Polymers Exchange

• Europe December toluene contract price assessed lower
  LONDON (ICIS)-- The European toluene December contract price has been assessed down by $38/tonne, or around 4%, from November. With contract parties confirming no settlements or no number, ICIS has ... read more
• Fiber-reinforced Polyamide for 3D Printing Boasts Low Moisture Absorption
  Compounder Lehvoss partners with Evonik to develop compound that also addresses safety concerns involving carbon microfibers. ... read more
• Nestlé Puts Resources Into Plastics Recycling
  The CPG giant is investing $8.8 million in the facility. ... read more
• Europe CX December contract retreats further with benzene
  LONDON (ICIS)--The European cyclohexane (CX) December contract price has settled at €997/tonne, down by €133/tonne from November, following a decrease in upstream benzene costs. The CX contract ... read more
• MARGINS: Europe styrene spot margin estimates up on lower feedstock costs, higher product value
  LONDON (ICIS)--Weekly estimates for styrene spot margins rose for a second consecutive week, following an increase in the main product value and a decline in feedstock costs. The dehydrogenation ... read more
• MARGINS: Europe naphtha-based PE margins up on softer feedstock costs
  LONDON (ICIS)--Europe naphtha-based polyethylene (PE) margins rose on the back of softer feedstock costs, ICIS margin analysis showed on Monday. Producers using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) saw ... read more
• MARGINS: Europe PS margin estimates up on reduced feedstock costs
  LONDON (ICIS)--European polystyrene (PS) contract margin estimates rose after a significant decline last week, on the back of lower feedstock costs. The increases were mostly in the low double-digit ... read more
• SUBSCRIBER NOTE: Decision on removal of the ICIS Romanian power price assessments
  LONDON (ICIS)-- ICIS ran a public consultation between 16 October 2023 and 15 November 2023 on its proposal to stop assessing the Romanian power market due to low liquidity. Having ... read more
• ICIS TTF Early Day assessments: 4 December 2023
  Due to technical issues, ICIS would like to apologise for the late publication of this report. - Yemen’s Houthi rebels at the weekend fired ballistic missiles that hit three commercial ... read more
• INSIGHT: Consolidation, new leaders to revive European competitiveness – LANXESS CEO
  NEW YORK (ICIS)--Consolidation will be critical to reviving a stagnant European chemical industry to make it more competitive, and as a result, new leaders will emerge in specialty chemicals, said ... read more
• MARGINS: Softer naphtha costs lift Europe MEG contract margins
  LONDON (ICIS)--Naphtha-based monoethylene glycol (MEG) contract margins in Europe rose slightly on the back of lower feedstock costs, ICIS margin analysis showed on Monday. Operators using liquefied ... read more
• European DEG spot prices stable to soft, TEG spot prices firm
  LONDON (ICIS)--European diethylene glycol (DEG) spot truck prices were stable to soft and bulk prices were softer on continued weak demand in the week ending 1 December. There was mention ... read more
• MARGINS: Europe naphtha-based cracker contract margins up slightly, LPG-based margins fall
  LONDON (ICIS)--Contract margins at naphtha-based crackers in Europe increased slightly on the back of slightly softer feedstock costs, while operators using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) posted a ... read more
• Europe TEA tightness to persist into next year, MEA and DEA may see some relief
  LONDON (ICIS)--After a turbulent ethanolamines market in Europe during November, short-to-medium term confidence in availability is starting to return. Most attention remains focused on the near-term ... read more
• UK Government Plastic Packaging Tax evaluation due at end of 2023
  LONDON (ICIS)--The UK Government will publish a plan for the evaluation of the £210.85/tonne Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) at the end of the year to ensure that the tax ‘continues ... read more
• ICIS EXPLAINS: Germany's hydrogen PCIs
  If the inforgraphic does not generate, please click here for ... read more
• Forschungsvorhaben Revise-Up: SKZ forscht an Verbesserung des post-consumer Recyclings
