Latin America’s trade in commodity polymers in 2024 was characterized by sizable exports of HDPE, polypropylene homopolymer (PP) and uncompounded PVC (PVCU). Latin America was a growth import market for each of the commodity polymers, noting especially both large volumes and large percentage increases on linear/ethylene-alpha-olefin-copolymers (LL/EAOC), HDPE, PP, and PVCU. This series of blogs quantifies imports and exports of the major commodity polymers – LDPE, LL/EAOC, HDPE, EVA, PP, PRC, polystyrene and PVCU – allowing comparisons across the polymers for the geographic regions of Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, North America, Latin America, Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
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North America’s Commodity Polymer Trade in 2024
North America’s trade in commodity polymers in 2024 was characterized by large volume exports of polyethylene, polypropylene, and PVC, and relatively small imports. This series of blogs quantifies imports and exports in 2024 of the major commodity polymers – LDPE, linear/ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers (LL/EAOC), HDPE, EVA, PP, propylene copolymers (PRC), polystyrene, and PVC – allowing comparisons across the polymers for the geographic regions of Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, North America, Latin America, Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
Continue readingAfrica’s Commodity Polymer Trade in 2024
Africa’s trade in commodity polymers in 2024 was characterized by relatively small volume exports of HDPE, polypropylene, and PVC. Imports of each of these polymers were substantial and posted gains versus the prior year. This series of blogs quantifies imports and exports in 2024 of the major commodity polymers – LDPE, linear/ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers (LL/EAOC), HDPE, EVA, PP, propylene copolymers (PRC), polystyrene, and PVC – allowing comparisons across the polymers for the geographic regions of Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, North America, Latin America, Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
Continue readingTrends in China’s Trade in Commodity Polymers in 2023
China’s imports of commodity polymers as a total of all grades of PE, PP, styrenics, PVC and PET, declined for the third year in a row, a loss of nearly 10 million tons of volume over the 2020-2023 period. Exports of the combined total climbed for the third year in a row, increasing by nearly 7 million tons. Shipments of manufactured products identifiable as plastic showed a small gain of 0.7 million tons in 2023, rising to 16.7 million tons.
Continue readingTrends in Global Trade in Polypropylene and Propylene Copolymers in 2023
The volume traded globally of both polymers fell for the second year in a row, primarily on trends in Western Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Continue readingChina’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 readingChina Commodity Polymer Trade April 2022 Reflected Continued Weak Economic Activity From Covid Lockdowns
Polymer imports in April were almost as low as during Chinese New Year; exports of PVC hit a new high and shipments of PET also remained high; exports of fabricated plastic products continued slow.
Continue readingChina’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.
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.
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