Epoxy resins

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (ICIS)–A new regulatory threat for the US chemical industry is emerging from the alignment of two wings of the nation's main political parties, which could use what critics describe as pseudoscience to adopt restrictive and unneeded policies. The two wings are what the American Chemistry Council (ACC) described as the one in the Democratic party aligned with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the one in the Republican party aligned with the MAHA movement. MAHA stands for Make American Healthy Again, and it is a motto coined by Robert Kennedy Jr, the secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services. Short term, any new policies will likely arise in states because the current federal administration has imposed a high threshold for new regulations. POSSIBLE STATE-LEVEL THREATS FROM NEW HEALTH REGULATIONSWhile new regulations could arise on the state level, those policies could draw some inspiration from the federal government through the so-called MAHA Report issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services. The first pages of the report highlight "aggregation of environmental chemicals" as one of the four areas that could address what it described as a rise in childhood chronic diseases. The report includes a 12-page section entitled "the cumulative load of chemicals in our environment". Instead of recommending policy, the MAHA report calls for more research in the following chemistries: Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These are used to make fluorochemicals and fluoropolymers Microplastics Fluoride salt added to water to prevent tooth decay Phthalates that are used to make plasticizers Bisphenols that are used to make polycarbonate (PC) and epoxy resins Pesticides, herbicides and insecticides. The report mentioned glyphosate and atrazine The report also singled out the following classes of chemicals, as shown in the following table: Heavy Metals Waterborne Contaminants Air Pollutants Industrial Residues Pesticides Persistent Organic Pollutants Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Physical Agents Source: US Department of Health and Human Services It must be noted that the report explicitly rejects the EU's REACH regulatory system. Even if the report did propose new regulations, they would have to reach a high threshold. The administration of US President Donald Trump said it will require 10 federal regulations to be removed for every new one introduced. However, a new administration could adopt regulations based on the report after Trump's term of office ends in four years. US states do not have to wait for Trump to leave office to adopt regulation that address the issues raised in the report. Already, the states of Florida and Utah have banned fluoride from public water. CHEM INDUSTRY ALREADY RESEARCHING CONCERNS RAISED BY REPORTThe ACC stressed that it supports making the nation healthy. "Everyone supports that. We support it," American Chemistry Council (ACC) CEO Chris Jahn said. He made his comments on the sidelines of the ACC Annual Meeting. With that in mind, the two share the same goals. "We look forward to working with them to make sure that we keep everyone safe, especially children," Jahn said. Moreover, he said the ACC has conducted research on many of the report's concerns, and research is its main call for action. The ACC said its Long-Range Research Initiative (LRI) is focused on ways to assess chemicals for safety. It has also invested in research in microplastics, Jahn said. The federal government already addresses many of the report's concerns under its agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Jahn said. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates food contact and food contamination. As it stands, Jahn said the chemical industry is the most heavily regulated manufacturing sector, and its regulatory burden has doubled in the past 20 years. Regulation is appropriate, but it must be risk-based, science-based and fact-based, Jahn said. "Sound science and sound process leads to sound regulation." NEW REGULATIONS ON HOLD WITH NEW PRESIDENTThe surge of new regulations that characterized the term of the previous president has ended with Trump's inauguration, but that was expected because it happens every time a new president takes office, Jahn said. "They freeze everything in place so they can evaluate what's in the queue, so there's nothing new there. Every president does that." As the administration gets settled in, it may need to adopt new regulations to achieve policy goals. If the administration does propose new regulations, the ACC has proposed existing rules it could purge and that would count multiple times in meeting the 10-rule threshold. One such regulation is the plastics significant new use rule (SNUR), Jahn said. "We've given them a list of over 30 regulations that they could take a fresh look at," Jahn said. "We have plenty of suggestions and opportunities for them to address the 10 for one." The ACC Annual Meeting ran through Wednesday. Insight article by Al Greenwood Thumbnail image: Texas flag. (Source: Westlight)

