Tag Archives: China

Impressive Surge in US Exports of Polyethylene in March, 2022

The United States exported 966,000 tons of ethylene polymers in March, 2022, an increase of 160,000 tons over February. Shipments of every PE grade were up in March. Further increases are likely with startup of new capacity.

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China’s Trade in Commodity Polymers March 2022 YTD

After nearly a year of low volumes, China’s imports of virgin commodity polymers posted a small increase in March. Exports of PVC and PET exports surged. Shipments of fabricated plastic products rebounded modestly after the Chinese New Year slowdown. These flows were likely impacted by Covid-related lockdowns, the effects of which on demand and production are expected to continue for some months to come.

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China’s Imports and Exports of Commodity Polymers Dropped With the Start of Chinese New Year on February 1st, but Trends Differed From Prior Periods.

Reflecting both new domestic capacity and weaker domestic demand, imports in February 2022 continued depressed and, unlike prior years, did not show the surge typically seen in the month prior to the national holiday. Exports surged in December, then slowed in January and February.

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Trends in China’s Trade in Commodity Polymers in 2021

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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Trends in Russia’s Exports of Polyolefins

Much lower exports to Asia-Pacific in 2021 versus 2020, due to a steep drop in shipments to China, shifted Russian exports toward Eastern Europe, Western Europe and, with smaller volumes, Latin America and Africa.

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MEG Global Trade Volume Projected Down 9% in 2021, to 15.3 Million tons

The decline in the global total is primarily attributable to substantially lower imports into China, which is not expected to be offset by higher imports into Turkey, India, Mexico and Pakistan, among others.

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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.

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