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Plastics Industry Association says tariff uncertainty could dent growth

Plastics Industry Association says tariff uncertainty could dent growth Carolline SeidelPlastics Industry Association Chief Economist Perc Pineda at K 2022. While the U.S. plastics industry's economic performance was solid in 2024, it could see its shipments and employment contract slightly because of uncertainty over tariffs and trade policy, a U.S. industry association says. At a Sept. 16 online briefing to release its 2025 Size and Impact Report, executives at the Plastics Industry Association pointed to good fundamentals but said uncertainty regarding tariffs and trade policy could hold back growth. Perc Pineda, chief economist with the association, said the plastics industry could see the economic value of its shipments fall slightly. "Because of the uncertainty that's holding back the manufacturing sector, the main customer of the plastics industry, we could see shipments in plastics manufacturing pull back by 0.5 percent," he said. "By and large, what appears to be holding the manufacturing sector back are uncertainties tied to higher tariffs and the unpredictability of new and revised tariff measures," Pineda said. "As a consequence, plastics manufacturing employment could also decrease by 1.1 percent." The report, which is a detailed look at 2024 economic data for different parts of the industry, said the total employment in the plastics industry rose 1.3 percent to 1.066 million in 2024. The value of shipments also rose to $551 billion, a 0.2 percent increase from 2023. It's the eighth-largest sector in U.S. manufacturing, and Pineda said the economic data points to solid underlying fundamentals. In both employment and shipments, plastics did better than manufacturing overall last year. "We actually thrived in 2024 in spite of the interest rate-driven manufacturing slump," he said. "This tells me that there is plenty of room for the plastics industry to grow, considering that we are an impactful industry and we are vital to the U.S. economy." But tariffs are clouding the outlook. Seaholm Seeking clarity Matt Seaholm, the president and CEO of the association, said it hopes for more clarity around trade policy from Washington. He said the association has been advocating for plastics machinery and materials to be seen as inputs for other manufacturing sectors, and as a result be given some tariff relief. "I'm hopeful that there will be some recognition of plastics machinery and materials as a manufacturing input, and some tariff relief could ultimately be found in the coming year," Seaholm said. Companies in the industry have been trying to manage the impact of President Donald Trump's administration's decision in August to expand steel tariffs to include the steel content of imported plastics machinery and molds, along with more than 400 other industrial products. The U.S. plastics sector imports about 75 percent of its machinery. Some industry groups, like the American Mold Builders Association, which represents plastic mold manufacturing companies, support the Trump administration's expanded steel tariffs. Seaholm said companies are struggling with uncertainty in the economy and frustrated with shifts in trade policy. "The frustrations virtually all industries are currently feeling about the dramatic shifts in American trade policies are hopefully only presenting short-term challenges and will eventually return to a norm that supports economic growth," Seaholm said. "There are no doubt headwinds facing the industry and the economy," he said in opening comments on the webinar. "Uncertainty is always one of the biggest impediments to economic investment and growth, and uncertainty is abound. Interest rates, government spending, new regulations, consumer strength, sentiment toward plastics and yes, of course, tariffs and trade policy." Pineda predicted that there will be some resolution to the steel and aluminum tariff debate because it's a key input to manufacturing. "I think over time we will see a resolution to this issue, because I don't really think that the global trading environment could withstand continued higher cost of steel and aluminum," he said. Seaholm did point to an economic boost from the large tax legislation that the Republican-controlled Congress passed and that Trump signed in July, in particular, from research and development tax credits and expensing provisions the industry lobbied for. But he also said the impact of that law "to some degree … remains to be seen." "What we saw get passed this summer, both from an R&D tax credit standpoint, as well as immediate expensing, really presents some tremendous opportunities for capital investment," Seaholm said. "That is, without a doubt, a huge win." "But there's also the trade and tariff component to this that is certainly putting the pause on a lot of economic development and investment, and that push and pull is really creating a bit of, I guess, pause in the plastics industry investment," he said. "It's frustrating. I know our members are telling us that on a regular basis." * Source : https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/association-says-tariff-uncertainty-pausing-plastic-investment