05-Jun-2025

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (ICIS)–Uncertainty surrounding tariffs is tempering what could be a recovery in US demand for polypropylene (PP), executives at Braskem said on Wednesday. Uncertainty about the final makeup of tariffs and their effects on end markets have caused consumers and companies to delay purchases, said Alexandre Elias, vice president, PP, North America and Europe, Braskem. Elias made his comments in an interview with ICIS on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the American Chemistry Council (ACC). Companies are reluctant to build inventories and make investments – especially industrial PP customers that have long investment cycles, Elias said. TARIFFS HAVE COUNTERVAILING EFFECTS ON AUTOAutomobiles are one of the main end markets for PP, and the tariffs have had mixed effects on production, contributing to the uncertainty of PP demand from the sector. The US has imposed tariffs on imports of automobiles and auto parts, which could ultimately stimulate local production and PP demand. Prior to those tariffs, consumers splurged on automobiles to beat the tariffs. All of that pre-buying lowered inventories of US autos, said Bill Diebold, vice president – commercial, Braskem America, polyolefins. US producers will ultimately replenish those inventories, which will further increase auto output and PP demand. On the other hand, consumer confidence has fallen after the introduction of the tariffs and that tends to slow demand growth for automobiles and other durable goods that are made with PP. Chinese restrictions on shipments of rare earth magnets could cause some automobile companies to shut down production within weeks if they cannot find workarounds, according to an article from the Wall Street Journal, a business publication. The US recently increased its tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium to 50% from 25%, which would increase production costs for US automobiles and potentially make them less affordable. The future of the tariffs themselves is uncertain because the US frequently changes the rates. It could impose new tariffs, and the courts could rule that the US lacks authority to impose them under a key provision. The interactions of all of these variables make it difficult to forecast PP demand from the US automobile industry, Elias said. PP DEMAND REMAINS FLAT YEAR ON YEARIn the US, PP demand is up in Q2 versus Q1 but flat year on year, Diebold said. Similarly demand improved in Q1 versus Q4, the latter of which was a challenging time for the US market, Diebold said. Packaging, another major end market for PP, remains strong. PP is enjoying a boost from a wave of product substitutions, Elias said. Over the years, many polystyrene (PS) processors have switched to PP because of its price. Many of those substitutions have played out, but a smaller wave is now taking place. That said, uncertainty could be capping the potential of product substitutions from other processors. LPG RESTRICTIONS TO CHINA COULD ALTER PP TRADE FLOWSGlobal trade flows of PP could change significantly if the US restricts exports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to China. China relies heavily on US LPG shipments to provide feedstock for its large fleet of propane dehydrogenation (PDH) units, which produce on-purpose propylene. The US already has imposed restrictions on exports of ethane to China, which would disrupt a few ethane crackers in the country. If trade tensions rise, it could expand the restrictions to cover LPG. Global markets got a taste of the ramifications of restricted LPG shipments earlier this year when China increased tariffs on US imports by triple digits. Had China maintained those increases, Chinese propylene production would likely fall, according to ICIS. China could still procure LPG from exporters from other parts of the world, but that would increase costs and make some production uncompetitive. Lower Chinese propylene production would have a cascading effect. It could lower domestic production of PP and cut down on Chinese exports to other parts of Asia. That, in turn, could allow domestic Asian producers to sell more material locally, allowing them to be less aggressive about exporting PP, Elias said. "This could have a significant impact on trade flows globally," Elias said. In fact, restrictions on US LPG shipments to China would likely have a bigger effect on PP trade flows then actual tariffs on the resin. So far, the introduction of US tariffs has had little direct effect on US PP, because the market is relatively balanced. In 2023 and 2024, apparent consumption was about 85% of total production in the US, according to the ICIS Supply and Demand Database. Braskem does have an option to export PP from a terminal in Charleston, South Carolina, but this terminal functions more as a way to take advantage of arbitrage opportunities and leverage its PP plants in North America, Elias said. As an option, it has worked well. LITTLE NEED FOR NEW PROPYLENE CAPACITYBraskem relies on third parties for propylene for its PP plants in the US. So far, there is no need for Braskem to build its own propylene capacity, Elias said. The US is long in propylene, as illustrated by the global competitiveness of its exports, he said While Braskem has relied on propylene imports from Canada, trade tensions between it and the US have eased. Were trade tensions to resume and cause an increase in tariffs, Braskem could manage around it, Elias said. The ACC Annual Meeting runs through Wednesday. Focus article by Al Greenwood Thumbnail shows a product made with PP. Image by Shutterstock.

