Don Loepp

Plastics, unlike tobacco, will have defenders. But it would be best for everyone — except the lawyers, obviously — if plastics can win in the court of public opinion.

German auto supplier Grammer AG has sold Toledo Molding & Die Inc. for $40 million, six years after buying the company for $271 million.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks more on his lawsuit against ExxonMobil, calling chemical recycling a "public relations stunt." 

PN Economics Editor Bill Wood is cautiously optimistic about the outlook for the U.S. plastics industry following the Fed's half-point interest rate cut last week.

The U.N. plastics treaty is nearing completion and could dramatically change the global plastics industry. From virgin resin production caps to extended producer responsibility, learn how this treaty might shape the future in our Oct. 8 PN Live.

Polypropylene prices surprisingly rose over the summer. Frank Esposito speaks about the changes and why the price hike is different from the norm. 

Our Notable Leaders in Sustainability special report will run in our Oct. 14 print issue. The deadline for submissions is Sept. 23.

Polypropylene bucked resin pricing trends again in August, but September could be another story.

Some resin plants that were temporarily shut down in advance of Hurricane Francine hitting the Gulf Coast last week are now restarting and getting back to normal. Resin sector analysts said any production outages from the storm could tighten PVC supplies and potentially result in higher prices.

Prices for PVC and PET bottle resin both dropped in August, after two straight months of increases this summer. Frank Esposito cites slow housing demand for the PVC drop. He also explains the somewhat surprising drop in PET bottle resin prices, which followed price changes to raw materials. 

Toymaker Lego is on track to replace the fossil fuels used in making its ABS bricks with more expensive renewable and recycled plastic. CEO Neils Christiansen said Lego is on schedule for half of its resin to be certified as sustainable by 2026, up from 30 percent this year.

U.S. employment data — including recent revisions — point to a soft landing for the U.S. economy, according to PN Economics Editor Bill Wood.

Will polyethylene and polypropylene prices continue to increase in August, or will sellers give back some of the gaIns they saw in July? In the August Polymer Points Live, Frank Esposito talked about what’s on the table for commodity resin buyers in August, including PE, PP, polystyrene, PVC and PET.