The volume of propylene copolymers traded globally, 3.2 million tons, was up 8% through May, 2015 from the prior year, based on reporting countries. (This compares with a 3% increase in exports of polypropylene homopolymer for the period.) Shipments increased from each of the top four exporting regions: Western Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and North America. Exports from the Middle East had the highest percentage increase.
Category Archives: Trade Trends
Polypropylene: Current Global Trade Trends
The volume of polypropylene homopolymer traded globally, 6.1 million tons, was up 3% through May 2015 versus the prior year. Shipments from the Middle East and Western Europe were up; North America’s contracted slightly; exports from Eastern Europe jumped by over 50%.
EVA: Current Global Trade Trends
A surge in EVA imports into China in recent months was a key factor in the 9% expansion of global trade volume through May, 2015, to 829,000 tons.
LLDPE: Current Global Trade Trends
The volume of LLDPE polymer traded globally, 3.7 million tons, was unchanged through May 2015 from the prior year, based on reporting countries. Among the top exporting regions, shipments from the Middle East and Western Europe were down slightly; exports from North America were sharply lower.
LDPE: Current Global Trade Trends
The volume of LDPE polymer traded globally, 4.4 million tons, was up 3% through May, 2015, based on reporting countries. Expanded trade within Asia-Pacific and the Middle East and increased imports into Latin America and Eastern Europe were factors in the higher global trade volume. Shipments by two of the top three exporting regions, Middle East and North America, were down, and shipments from Western Europe were unchanged, lower volumes to Asia-Pacific a factor. Continue reading
HDPE: Current Global Trade Trends
The volume of HDPE polymer traded globally, 7.3 million tons, was up 5% through May, 2015, based on reporting countries. Among the top exporting regions, shipments from the Middle East, Western Europe and Asia-Pacific increased; North America’s were down; markets shifted between exporters. Continue reading
China’s Shipments of Fabricated Plastic Products Reach A New High
Through May, 2015, China exported 3.3 million tons of an aggregated group of products fabricated entirely from plastics, up 9% from the prior year. Volume in May for the group set a new record. Shipments have trended upward each year since at least 2011. Continue reading
China’s Imports of Recycle PE Drop; Virgin Polymer Imports Post Gains
China’s imports of recycle polyethylene totaled 1.4 million tons through May, 2015, down 23% from the prior year. Continue reading
China’s Polymer Imports Set Another Record
Following the highest volume ever recorded on China’s imports of virgin commodity polymers, in March 2015, imports eased in April but set another record for that month. Continue reading
Huge jump in China’s polyolefin imports
The end of the Chinese New Year holiday, low prices, plus a new government stimulus effort and the anticipation of additional measures to come, resulted in a massive increase in China’s imports of polyolefin and other polymers in March, 2015. Continue reading