While China’s imports of PE, PP and PVC hit new highs in May, China’s exports of key fabricated plastic products were flat at April levels. Slowing demand in the US was a factor for a number of products.
Continue readingTag Archives: United States
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.
Continue readingBrazil Imports of Caustic soda up 116% versus Last March
Brazil is one of the largest importers of caustic soda in aqueous solution in the world, with YTD imports for 2019 totaling 2.3 million metric tons, up 15% compared to 2018 at year’s end. As of March 2020 YTD, Brazil had imported 709,000 tons, up 116% versus last year.
Continue readingIncreased PE Imports Into the EU-28 from the US in 2019 Reduced Imports from Saudi Arabia
Imports into the EU from the United States of ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers (EAOC) trended strongly higher in 2018 and 2019, while volumes from Saudi Arabia declined.
Continue readingHuge 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.
Continue readingChina’s Imports of Ethylene Polymers were up 19% in 2019; Imports of Propylene Polymers were up 9%.
Small 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 Ban on Plastic Bags Likely to Impact Imports of Polymers and Exports of PE Bags
By the end of 2020, China will ban plastic bags in major cities and, by 2022, country-wide. China is the world’s largest importer of the polyethylene used to manufacture bags, in addition to producing large volumes of polyethylene domestically. China exports large volumes of polyethylene bags.
Continue readingChina’s Imports of Ethylene Polymers Hit a New High in November, 2019. Fabricated Product Exports Remained Depressed.
China’s imports of ethylene polymers surged in November in advance of the Chinese New Year holiday that begins January 25, 2020. Exports of fabricated products trended higher in October and November, but remained below levels reached earlier in the year, and also in 2018, largely because of the trade war with the US.
Continue readingTrends in Western Europe’s Imports of Polyethylene in 2019
Imports of linear low density polyethylene into Western Europe from North America are projected to nearly equal the region’s imports from the Middle East by year end 2019, based on latest available statistics from 90 countries. Imports of HDPE from North America are trending sharply higher. Imports of both LLDPE and HDPE from the Middle East declined in 2018 and are projected down in 2019.
Continue reading