Tag Archives: Middle East

China’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.

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Record Imports into China of LLDPE and HDPE, and, Changes in Suppliers

As it did in 2009 during the financial crisis, China buttressed the global petrochemical industry with record imports of LLDPE and HDPE during the 2020 pandemic. Volume was heavy from May through October 2020. Much higher imports from North America (US), Eastern Europe (Russia) and other Asia-Pacific, and a drop in imports of LLDPE from the Middle East, were prominent supply changes.

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Trends in PET Global Trade – Bottle Grade and Other

Polyethylene terephthalate polymer is traded under two forms: bottle grade PET, and, other than bottle grade. There are substantial differences between them in terms of end uses, trade volume, and trade trends.

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Sharp Drop in Global Isocyanates Trade Through May 2020 and Projected for Year End

The volume of isocyanates (combined MDI, TDI and other) traded through May 2020 was down 10% from the same period last year, based on latest available statistics. Asia-Pacific and Western Europe, accounting for more than half of global trade volume, each saw trade contract within their regions, with lower imports.

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Caustic Soda Global Trade in the First Quarter of 2020

Heavy exports from North America to Latin America, increased exports from Western Europe to various markets but lower imports into the region, and, much lower shipments out of the Middle East and Asia-Pacific were prominent trends.

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China’s Imports of Polymers, and, Exports of Fabricated Plastic Products Showed Relatively Small Declines in Q1 of 2020. Exports of PE and PP set new records in March.

Imports of commodity polymers totaled 6.8 million tons in the first quarter, down 5% from the same period, pre-Covid-19, in 2019. Exports of a basket of fabricated plastic products were down 3%, to 2.6 million tons.

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Huge Increases in Western Europe’s Imports of Ethylene and Propylene in 2019 from North America, Latin America and Middle East

Imports of ethylene into Western Europe increased by over 200% in 2019 versus 2018, and imports of propylene jumped 70%, based on latest statistics from reporting countries.

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