Japan’s exports of numerous polymers and chemicals picked up in June 2011 after two months of declines. Higher imports of many products also were evident, excluding benzene, MEG and PVC, with sharp declines.

Exports from Japan of most of the polymers and chemicals followed by ITP were moderately higher in June, including ABS, polyacetals, polycarbonates, HDPE, polypropylene, propylene copolymers, polystyrene and PVC. There was a particularly large jump in shipments of benzene that month, and a sizeable increase also in exports of ethylene.

PVC imports plummeted for the second month in a row; benzene and MEG imports also were down. Propylene monomer imports showed a large gain; most other products were up moderately versus May volumes.

YTD, Japan’s exports of major commodity polymers, including L/LLDPE, HDPE, polypropylene, EVA, and PVC were off -12% to -37%. Exports of ABS and SAN were down 10% and 24%, respectively. Shipments of polycarbonates were unchanged; exports of polyacetals were up 24%. Benzene exports were off 35% YTD; ethylene exports were up 10%.

Imports of major commodity polymers were up substantially but, excluding imports of ethylene copolymers, volumes were generally small.  Methanol imports were off 8% YTD; EDC imports, down 18%.

[important]This information is from ITP’s newsletters on global trade in polymers and chemicals, available by subscription monthly or quarterly.[/important]

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