911������

Prices of all commodity resins are rising, especially steeply for PP and PS.

Resin makers have taken the gloves off on price increases for many commodity materials.

Food and consumer packaging was the focus of new developments in polyolefins and styrenics, while automotive was the main target for new engineering materials.

Commodity resin prices are moving up gradually, if not as fast as suppliers wish.

For the most part, commodity resin prices were stable last month, though rising feedstock prices, some upticks in demand, and revival of exports indicate pressure building for higher prices. 

A short, sharp rebound in the first quarter called an abrupt halt to the long slide in commodity resin prices.

In the teeth of a deepening recession, commodity resin suppliers managed to raise prices in the first two months of the year, spurred by a sudden uptick in monomer tabs. YES, PE PRICES ARE UPPolyethylene suppliers succeeded in hiking prices 7¢/lb in January and February, giving them full implementation of their first increase of the year.

The free fall in resin prices appeared to end with a thump last month.

Weak domestic demand, crumbling exports, and plunging feedstock prices brewed a “perfect storm” driving down commodity resin prices in the fourth quarter.

At press time in mid-October, the impact of Hurricane Ike on Gulf Coast refineries and resin plants was still being assessed.