Tag Archives: propylene copolymers

Asia-Pacific’s PE, PP, PS, and PVC Trade in 2024: Key Trends, Challenges, and Regional Shifts

The Asia-Pacific region exported sizable volumes of polypropylene, propylene copolymers (PRC), polystyrene, and uncompounded PVC (PVCU) in 2024. Export trends for polyethylene grades were mixed, polypropylene surged on new capacity, styrenic exports were relatively flat, PVC shipments dropped.

With a major impact on global trends, Asia-Pacific continued as the world’s largest regional importer of all grades of polyethylene, but fell to second place for polypropylene and PRC, after Eastern Europe. Import demand in the larger Asia-Pacific markets – China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia – varied by polymer, declining in some, others showing impressive growth.

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Middle East’s PE, PP, PS and PVC Trade in 2024: Key Trends, Challenges, and Regional Shifts

It was a challenging year for the world’s largest volume exporter of most grades of polyethylene and polypropylene. Weak demand in Asia-Pacific and competition from North America and Asia-Pacific resulted in a drop in Middle East exports of LPDE, EVA, polypropylene homopolymer, and propylene copolymers versus the prior year, and shifts in regional destinations.

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North America’s PE, PP, PS and PVC Trade in 2024: Trends, Challenges, and Regional Shifts

North America’s trade in commodity polymers in 2024 was characterized by large volume exports of polyethylene, polypropylene, and PVC, most of which were up from the prior year. Imports were relatively small; several polyolefins showing large percentage gains.

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Africa’s PE, PP, PS and PVC Trade in 2024: Key Trends, Challenges, and Regional Shifts

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.

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Eastern Europe’s PE, PP, PS and PVC Trade in 2024: Key Trends, Challenges, and Regional Shifts

Eastern Europe’s trade in commodity polymers in 2024 was characterized by sizable exports of HDPE and polypropylene homopolymer (PP). Eastern Europe was the largest volume commodity polymer importer of any region with the exception of Asia-Pacific, and, for HDPE with a small increment, also Latin America.

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Western Europe’s PE, PP, PS and PVC Trade in 2024: Key Trends, Challenges, and Regional Shifts

Weak demand, competition in export markets and imports from other regions were reflected in Western Europe’s trade in polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and PVC in 2024.

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Global Trade in Commodity Polymers in 2024

ITP’s analysis of commodity polymers trade projects higher global trade volume in 2024 versus 2023 for all of the polymers listed below except polystyrene, which is projected flat, and EVA and high pressure LDPE, which are projected to contract. Changes in trade volume are linked to changes in demand, production and shipping.

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ITP Projects Higher Global Trade Volume in 2024 For Many Widely Traded Polymers and Chemicals

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.

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Trends 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.

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Trends in Propylene Copolymers Global Trade

Global trade in propylene copolymers was 10 million tons in 2022, down 3% from the prior year. ITP projects another decline of 3% in 2023, to 9.7 million tons.

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