이명규 기자 2025-09-21

European resin prices in a post-summer slump

European resin prices in a post-summer slump Vioneo European polyolefin prices have fallen slightly over he last two months, PVC prices have remained stable while polystyrene prices have continued to tumble. At the beginning of August, most polyolefin producers attempted to stabilize prices in order to improve their margins even though both ethylene and propylene contract settlements had fallen by €10 per metric ton. However, buyer resistance forced sellers to offer discounts similar to the cost reduction. In September, polypropylene prices remained at the previous month’s level as the propylene contract price was unchanged. Polyethylene prices were also unchanged despite a gain of €5 per tonne for the ethylene contract price. The order situation was too low to justify a small price rise. In August, base PVC prices fell in proportion (down €5 per tonne) to the €10 per tonne reduction in the cost of ethylene. In September, the price reduction was reversed in line with the €5 per tonne rise in the cost of ethylene. Polystyrene prices have fallen in each of the last six months to hit their lowest level since summer 2023. The styrene monomer reference cost has fallen sharply and demand has remained very weak. In August, PS prices fell by €25-30 per tonne, which was less than the €35 per tonne reduction in styrene monomer as sellers aimed to retain aa part of the cost reduction to improve their operating margins. In September, polystyrene prices are down in line with the €46 per tonne decline in the styrene monomer reference price. PET prices fell in August due to a combination of weaker demand and lower raw material costs to reverse the upward trend in the previous month. PET prices have remained unchanged by mid-September on stable feedstock costs and low demand. Supply adequate Supply is more than adequate to meet the low level of demand across most product sectors, despite polymer production plants continuing to operate at reduced rates and a number of plant shutdowns for planned and unplanned maintenance. High density PE, linear low density PE, PS, PET and PP production from local producers is at a normal level. Availability is also being supplemented by imports. Low density PE supply is low but adequate as import volumes have declined. PVC supply is well balanced. A summary of recent supply-related developments is summarized below. - Unipetrol RPA restarted PP|PE/ethylene production at its Czech Republic plant Sept. 15 following maintenance.- DUCOR Petrochemicals restarted its PP lines in the Netherlands in early September following force majeure.- Ineos shut down its PP|PE and ethylene lines in the United Kingdom on Sept. 2 for maintenance.- Inovyn shut down several European PVC production lines for maintenance late August.- Total PC restarted production of PP|PE at several locations in France early September following force majeure.- Orlen shut down its Polish LDPE facility early September for maintenance. Demand weak Polymer demand has picked up slightly after the summer holiday season but remains well below what would normally be expected. This is largely explained by the sluggish European economy and continued consumer uncertainty. In view of the slow pick-up in demand, converters are adopting a cautious approach to restocking and are only buying sufficient material to meet their immediate production needs. October outlook Brent crude oil prices have fallen from a peak of $72.6 per barrel in early August to $67.3 per barrel in mid-September, yet naphtha prices have been more stable over the same period. OPEC has announced that it will increase oil production in October, which will likely exert further downward pressure on crude oi prices. Ongoing low demand and an adequate supply indicate either stable or slight downward polymer price pressure. * Source : https://www.plasticsnews.com/resin-pricing/european-resin-prices-post-summer-slump