  Das Kunststoff-Zentrum SKZ beteiligt sich an einem Projekt zur Verbesserung des post-consumer Recyclings. Im Zuge des Projekts soll durch Sensorik vor allem die Stoffstromanalyse verbessert und damit Sortierung von Kunststoffabfällen ... read more
• NOON SNAPSHOT – Europe Markets Summary
  CRUDE: Down amid global demand fears and scepticism on OPEC+ cuts. NAPHTHA: Falls sharply in line with crude oil. BENZENE: Lower with crude. STYRENE: December range widens; January and February ... read more
• European propylene glycol ethers market subdued, supply fluctuations monitored
  LONDON (ICIS)--Attention is turning towards 2024 in the European market for propylene glycol ethers with little change in supply and demand anticipated before the close of the year. Business was ... read more
• Sentiment mixed in European glycol ethers market with short term supply concerns fading
  LONDON (ICIS)--Focus is now shifting to next year in the European butyl glycol ethers market as destocking trends continue. Existing disruptions to supply are being monitored closely. The market ... read more
• IPEX: Global spot index drops as soft demand, lower feedstock costs drive prices down
  LONDON (ICIS)--The global spot ICIS Petrochemical Index (IPEX) fell for the fourth consecutive week as softer upstream costs and subdued underlying demand keep pushing chemical prices down across all ... read more
• WEEKLY CRUDE OUTLOOK: OPEC+ increases voluntary cuts to 2.2m bbl/day
  LONDON (ICIS)--Last week’s meeting by OPEC and its allies (OPEC+) ended unsatisfactorily with an extension to existing supply cuts to continue in Q1 2024. With the Chinese economy still misfiring ... read more
• Resin Price Report: PE Price Increase on Shaky Ground
  Moved to November after it didn't take hold in October, the proposed $0.03/lb price hike seems destined to fail again. ... read more
• SPE Fetes Automotive Innovation Award Winners
  The Ford F-150 Lightning's front trunk — the largest in the industry — won the Body Interior Category and also captured the Grand Award. ... read more
• The Troubleshooter: How to Prevent Mold-Change Failures
  Pulling and setting a mold may seem simple, but ignoring these steps can lead to catastrophic results. ... read more
• Global Plastics Treaty: Opening Plenary Spills into Second Day
  Contact groups form to refine “zero draft” document created after last meeting in Paris. ... read more
• Resin Price Report: End-of-Year Discounts Begin to Appear
  PP drops another penny, and it would not be surprising to see PE resin contracts peel off $0.03/lb, according to the PlasticsExchange. ... read more
• Plastic Pipe Market Poised for 3% Annual Growth
  Global demand is strongest for agricultural and potable water applications. ... read more
• Plant status: EO/EG planned turnaround at INEOS Antwerp, Belgium ongoing – market sources
  LONDON (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: INEOS Location: Antwerp, Belgium Products: Ethylene oxide (EO) and ethylene glycol (EG) Capacity (tonnes/year): EO 420,000 and EG 290,000, ... read more
• Plant status: EO/EG turnaround finishes at BASF's Antwerp complex – market sources
  LONDON(ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: BASF Location: Antwerp, Belgium Product: Ethylene oxide (EO); ethylene glycol (EG) Capacity (tonnes/year): 500,000 EO; 325,000 EG Event start: End ... read more
• Europe PTA November prices calculated down with PX
  LONDON (ICIS)--The Europe purified terephthalic acid (PTA) November contract has decreased, based on ICIS calculations. Consequently, the November PTA contract price is down by €28/tonne to reach ... read more
• Europe November DMT prices drop on the back of upstream moves
  LONDON (ICIS)--The November contract indicator for Europe dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) decreased, according to ICIS calculations. The assessed November range was therefore down by €26/tonne on both ... read more
• European acetone spot slides in quiet market
  LONDON (ICIS)--European acetone spot prices softened  this week as demand was generally slow, meaning higher numbers were no longer as widely accepted. On the other hand, some sellers said the ... read more
