Unlike prior years, imports of commodity polymers did not surge into China toward yearend 2021 in advance of the Chinese Year slowdown. Also unusual was the sharp rise in exports out of China in December. The year ended with commodity polymer imports down 19%, to 27.5 million tons, and exports up 74%, to 8.9 million tons.
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China’s Commodity Polymer Imports Were Down 17% Through September, 2021; Exports Were Up 77%
China’s imports of all the major commodity polymer groups – PE, PP, PS, PVC, PET – continued depressed from last year’s levels; smaller volume exports, especially of PP, PVC and PET posted strong gains.
Continue readingUnprecedented Rise in China’s Exports of PE and PP from March 2021.
While larger volume imports remain depressed, China’s exports of PE and PP soared from March through May.
Continue readingChina’s Demand for PE and PP Imports Dropped in April, 2021; Exports of PVC Continued at Record Levels
After a moderate rebound in imports in March, following the Chinese New Year Holiday, imports into China fell substantially in April. China exported extremely high volumes of PVC in both March and April.
Continue readingMassive Increase in China’s Polypropylene Exports in March
China exported 245,000 tons of polypropylene homopolymer in March, 2021, roughly ten times the volume exported in prior months.
Continue readingChina Ships Record Volumes of Fabricated Plastic Products Yearend 2020, on Pandemic-Related Demand
China manufactures countless plastic products. Trade in some of these products can be identified by specific polymers while other products are made from a number of polymers and fall into groups defined by end uses. Exports of these products combined totaled 13.9 million tons in 2020, up 10% from 2019. The pandemic created strong demand for PPP related products, packaging, household items and builders’ materials.
Continue readingChina’s Imports of Ethylene Polymers Were up 11% in 2020, to 21.3 M Tons, Although Volume Slowed in the Fourth Quarter
Imports of HDPE were 9.1 million tons in 2020, up 14% from the prior year; linear polymer as EAOC, 6.7 million tons, up 17%; LDPE, 3.4 million tons, down 1%; and EVA, 1.0 million tons, down 3%. Much higher volumes from North America and Eastern Europe and little growth in supplies from the Middle East were striking trends.
Continue readingChina’s Imports of Polypropylene Jumped 25% in 2020, to 6.8 M Tons
Higher volumes were imported from Asia-Pacific, 4.9 million tons, up 24%, the Middle East, 1.4 million tons, up 26%, as well as all other regions. Average prices soared from August through December, reaching $1190/ton.
Continue readingChina’s Imports of Polyethylene Rebound in September; New Record Highs on Imports of HDPE and LDPE
After slowing in July and August, China’s imports of polyethylene rose strongly in September, 2020, and were accompanied by rising prices. Imports of conventional high pressure LDPE and HDPE set new records.
Continue readingChina Imported Record Volumes of PE, PP, PS and PVC in June 2020
Economic recovery was apparent in the stunning surge in China’s imports of virtually every major grade of commodity polymer in June. Import volume for the month, 3.6 million tons, was unprecedented and raised China’s YTD import total to 15.9 million tons, up 8% from the first half of 2019.
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