이명규 기자 2025-09-21

Tariffs bring short-term gains, long-term questions for plastics industry

Tariffs bring short-term gains, long-term questions for plastics industry Leo Michael Trade policy rarely produces all winners or all losers. And with the latest round of tariffs targeting imported plastics machinery, molds and recycled resins, it's clear the U.S. plastics industry is facing both opportunity and disruption. Yes, there are some potential bright spots. U.S. mold makers — particularly small and midsized shops — could see a bump in business as tariffs make overseas tools more expensive. U.S. recyclers may also benefit from new reciprocal tariffs on imported PET, which could push buyers to turn back to domestic supply. But those silver linings come with a cost. For processors across North America, the expanding list of Section 232 and reciprocal tariffs creates deep uncertainty, especially for companies that rely on imported machines, molds or components to meet customer demand and hit sustainability targets. The new 50 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum content hit a broad swath of equipment, including injection molding machines, plastic and rubber molds, material handling systems and industrial robots. Many of these products are made in Germany, Japan and Canada — long-time trade partners and key suppliers to the U.S. plastics industry. The impact is already being felt. German machinery group VDMA warned the tariffs are sending their members "hurtling toward the precipice of an existential crisis." In Canada, the mold-making community is sounding the alarm that decades of cross-border manufacturing integration are at risk. The Japan Plastics Machinery Association sent a letter to the Plastics Industry Association this week asking for its assistance in dealing with the tariffs. And here in the U.S., processors and toolmakers are stuck in the middle. Capital spending is slowing. Orders are delayed. Companies are waiting to see what rules will stick — and which could be reversed in court. That wait-and-see attitude comes at a cost. A recent study from consulting firm Wipfli found that 53 percent of manufacturers surveyed were operating below capacity in the second quarter. Tooling programs are being postponed or shelved entirely. Even companies with reshoring potential are hesitant to act without clarity on tariff exposure. And while quoting activity is up, few firms are committing to large equipment purchases while prices remain uncertain. Let's not forget: More than 70 percent of plastics processing equipment in the U.S. is imported. That includes the sophisticated injection molding machines and robotics that power everything from medical device production to lightweight automotive parts. Tariffs on those machines don't just affect bottom lines — they can limit innovation, reduce efficiency and delay the shift to more sustainable operations. Meanwhile, U.S. recyclers are navigating shifting ground. The new reciprocal tariffs that took effect this month could add 10 to 14 cents per pound to the price of imported recycled PET pellets. Imports had surged in recent years, with resin from Asia and Latin America gaining share. The new tariffs could give domestic recyclers a chance to regain market — but also add cost pressures and pricing instability at a time when brands are reevaluating recycled-content commitments amid softening demand. It's a classic trade-off: protectionism to help one part of the industry risks undercutting another. In some cases, the same company may feel both sides of the equation. We've said it before: The plastics industry needs clear, consistent policy to plan ahead. That includes trade policy. Manufacturers can't make multimillion-dollar tooling investments or hire new workers if the regulatory ground shifts every 90 days. It's refreshing to see an industrial policy from Washington that encourages manufacturing — although this one appears tilted too far in favor of steel and aluminum producers at the expense of other vital sectors, including plastics. In the long run, we need real solutions — ones that support innovation, encourage recycling and ensure that plastics processors have the tools they need to compete globally. * Source : https://www.plasticsnews.com/viewpoint/us-tariffs-plastics-equipment-molds-and-pet-create-uncertainty

