Much higher exports out of North America and flat exports out of the Middle East were evident from a comparison of regional exports from 2018 through 2022. On the import side, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America saw steady growth in imports.
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Understanding Global Trade in Recyclable PE, Styrenics and PVC
Between 2017 and 2022 the volume of global trade for these materials fell. The two main components of global trade, intra-regional trade plus exports to other regions also dropped, although with important differences by region.
Continue readingUS Exports of Ethylene Polymers August 2022 YTD Were 20% Higher Than August 2021 YTD but the Relative Distribution by Region Remained Almost Unchanged
The United States reported exports of 7.45 million tons of ethylene polymers through August, 2022, up 20% from the same period in 2021. Exports increased to every region but there were minor changes in each region’s percent of total.
Continue readingChina’s Imports of Polyethylene Picked up in August, 2022; Reduced Volumes YTD Changed Trade Flows Globally
After several slow months China’s imports of ethylene polymers in August 2022 were up by 140,000 tons from July. The 12% fall off in imports YTD, to 10.5 million tons, led to increased exports by Asia-Pacific exporters to Western and Eastern Europe and Africa.
Continue readingUS Exports of PVC Were Down 17% Through July; Further Declines Expected
The shutdown of several PVC facilities by Shintech, Westlake and Formosa Plastics due to Hurricane Ida will impact US exports, which were already down substantially from last year as of July.
Continue readingHDPE Global Trade Volume Was Down 8% in the First Half of 2021; Trade in Linear Polymer was off 3%.
These regional trends were the same for both polymers: lower imports into Western and Eastern Europe and, with the biggest impact on global trade volumes, Asia-Pacific; increased imports into the smaller markets of Africa and Latin America; reduced exports from North America; mixed trends for Middle East exports; higher exports from Asia-Pacific.
Continue readingGrowth EVA Import Markets
The volume of EVA traded globally has increased nearly every year since 2016. Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe and Africa have been growth import markets through most of that period.
Continue readingUS Exports of Ethylene Polymers Reach a New High in March 2020
The impact of the pandemic was not yet evident in US exports of ethylene polymers in the first quarter, which climbed each month to an all-time monthly high of 975,000 tons in March.
Continue readingCaustic Soda World Trade
A new report on global trade in aqueous caustic soda projects 20.7 million tons of trade in 2019, up 3% from the prior year, based on latest available statistics from 60 countries. Statistics in the new Caustic Soda in Aqueous Solution World Trade Report project higher exports from all regions, except from the Middle East.
Continue readingLNG Imports into Western Europe Projected Up 75% in 2019 from 2018
Western Europe will import 63 million tons of LNG by year end 2019, based on projections from latest available statistics. Volumes from Eastern Europe and North America are expected to quadruple; supplies from other regions to rise 22 – 36%.
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