Although final trade statistics for 2024 will not be available for many countries until March of 2025, ITP’s analysis of trends for individual countries indicates expanded global trade volume in 2024 for the majority of products. Increased global trade generally indicates increased demand.
Continue readingTag Archives: polystyrene
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 readingChina’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 readingHuge Increases in Brazil’s Imports of Polyethylene, Polypropylene and PVC Through June 2021
Brazil’s imports soared to record levels in the last half of 2020 and continued there through June of 2021. Exports during the period fell to record lows.
Continue readingBrazil’s Polymer Trade Sets Multiple Records in 4Qtr 2020
Imports of polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC and PET all hit new highs during the fourth quarter of 2020, as did imports of film and sheet made from PP, PVC and PET, and even imports of recyclable PVC and PET polymer. Exports during the period, particularly of polyethylene and polypropylene, were at their lowest levels in over five years.
Continue reading2019 – the Baseline Year Before Covid-19
2019 was a particularly important year as a baseline because it showed trends that were evolving globally before massive dislocations from Covid-19.
Continue readingSmall Drop in China’s Tariffs on Polymer Imports from US
As of February 14, 2020, China will knock 2.5% off the punitive tariffs applied on imports of many polymers from the US. Most of the tariffs have been in effect since 2018.
Continue readingChina’s Polymer Trade in 2018
Much higher imports of polyethylene and styrenic polymers, reduced polymer imports from the US, no imports of recycle polymers, and, record high exports of fabricated plastic products characterized China’s trade in 2018.
Continue readingOverview of Thailand’s Commodity Polymer Trade July 2018 YTD
There was a strong upward trend in Thailand’s exports of commodity polymers through most of the first seven months of the year. Imports of virgin commodity polymers were up slightly; imports of recycle polymers soared.
Imports Into Qatar
Qatar exports huge volumes of EDC, VCM, polyethylene and methanol. Qatar also imports numerous polymers and chemicals. Continue reading