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PET bottle resin prices decreased in October as demand for the resin also began to drop. Senior reporter Frank Esposito says the drop is in line with the typical wane in the market brought on by cooler seasonal weather in North America. In this week's Material Insights, Frank discusses those price changes as well as other recent recycled HDPE price changes, as covered by staff reporter Bridget Janis.
Consumer spending is finally feeling the weight of the higher interest rates as we move into the holidays. Economics editor Bill Wood shares the latest data on spending, plus housing starts.
Material Insights covers Hexpol’s acquisition of Chicago-area TPE compounder Star Thermoplastic Alloys and Rubbers; a new leader for Avient Corp.; polyethylene production news and a lawsuit filed against a major brand owner over plastic pollution.
The global plastics treaty will start to take shape this week as the third round of talks begins in Nairobi, Kenya. PN’s Steve Toloken is reporting from the meetings, and in today’s Material Insights he sets the stage for the key topics that delegates will be debating.
Economics Editor Bill Wood discusses the latest GDP numbers, which suggest a soft landing and a better outlook for the fourth quarter. Bill focuses on solid employment numbers and a surprising increase in nonfarm labor productivity. An interesting spike given the ongoing conversations about artificial intelligence in the workplace.
Polypropylene prices rose in October, following price hikes tied to propylene monomer. Sources tell senior reporter Frank Esposito that demand for the resin is dwindling leading up to the holiday season.
Polystyrene prices rose in October because of increased feedstock costs. Senior reporter Frank Esposito discusses the reasons behind the price change. Attendance at Fakuma 2023 in Friedrichshafen, Germany, rose in comparison with the last time the show was held in 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Esposito also talks about what the numbers mean for the industry and possible implications for the upcoming NPE2024.
Materials suppliers at Fakuma put the emphasis on sustainability, featuring more options with bio-based or recycled content while also highlighting their own efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.
Corporate profits for manufacturing firms are showing some steady trends, particularly for computer parts, but non-durable goods aren't doing as well after 2022's "banner" year. Economics Editor Bill Wood looks at those profit numbers to scope out trends in plastics manufacturing and what's likely to come.
Two officials from Tel Aviv, Israel-based plastics recycler UBQ Materials were among the victims of the Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Also, BASF sold its expanded polypropylene foam business, and Plastics News is showing a price increase for post-industrial PP.
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