이명규 기자 2025-09-21

Rising anxiety for Canadian auto suppliers over Trump tariff threats

Rising anxiety for Canadian auto suppliers over Trump tariff threats The Ambassador BridgeCommercial traffic crosses the Ambassador Bridge that links Detroit with Windsor, Canada. The bridge is the busiest crossing between the U.S. and Canada and links automakers and suppliers on both sides of the border. Tariffs as high as 25 percent on vehicles and parts entering the United States could shut down North America's entire automotive industry, according to Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association. A 25 percent tariff, being threatened by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, is so punitive and industry margins so thin that automakers and suppliers may simply halt production instead of booking losses, while turning to the courts for a resolution, he said. "He picked the wrong number. It's so high that it's meaningless in automotive. … You may as well have said 200 [percent], said a million, no one's going to book those losses," Volpe said. Anxiety among Canadian suppliers is growing as Trump dials up the rhetoric and prepares to retake the White House on Jan. 20, Volpe said, but in an industry with razor-thin inventories, the amount of pre-planning companies can undertake is limited. Kevin Hallahan, vice president of marketing and investor relations at Linamar Corp., said the die casting company has prioritized getting U.S. orders filled ahead of the inauguration within its industrial division, but that automotive's just-in-time delivery model makes getting in front of tariffs infeasible. The Guelph, Ontario-based supplier is engaged with the Canadian government to help work through the threat, and it remains confident the highly integrated nature of North America's auto sector will allow cooler heads to prevail, Hallahan said. "The [automakers], they don't have real good switching abilities. If they selected a supplier to be the supplier of a particular powertrain component or structural component of the vehicle, there's been a lot of testing and validation on that before the vehicle reached its first day of production." Trump's tariffs would‘hurt his own people'The inability to quickly line up alternative local suppliers means the tariffs would hurt not only Canadian parts makers exporting to the United States, but raise prices for American automakers and American consumers, he added. But with Trump seemingly willing to "hurt his own people" to advance his policy agenda, Canadian suppliers need to plan for the worst, said Jonathon Azzopardi, president of Laval Tool and Mould Ltd., a maker of compression and injection molds. "We can never forget that there's a border. A lot of us like to think that the border doesn't exist, and we do everything we can to make it imaginary, but it is a reality," he said. As with Linamar, Windsor, Ontario-based Laval Tool has no ability to fast-track U.S. orders to provide some short-term relief to the possible tariffs, but Azzopardi has begun contingency planning. The company's U.S. customers will be saddled with the tariff, which means Laval Tool will need to "stomach" some of that cost to remain competitive with toolmakers south of the border eager to snap up their business, Azzopardi said. "We're going to start taking haircuts," he said. "We're going to have no choice." A 25 percent tariff will put the whole industry in the red, Azzopardi said, but at least for Laval Tool, profitability will take a back seat to holding onto customers. "There's no way you can afford it and still be profitable. The question is, can you afford not to try and preserve relationships, to try and keep the supply chain moving," he said. Canadian supplier growth at riskThe tariff threat puts a decade of growth at Canadian parts suppliers at risk, according to Brendan Sweeney, managing director of the Trillium Network for Advanced Manufacturing, which advocates on behalf of Ontario manufacturers. Canadian parts manufacturers contributed C$10 billion (US$6.94 billion) to the country's gross domestic product in 2024, up from C$8 billion (US$5.5 billion) in 2014, according to a Trillium Network analysis released in December. Employment has also ramped up, growing to 80,450 jobs in 2024 from 69,985 a decade earlier. The end markets for Canadian auto parts have remained largely consistent despite the growth, the Trillium Network found. Forty-three percent of parts were made for domestic assembly plants in 2023, while 55 percent were exported to the United States. Both figures are little changed from 2014. The heavy reliance suppliers have on the United States makes the threat of tariffs "existential" north of the border, Sweeney said. But given the billions in auto parts going into American-made vehicles, "it's kind of existential for the U.S., too." "It's all pretty silly and ham-handed, and if it happens everyone's in trouble, for no good reason," Sweeney added. Despite the anxiety created by the threats, the auto industry can take some comfort in having gone through Trump's wringer before and coming out the other side, said APMA's Volpe. Suppliers and government are dusting off their playbooks from 2019, when NAFTA was reworked into the United States-Canada-Mexico Agreement during the first Trump administration, he said. With the USMCA up for renewal in 2026, the latest threats are not wholly unexpected, Hallahan added. While it is impossible to predict how the coming weeks will play out, Trump already has commitments from Canada on defense and border security, he added. "In that regard, he's already got a win in terms of the acknowledgement of doing more to get to better results on those two issues," Hallahan said. Trump threatened shortly after his election in November to impose tariffs on Canada on his first day in office. In reality, Volpe said, Canada will likely have 60-90 days to formulate a response as federal departments act on the new president's executive order. Article Source : https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/trump-tariff-threats-prompt-rising-anxiety-among-canadian-auto-suppliers

editor 2025-02-13

PLASTICS, ACC ramp up campaign for zero plastic resin loss

PLASTICS, ACC ramp up campaign for zero plastic resin loss Operation Clean Sweep Blue Verification boosts rigor and transparency; companies must implement best practices and undergo inspections. The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) have launched Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) Blue Verification, which introduces external, facility-level inspections to bolster the rigor of its program designed to keep plastic in use and out of the environment. The new program is intended to offer transparency for the more than 500 participating facilities in the U.S. Operation Clean Sweep was founded by the Plastics Industry Association in 1991 and is managed in partnership with the American Chemistry Council’s Plastics Division. The industry-led program is dedicated to helping companies move toward zero plastic resin loss and is active in more than 60 countries worldwide. To become OCS Blue Verified, a facility must implement 29 management practices that include risk assessments, employee training and data reporting, and undergo inspections conducted by trained and approved OCS Blue Verifiers. The first verification cycle extends through the end of 2025 and continues every three years moving forward. “Preventing pre-production plastic from entering the environment is a top priority for PLASTICS’ members and the entire industry,” said PLASTICS President and CEO Matt Seaholm. “OCS Blue Verification underscores this commitment and ensures all OCS Blue members are held to rigorous management practices while working towards a future where all plastic remains in the circular economy.” * Source : https://www.plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/manufacturing/article/53074077/plastics-acc-ramp-up-campaign-for-zero-plastic-resin-loss

