The volume of caustic soda in aqueous solution traded globally has ranged narrowly between 20.2 and 21.4 million tons per year from 2018 to 2022. During that period Asia-Pacific exports to other regions increased 270%, particularly impacting exports out of North America and the Middle East.
Continue readingTag Archives: Middle East
China’s Commodity Polymer Trade February 2023 YTD
China’s imports through February 2023 of polyethylene, China’s largest commodity polymer import, showed no change versus February 2022 YTD. Imports of polypropylene posted a moderate increase. On the export side, however, China shipped substantially more of each major commodity polymer than in the same period in 2022.
Continue readingMajor Expansion in US Exports of Polyethylene in 2022
The US exported 11. 4 million tons of ethylene polymers in 2022, up 24% from the prior year. Shipments increased to every world region and nearly every country.
Continue readingTrends in Polypropylene Exports and Imports by Region from 2018 to 2022
Strong growth in exports of polypropylene out of the Middle East, and, in 2021 and 2022, also out of Asia-Pacific, were prominent trends in a comparison of regional exports from 2018 through 2022. Imports were mixed but generally increased into Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America over the period.
Continue readingTrends in Polyethylene Exports and Imports by Region from 2018 to 2022
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.
Continue readingUnderstanding 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 readingGlobal Trends in Recyclable Polyethylene
The volume of recyclable polyethylene traded globally declined from 2016-2019 but then gradually climbed and is projected to reach 3.2 million tons for 2022. Expanded trade within the Western European region plus rising imports into Eastern Europe from other regions were among the key factors.
Continue readingTrends in Global Trade in Liquefied Propane Gas
The volume of liquefied propane gas traded globally has expanded each year from 2015, with the exception of the pandemic year 2020. Exports from North America increased each year and have far exceeded exports from the Middle East.
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 readingWestern Europe’s Polyethylene Imports in 2021 Projected to Nearly Equal 2019 Pre-Pandemic Levels; Polypropylene Imports, to Exceed Those Levels
Imports of PE and PP from Eastern Europe increased in both 2020 and 2021. Large volumes of polymer were imported from the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, North America and other regions, despite widely discussed logistics issues.
Continue reading