04-Jun-2025

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Click here to see the latest blog post on Asian Chemical Connections by John Richardson. Is the petrochemicals industry really a free market? Or have we been telling ourselves a comforting fiction? As we sift through margins, P&Ls, and operating rates to predict a recovery, we might be asking the wrong questions. Let’s rewind to 2014. While China’s state media signalled a major push toward self-sufficiency in petrochemicals, many Western analysts dismissed it — seeing China through the lens of profit maximisation. But I was told way back in 2000 that China’s strategy had just as much to do with jobs and economic value creation as with profits. Fast forward to today: polyester fibres, , polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film and bottle grade resins, purified terephthalic acid (PTA), styrene and polypropylene (PP),— China is nearly or completely self-sufficient in these markets. The drivers? National security, supply certainty, and industrial policy. And it’s not just China. Middle East investments — underpinned by cheap feedstocks, state ownership, and now oil demand substitution — follow similar, non-market logic. If key players haven’t been led by market signals alone, what happens next? Despite the deepest downturn in petrochemical history — likely to stretch into 2028 — new capacities keep rising. Not from those chasing short-term profit, but from those with long-term, state-backed agendas. Just a modest rise in China’s PP operating rates above the ICIS base case assumption could flip China into being a net exporter by 2027. The trade war may play a role here, as it has increased supply security concerns. True, there are more private petrochemical companies in China than ten years ago. But this latest wave of investment is more state-owned-enterprise-led than the previous one. And private companies can also benefit from local and central government support Saudi investments in refinery-to-petrochemicals will persist. More ethane crackers in the Middle East will be built. China’s plant-build costs are often 50%+ lower than the U.S., thanks to relentless innovation support. So… what does this mean for producers operating on pure market terms? Can they survive, let alone thrive, in a landscape shaped by strategic ambition rather than shareholder return? Your thoughts are welcome. Let’s start the conversation. Editor’s note: This blog post is an opinion piece. The views expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of ICIS.

04-Jun-2025

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Here are the top stories from ICIS News Asia and the Middle East for the week ended 30 May. Thailand’s GC deepens focus on specialties amid overcapacity – CEO By Nurluqman Suratman 26-May-25 11:16 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Thailand's PTT Global Chemical (GC) is deepening its commitments to feedstock flexibility, high-value specialty and bio-based & green chemicals, as CEO Narongsak Jivakanun urges regional coordination within ASEAN to tackle global supply chain disruptions and overcapacity. INSIGHT: Asia oxo-alcohols prices expected to face downward pressure in H2 2025 By Lina Xu 26-May-25 12:00 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Asia’s oxo-alcohols market is forecast to face significant downward pricing pressure in the second half of 2025, driven by rapid capacity expansion in China and an uncertain recovery in downstream demand. Asia fatty alcohol mid-cuts demand to soften as feedstock PKO declines By Helen Yan 27-May-25 11:18 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Asia fatty alcohols market may see a further softening in demand as buyers hold back their purchases, given the decline in the feedstock palm kernel oil (PKO) costs in the past month. INSIGHT: China's polyolefins demand shifts towards domestic consumption due to export uncertainty By Amy Yu 27-May-25 12:00 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–China’s polyolefins demand for 2025 is expected to reach 85 million tonnes, up by 3% year on year, driven by the domestic market in the face of the uncertain outlook of China-US trade negotiations. UPDATE: Japan's Asahi Kasei to discontinue MMA, CHMA, PMMA, SB latex businesses By Nurluqman Suratman 27-May-25 15:42 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Japanese chemicals major Asahi Kasei on Tuesday said that it will be discontinuing its businesses for methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer, cyclohexyl methacrylate (CHMA), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin and styrene-butadiene (SB) latex. Singapore April chemicals output down 3.2%; H2 2025 outlook firm By Jonathan Yee 27-May-25 15:26 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Singapore's chemicals production declined 3.2% year on year in April amid tariff-led front-loading, official data showed on 26 May, while a pause in 'reciprocal' tariffs could support further growth in H2 2025. ASEAN leaders voice 'deep concerns' over US tariffs By Nurluqman Suratman 28-May-25 11:19 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Southeast Asian leaders at the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia have voiced "deep concern" over the US' recent move to impose unilateral sweeping tariffs. INSIGHT: India PVC imports brace for monsoon dip, but policy twists could stir the market By Aswin Kondapally 30-May-25 10:02 MUMBAI (ICIS)–India’s Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) imports are expected to moderate in the coming months due to seasonal patterns, as monsoon conditions typically dampen demand from key sectors such as construction and agriculture.