이명규 기자 2024-08-25

Prices of PE, PP, PVC Up; PS, PET Flat

Prices of PE, PP, PVC Up; PS, PET FlatWhile prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter. Prices of PE, PP and PVC moved up in July, while those of PS and PET rolled over, but there was potential for flat pricing for all through August and September. Driving factors include reduced domestic demand. The slackened demand can be partially attributed to prebuying in anticipation of a very active 2024 hurricane season; a drop in exports due to higher domestic prices combined with global competitive pricing and slowed demand; and overall lower raw material costs, except for propylene monomer, though a change in that market was underway. All this holds, barring major production disruptions, of course. These are the views of purchasing consultants from Resin Technology Inc. (RTi); senior analysts from Houston-based PetroChemWire (PCW); CEO Michael Greenberg of The Plastics Exchange (TPE); Scott Newell, executive vice president polyolefins at distributor/compounder Spartan Polymers; and Mike Burns of Plastic Resin Market Advisors. These sources all noted that despite Hurricane Beryl in July, which had a negligible impact on resin production, partially due to a large Saharan dust plume which prevented the development of new storms. That said, most meteorologists continued to predict a heating up of the summer storm season that could prove severe. As TPE’s Greenberg reported, “A series of storms, or even just a major one, could disrupt petrochemical and plastics production to create supply challenges, so we advise to err to the side of caution and keep an extra inventory buffer on hand, just in case.” PE Prices Up Polyethylene prices, after rolling over for both May and June, appeared to be moving up 3¢/lb in July, this out of the 5¢/lb July-issued hike, with one industry index showing as much and another indicating ‘unsettled.’ Meanwhile, PE suppliers were out with another 5¢/lb increase for August. By most accounts, while it seems PE resin prices won’t drop within the July-August time frame, it appears that PE suppliers won’t garner much more than the 3¢/lb increase out of the 10¢/lb sought. This according to PCW’s associate director for PE, PP and PS David Barry; TPE’s Greenberg; Burns of Plastic Resin Market Advisors; and Kevin Mekaru, RTi’s senior business leader commodity plastics. These sources generally were in agreement that any PE price reduction would not be forthcoming for August and September, and that a flat pricing scenario had potential. Some, like Barry and Burns, ventured that the partial 3¢/lb increase could be implemented in August vs. July. All noted that the impact of hurricane Beryl was not an issue and that the market was generally balanced. In fact, Barry noted that some PE resin sectors — primarily LLDPE film and HDPE injection — appeared to be “long.” Moreover, nearly everyone commented that the overall market was not as robust as PE suppliers have been indicating, citing a slowdown in Asian exports in particular. “The long-term outlook does not foresee the sustainability of any of the new increases without an unexpected event,” Burns says. “Feedstocks will not drive prices as natural gas and ethane inventories remain ample and low cost.” Both Barry and Mekaru noted that new capacity from Shell, NOVA and Baystar was also making an impact. They also added that Shell had initiated production and marketing of HDPE blow molding grades at attractive prices, in addition to its LLDPE film and HDPE injection grade resins. At July’s end, Greenberg reported that TPE’s prime spot PE pricing was a mixed bag, with most grades down a half cent, though lower volume LLDPE injection and granular grades held firm, and scarce LDPE injection garnered a penny increase. “Export business was softer due to competitive offers out of China,” Greenberg says. “North American producers might need to be agile with export pricing to remain competitive on incremental sales and maintain market share and/or reduce reactor rates to keep burdensome inventories from developing.” PP Prices Up Polypropylene prices in July moved up 5¢/lb in step with propylene monomer, and while suppliers were out with a 3¢/lb price increase in addition to any change in the monomer, this initiative fell by the wayside, according to PCW’s Barry; Spartan Polymers’ Newell; TPE’s