Price know-how February 22
Polyolefin producers ponder pricing policy, as feedstock costs increase.
Price Know-How Snippets Feb 22
Introducing Know-How Snippets – the new video content platform from Plastribution. Bite-sized market & polymer pricing content for buyers on the go!
Price know-how January 22
Styrenic and Engineering polymers face significant feedstock inflation and polyolefin buyers adopt a cautious approach to the market as signals become more mixed.
Price know-how 2021 Review 2022 Outlook
Price Know-how Review & Outlook. 2021 turned out to be a challenging year, in which prices and availability were significant issues. Not only was price volatility a cause for concern, but for many materials prices were inflated to record highs. A crisis in the global container shipping industry not only illustrated the dependence of the polymer industry upon the free movement of goods but also the need to for this to take place at an economic cost so that goods can move freely to the point of demand. Natural phenomena including extreme weather events in the USA and the global Coronavirus pandemic brought further supply disruption. Finally, the world faced a shortage of IC Chips which significantly curtailed automotive production as motor manufacturers struggled to secure supply of these essential components.
Price know-how December
Conflicting factors cause confusion for polymer prices. The polymer markets entered a state of limbo, as a drop in crude oil prices was countered by a fall in the value of the GBP. Not only did the new Omicron variant of the Coronavirus bring with it a very real threat to the fortune of the global economy, but markets took the view that the UK economy was going to suffer to a greater extent, at least in the short-term, and hence the increasing weakness of the GBP against the Euro and the USD.
Price know-how November
The margin squeeze continues as polymer producers face resistance passing through feedstock and energy cost inflation. Polymer producers are experiencing cost pressure across all feedstocks, with the SM (Styrene Monomer) prices surging forward by almost £200 per tonne.
Price know-how October
Upward pressure on polymer prices resulting from increasing feedstock and energy costs. Once again, the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us to expect the unexpected and this time we are bearing witness to a significant increase in crude oil price as the world’s concerns now extends to the issue of energy availability.
Price know-how September
Falling feedstock prices coupled with improved availability across many polymer types start to place prices under increasing pressure.
Price know-how August
The situation on pricing continues to be complicated. The market for polymers continues to be complex as multiple factors act to greater, or lesser extent on pricing.
Price know-how July 21
The situation on pricing continues to be complicated. The market for polymers continues to be complex as multiple factors act to greater, or lesser extent on pricing.
Price know-how June 21
Is the situation on prices about to ease?
Price know-how May 21
Polymer prices continue to skyrocket as demand continues to outstrip supply. As outlined in all three sector graphs that appear in this publication, the rate of price increase for polyolefins, styrenic polymers and engineering polymers is significantly greater than for their respective raw material and energy cost inputs.
Price know-how April 21
For many in the industry the current state of affairs can only be described as shocking. Whilst feedstock cost is one of the key drivers of this exceptional situation, the lack of shipping containers, shipping delays and the high costs associated with shipping are all adding to the upward price spiral.
Price know-how March 21
Tight supply situation propels prices forward at an incredible rate. What began in December has skyrocketed through into March, leaving many converters amazed by yet another round of hefty price increases with the clear expectation of more to come.
Review 2020 Outlook 2021
Alongside our monthly Price Know-how publication, at the beginning of every year we provide an assessment of what has happened over the past year and what may happen in the year ahead, particularly in terms of the outlook for polymer prices. Due to the wide ranging scope of the content and broad appeal, Outlook & Review is also published in BP&R’s first edition of the year, to take advantage of industry circulation opportunities.