02-Jun-2025

SAO PAULO (ICIS)–Brazil's foreign trade committee Gecex has postponed a meeting where it was expected to decide on imposing antidumping duties (ADDs) polyethylene (PE) imports from the US and Canada. The decision has created uncertainty in the country's PE market, which widely expected the ADDs to be implemented from June. In a note on its website, Gecex stated the “meeting will be rescheduled” but offered no further details. A spokesperson for Gecex said to ICIS it did not have any further information to offer. Gecex's meeting this week planned to discuss its investigation into allegations by Braskem, Brazil's sole PE producer, that US and Canadian producers are exporting PE to Brazil below fair market value. According to market sources, Braskem had already been communicating to customers price increases on the back of the expected ADDs. A Braskem spokesperson later confirmed on Friday that Braskem's PE prices would roll over in June from May. Earlier this week, Gecex increased ADDs on US polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from from 8.2% to 43.7%. Gecex is also investigating potential polyethylene terephthalate (PET) dumping from Malaysia and Vietnam, following ADDs proposals by Indorama and Alpek. The plastics transformation sector in Brazil said ADDs in place and those potentially implemented in the near future increase costs for all major thermoplastic resins, raising input costs for manufacturers. Meanwhile, the trade group representing producers Abiquim said the low operating rates across the country’s chemical plants were partly a result of unfair global competition, and fully supported ADDs being imposed on US and Canadian PE. Front page picture: Port of Santos in Sao Paulo, Latin America’s largest Source: Port of Santos Authority (recasts, adds paragraph 7 with comment from Braskem; clarifies last paragraph)

28-May-2025

SAO PAULO (ICIS)–Brazil has approved plans to raise antidumping duties (ADDs) on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) imports from the US from 8.2% to 43.7%. The decision, taken late Tuesday, implements one of Brazil’s highest ADDs rates. The sharp hike in duties was taken after a proposal filed in 2024 by local polymers major Braskem and caustic soda and chlorine derivatives producer Unipar, Brazil’s main PVC producers. “The proposal to increase in ADDs applied to imports of suspension polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin originating in the US was granted, due to a change in circumstances, from 8.2% to 43.7%,” said Gecex, Brazil's body in charge of foreign trade. Gecex is also investigating potential polyethylene (PE) dumping from the US, a proposal brought forward by Braskem, as well as potential polyethylene terephthalate (PET) dumping from Malaysia and Vietnam, following proposals by Indorama and Alpek. The plastics transformation sector in Brazil has said ADDs in place and those potentially implemented in the near future are increasing costs for all major thermoplastic resins, raising input costs for manufacturers. Unsurprisingly, the trade group representing producers Abiquim has said the fears about higher costs due to ADDs “do not hold up” when taking into account a beleaguered chemicals production sector with historic low operating rates.

28-May-2025

SAO PAULO (ICIS)–Fears within the Brazilian manufacturing sector about rising input costs and higher inflation if antidumping duties (ADDs) are imposed on US and Canadian polyethylene (PE) “do not hold up” when taking into account a beleaguered chemicals production sector, according to trade group Abiquim. A spokesperson for the trade group, which largely represents the chemicals producing side, said the low operating rates across the country’s chemical plants were partly a result of unfair global competition, and fully supported ADDs being imposed on US and Canadian PE. Brazil’s government body for foreign trade, the Foreign Trade Chamber (Gecex), is to meet on 29 May to take a decision on the matter. The investigation into possible PE dumping by the US and Canada started in November after a proposal by local polymers major Braskem, which has a commanding voice in Abiquim. “The narrative that specific anti-dumping duties, applied to correct unfair trade operations, could pose inflationary risks in the plastics processing production chain and affect production levels in the economy as a whole, simply does not hold up, given that Brazil is a price taker in thermoplastic resins (i.e. it follows variations in the international market),” said Abiquim. “[Moreover] There is an average idle capacity of 36% in the Brazilian chemicals sector (data from 2024) that can be reversed with the implementation of ADDs. Trade defence investigations in Brazil follow a rigorous and technical procedure, focusing on determining dumping margins, damage to the domestic industry and the causal link between the two.” If those technical parameters are met, Gecex will implement the ADDs “in the interest” of the country, adding that the ADDs would strictly follow World Trade Organization (WTO) rules regarding unfair trade. “Allowing dumping is not justified by any reason, since it allows the distortion of international trade rules, allowing the sale of products often below production cost only to aggressively capture the market,” added Abiquim. GROWING PROTECTIONISMHowever, trade groups representing import-heavy manufacturing companies, in a country where half of chemicals demand is covered by imports, have warned that those ADDs and other protectionist measures implemented by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s administration increase input costs and, ultimately, inflation. The truth is that Lula’s cabinet does listen to industrial producers. The main constituency of the president’s Workers’ Party (PT) is industrial workers, and the health of manufacturing employment is key for its electoral prospects. As the 2026 general election looms, those voters may consider their support for the PT if manufacturing, which already came late to the post-pandemic recovery compared with other sectors, starts faltering again in 2025. This is precisely the argument from the other side. Increasing costs manufacturers could their hit their activity and ultimately employment in manufacturing as a whole could be negatively affected. In a written statement to ICIS this week, Jose Ricardo Roriz, president of the trade group representing plastic transformers Abiplast, reaffirmed his opposition to protectionist measures which increase costs for importers. But that side of the argument has so far failed to turn its lobbying into concrete actions. Since he took office in January 2023, Lula’s cabinet has approved most of the protectionist measures chemical producers demanded. In 2023, it reintroduced a tax break for the purchase of inputs by chemical companies, called REIQ, which was withdrawn by the previous center-right administration. In 2024, the administration re-imposed ADDs on US-origin PP and approved higher import tariffs on dozens of chemicals. Meanwhile, Gecex is investigating another proposal to implement ADDs on polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a proposal by Braskem and caustic soda and chlorine derivatives producer Unipar. In April, Gecex also began a probe into potential polyethylene terephthalate (PET) dumping from Malaysia and Vietnam, a proposal brought forward by Indorama and Alpek. Brazil’s Congress is currently debating a bill contemplating state subsidies or credit lines at a favorable rate for chemicals companies, called Presiq. If approved, the program could be the “savior” of struggling chemicals producers, according to Abiquim's director general Andre Passos in an interview with ICIS.