Greenberg; and Paul Pavlov, vice president of PP and PVC for RTi. The continuation of a tight monomer supply due to planned and unplanned shutdowns of on-purpose PDH (propane dehydrogenation) propylene plants, made the outlook for pricing in August uncertain, though nearly all sources saw potential for flat pricing in September. Barry noted that spot propylene prices going into August were trending down. He also reported on a slowdown in exports demand due to higher U.S. prices. Still Mekaru ventured an increase of another 3¢/lb was possible for propylene and PP in August. “We’re still vulnerable,” Newell says. “There’s not a lot of cushion in terms of propylene supply, but PDH plants are coming back online, so it’s a tough call.” Citing American Chemistry Council data, these sources all note that domestic PP demand through the second quarter was up by 5% year-to-date, but all also note that it’s difficult to determine how much of that was due to prebuying. Newell notes that some processors had bought material to last through September. By July’s end, some resin distributors reported a slowdown, attributing it to higher prices, according to Barry. Reporting on spot PP market sales, Greenberg reports that TPE saw the market as “a tale of two grades” in the last week of July. He notes that homopolymer PP sales slumped due to prebuying during May and June, while PP copolymer sales moved up as supply had been tight for several months and was further exacerbated by an INEOS Polyolefins force majeure for its PP copolymer resins. “Invista is not expected to bring its CoPP line back up until at least mid-August, and Heartland Polymers is not expected to produce CoPP until late fourth quarter,” Greenberg says. PS Prices Flat Polystyrene prices in July appeared to have rolled over for the fourth consecutive month, and there was some potential for this trend to continue into August and September, according to PCW’s Barry and RTi’s Mekaru. This despite unplanned shutdowns in July due to tornado turbulence in Illinois at two plants — one by INEOS Styrolution and the other by American Styrenics. Barry, for one, notes that these two plants represented only a fraction of overall domestic PS production, but Pavlov says it was a bit premature to determine that degree of impact, also noting that the shutdowns affected primarily HIPS production. As such, he ventures prices in August could move up with September likely to be flat. Somewhat in contrast, Barry reports that spot feedstock prices — primarily benzene — were dropping, noting that July benzene prices fell 13-14¢/gal to $3.85. He ventures that another similar drop was likely for August, so that a corresponding drop in PS prices was likely, at least, for August. While PS demand is characterized as a bit better in second quarter year to date, it was still lackluster, with plant’s operating at 60% utilization. PVC Prices Up PVC prices in July moved up 1¢/lb following the unusual back-to-back increases through April, which now total 7¢/lb. While some suppliers had issued a total of 4¢/lb for the July-August time frame, the trajectory was changing, according to RTi’s Pavlov and as indicated by Donna Todd, PCW’s associate director PVC and pipe. Pavlov ventures that August prices would roll over and September prices had the potential for a 1¢/lb decrease. Todd reports that while OxyVinyls had joined Westlake to issue increases of 2¢/lb each for July and August, there had been no announcements from either Formosa or Shintech. That’s despite some unplanned shutdowns of PVC and VCM lines. Pavlov notes that PVC demand for the first half of 2024 was up by nearly 11%, adding that domestic suppliers continued to have an advantage in exports due to global PVC prices rising. PET Prices Flat PET prices were flat again in July, following the 1¢/lb-to-1.5¢/lb drop in May. They had the potential to stay relatively flat in August and September, according to RTi’s Mekaru. This is in concert with raw material formulation costs and general economic indications. Mekaru continues to characterize PET supply as ample, with competitively priced imports continuing to be a factor and year-over-year demand showing a bit of an uptick, which has included prebuying activity in anticipation of the hurricane season. * Source : https://www.ptonline.com/articles/prices-of-pe-pp-pvc-up-ps-pet-flat-

