March of 2025, ITP’s analysis of trends for individual countries indicates expanded global trade volume in 2024 for the majority of products. Increased global trade generally indicates increased demand.
Continue readingITP Adds New World Trade Analysis of Ethanol
ITP frequently adds new World Trade Analyses for products of particular interest to subscribers. The Ethanol World Trade Analysis has been added. It captures nearly all of the world’s trade volume in ethanol, both undenatured ethyl alcohol of an alcohol strength equal to or greater than 80%, combined with denatured ethyl alcohol of any strength. Volatility in regional and country trade flows is particularly evident for this product, which, being based on biomass, is subject to weather, climate, government mandates and other factors.
ITP Adds Four More World Trade Analyses for Fabricated Plastic Products
Polyethylene is Traded Globally in Three Forms
Global trade in virgin polyethylene, fabricated polyethylene products and recyclable polyethylene is quantifiable and gives a more complete understand of trends for this polymer.
Continue readingUS Dockworkers Strike Would have Impacted Large Volumes of PE and PVC Polymer Exports
The strike begun at midnight, September 30th, by the International Longshoreman’s Association, and ended a few days later, had the potential to disrupt US polymer exports, particularly of polyethylene and PVC, particularly large volumes of which are shipped out of Houston-Galveston, Texas.
Continue readingTrends in US Exports of LNG, Liquefied Propane, Ethane, and Butane
Through July, 2024, the United States exported 53.1 million tons of LNG, up 2% from the same period in the prior year. The US also exported large volumes of other gases, some of which are produced during natural gas processing: 28.5 million tons of liquefied propane gas, up 10%, 5.8 million tons of liquefied ethane, down 3%, and 4.8 million tons of liquefied butane gas, down 2%.The US Energy Information Agency says that five new LNG export projects are under construction in the US, with shipments from two projects lilkely to begin at the end of 2024.
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