• EVENING SNAPSHOT – Europe Markets Summary
  CRUDE: Marginally higher, but subdued reaction to OPEC+ production cut plans kept prices steady. NAPHTHA: Gains on firming crack, crude. BENZENE: Higher with crude in otherwise muted market. STYRENE: ... read more
• Europe November PX contract price drops €42/tonne from October
  LONDON (ICIS)--The Europe November paraxylene (PX) contract reference price has dropped for the second month in a row on the back of softer values in the influential Asia PX market ... read more
• Europe MPG spot prices steady, demand soft
  LONDON (ICIS)--Prices in the European mono propylene glycol (MPG) spot market held steady, despite domestic production constraints, as demand remained soft. MPG spot prices held steady at ... read more
• THE selling activities could weigh on gas prices this winter
  LONDON (ICIS)--The sale of gas volumes by German market area manager Trading Hub Europe (THE) is set to weigh on European gas prices for the remainder of this winter. On ... read more
• First Implants of 3D-Printed Synthetic Bone Graft Reported
  Part of a new generation of biomaterials, CMFlex eliminates the need to surgically harvest material from the patient’s body to repair bones. ... read more
• Virgin SAF flight highlights supply challenges
  Increasing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supply amid growing demand remains a major challenge for the aviation industry, which saw the first transatlantic passenger flight being powered entirely by ... read more
• News briefs
  EUROPE INEOS Aromatics to mothball PTA unit Belgium INEOS Aromatics proposed mothballing one of its purified terephthalic acid (PTA) units at the integrated site in Geel, Belgium, the producer ... read more
• Europe styrene spot market finds limited support as December contracts fall
  LONDON (ICIS)--Styrene spot market activity was largely muted in Europe this week, as players attended a key industry gathering in Spain and awaited contract settlements. Concerns over domestic ... read more
• German energy sector demands clarity on power strategy
  by Calum Andrews and Eduardo Escajadillo LONDON (ICIS)--Key German energy associations have urged clarity on Germany’s long-term power plant strategy, with uncertainty surrounding the investment ... read more
• ICIS News weekly price snapshot
  ICIS News weekly price snapshot Reported in ICIS News evening snapshots, Wednesday 29 November 2023 Regional snapshot data: 29 November ... read more
• Pricing briefs
  EUROPE MA rises, arbitrage to the east remains interrupted European maleic anhydride (MA) prices for the liquid range rose last week with more evidence that volume traded in November had ... read more
• Europe biodiesel spot prices mixed, glycerine remains unchanged
  LONDON (ICIS)--Subdued demand and healthy availability persisted across the European biodiesel and glycerine markets this week, although diverging pricing trends remained evident. Glycerine spot ... read more
• Europe ACN December contract price falls on propylene decrease
  LONDON (ICIS)--The Europe acrylonitrile (ACN) contract price for December has been calculated at a decrease of €28/tonne, compared to the previous month. A fall in the December propylene contract ... read more
• TOPIC PAGE: Construction – impact on chemicals
  More than 30 petrochemicals and specialty chemicals are key ingredients in products used for modern construction – adhesives, ad-mixtures, sealants, coatings, paints, flooring, insulation, water ... read more
• TOPIC PAGE: War in Ukraine, gas crisis
  Updated at 10:00 GMT on 1 December 2023. Please scroll down to see news headlines. The global spot ICIS Petrochemical Index (IPEX) fell for a sixth week in seven on ... read more
• UK R-HDPE bale prices fall following PRN/PERNs down, but food-grade pellets hold
  LONDON (ICIS)--UK natural recycled high density polyethylene (R-HDPE) bale prices have fallen sharply, and mixed-coloured material has dropped at the low end, following a collapse in packaging ... read more
• ICIS TTF Early Day assessments: 1 December 2023
  - A temporary truce between Israel and Hamas has expired as of 1 December, with the Israeli military stating that combat has resumed in Gaza - ICIS Alert - Temperatures ... read more