이명규 기자 2024-08-25

SKC to build world's top biodegradable plastic plant in Vietnam

SKC to build world's top biodegradable plastic plant in Vietnam The plant, aimed to launch operations in Q3 2025, will produce 70,000 tons of polybutylene adipate terephthalate a year SKC Chief Executive Park Woncheol speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony for a biodegradable plastic plant in Hai Phong, Vietnam on May 11 (Courtesy of SKC) SKC Ltd., a chemicals arm of South Korea’s second-largest conglomerate SK Group, said on Sunday its biodegradable material unit has broken ground on a plant in Vietnam, which is expected to be the largest single factory for polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) in the world. SK Leaveo, the biodegradable material unit, will inject $100 million into the new plant and aims to start production of 70,000 tons of PBAT in the third quarter of 2025. This will be the biggest annual production capacity of the eco-friendly plastic for a single plant in the world, SKC said. The plant will have 22,389 square meters of floor area in the economic zone of Hai Phong, an industrial gateway and key port city in Northern Vietnam. SKC said it has secured another site to expand the production in the future. PBAT is widely used for flexible and resilient bioplastic, a key material for food packaging films and shopping bags. SK Leaveo plans to develop high-strength PBAT by using reinforcement material nanocellulose to expand the bioplastic’s applications to textiles and nonwovens, SKC said. The new plant will use only renewable energy for the electricity it needs under the Vietnamese government’s clean energy initiative RE 100. SK Leaveo will also partner with Vietnam’s leading plastic maker An Phat Holdings, which plans to buy a stake in the Korean firm’s Vietnamese affiliate, sign a long-term contract to purchase the new plant’s PBAT and export the material. Formerly named Ecovance, SK Leaveo was established in November 2021 by SKC, Korea’s leading food maker Daesang Corp. and trading company LX International Corp. The three shareholders. The three stakeholders initially owned 57.8%, 22.2% and 20% of the biodegradable material maker, respectively. LX International expressed its intention to divest its holding late last year as the PBAT producer decided to build the plant in Vietnam, shifting its plan to construct the facilities in Korea, according to market insiders. * Source : https://www.kedglobal.com/chemical-industry/newsView/ked202405120002

이명규 기자 2024-08-21

Plastics machinery shipments decline again in Q2

Plastics machinery shipments decline again in Q2The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) reports demand fell 15.4 percent from the first quarter According to shipment data from the Committee on Equipment Statistics of the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS), the second-quarter 2024 shipment value of primary plastics machinery in North America, covering injection molding and extrusion, is estimated at $224.8 million, which marks a 15.4 percent decrease from the previous quarter and a 36.2 percent year-over-year decline. Single-screw extrusion saw a 3.4 percent quarter-over-quarter (Q/Q) increase, but a 28.6 percent year-over-year (Y/Y) decrease. Twin-screw extrusion experienced a 23.5 percent decrease Q/Q and a 25.3 decline Y/Y. Injection molding shipments fell by 16.3 percent Q/Q, and a Y/Y decline of 37.7 percent. “The second consecutive quarter of decline in shipments is not due to a pullback in plastics demand,” said PLASTICS Chief Economist Perc Pineda. “In fact, based on monthly Plastics Demand Estimate, there has been growth in demand recently. There is no indication that the baseline demand for plastic products has deteriorated.” Manufacturers’ finished goods inventories of plastics and rubber products were estimated at $15.0 billion in June this year, compared to $15.2 billion in June last year, indicating slow inventory adjustments. Results from the latest CES quarterly survey showed that a high percentage (79.9 percent) of respondents anticipate steady or improved market conditions over the next 12 months. However, 40.0 percent reported an increase in quoting activity, which was lower than the 48.9 percent in the previous quarter’s survey. In Q2 2024, U.S. total exports of plastics equipment declined by 14.7 percent to $341.0 million compared to the previous quarter, while imports decreased by 3.8 percent to $856.8 million during the same period. Slightly more than half (53.4 percent) of exports went to Mexico and Canada, jointly accounting for $182.3 million of U.S. plastics machinery exports globally. “While the rate of decline in the second quarter was significantly less than in the first quarter, the industry continues to deal with higher interest rates, and that’s weighing on capital expenditure plans,” Pineda said. “The economy is currently not operating at maximum capacity in plastics processing; capacity utilization is below potential, leaving room for growth.” * Source : https://www.plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/manufacturing/article/55132666/plastics-machinery-shipments-decline-again-in-q2

이명규 기자 2024-08-21