October price hikes for polypropylene and PVC resin in North America are featured in this week’s Material Insights video. Prices for each material rose an average of 2 cents per pound in October, according to buyers contacted by Plastics News. Tightening supplies of both resin an propylene monomer fueled the PP hike, as did stronger demand for the material from within North America. For PVC, strong demand and higher prices for ethylene feedstock played a role, but lower export prices prevent all of a 3-cent attempt from taking hold. A possible sale of La Seda’s PET plants also is featured in this week’s video. Officials with the Spanish firm said it might have to sell PET plants in Spain, Italy, Turkey and Greece if it can’t find a minority industrial partner to help develop those assets. The video wraps up with news of a new thermoplastic polyurethane production complex being built by BASF SE in Lemfoerde, Germany. The site would encompass five new buildings and would create as many as 20 new jobs. The new plant should be making TPU by the end of 2014.
N. American PET bottle resin prices fall 7 cents
May 20, 2013 12:18 pm ET