28-May-2025

HOUSTON (ICIS)–The US delay of its proposed 50% tariffs on EU imports will still leave its polymers vulnerable to retaliatory tariffs. The new deadline is 9 July. For US exports, the EU has already drafted a list of targets for retaliatory tariffs, part of its second round of €95 billion in tariffs on US imports. A full list of all the proposed imports can be found here. This is on top of the first round of €21 billion in tariffs on US imports. A full list of all the proposed imports can be found here. In all, the EU could impose tariffs on nearly every major polymer from the US, including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The EU is also considering tariffs on US imports of surfactants, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and tall oil, a feedstock used to make renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable naphtha. The following table lists some of the many plastics and chemicals proposed on the EU's second round of tariffs. CN CODE DESCRIPTION 28151200 sodium hydroxide "caustic soda" in aqueous solution "soda lye or liquid soda" 29053926 butane-1,4-diol or tetramethylene glycol [1,4-butanediol] having a bio-based carbon content of 100% by mass 29091910 tert-butyl ethyl ether (ethyl-tertio-butyl-ether, etbe) 29152100 acetic acid 29153200 vinyl acetate 29291000 isocyanates 32061100 pigments and preparations based on titanium dioxide of a kind used for colouring any material or produce colorant preparations, containing >= 80% by weight of titanium dioxide calculated on the dry matter (excl. preparations of heading 3207, 3208, 3209, 3210, 3212, 3213 and 3215) 32061900 pigments and preparations based on titanium dioxide of a kind used for colouring any material or produce colorant preparations, containing < 80% by weight of titanium dioxide calculated on the dry matter (excl. preparations of heading 3207, 3208, 3209, 3210, 3212, 3213 and 3215) 34023100 linear alkylbenzene sulphonic acids and their salts 34023990 anionic organic surface-active agents, whether or not put up for retail sale (excl. linear alkylbenzene sulphonic acids and their salts, and aqueous solution containing by weight 30-50% of disodium alkyl [oxydi(benzenesulphonate)]) 34024100 cationic organic surface-active agents, whether or not put up for retail sale 34024200 non-ionic organic surface-active agents, whether or not put up for retail sale (excl. soap) 34024900 organic surface-active agents, whether or not put up for retail sale (excl. soap, anionic, cationic and non-ionic) 34025010 surface-active preparations put up for retail sale (excl. organic surface-active preparations in the form of bars, cakes, moulded pieces or shapes, and organic surface-active products and preparations for washing the skin in the form of liquid or cream) 38030010 crude tall oil 38030090 tall oil, whether or not refined (excl. crude tall oil) 38170050 linear alkylbenzene 38170080 mixed alkylbenzenes and mixed alkylnaphthalenes, produced by the alkylation of benzene and naphthalene (excl. linear alkylbenzene and mixed isomers of cyclic hydrocarbons) 38231100 stearic acid, industrial 38231200 oleic acid, industrial 38231300 tall oil fatty acids, industrial 38231910 fatty acids, distilled 38231930 fatty acid distillate 38231990 fatty acids, industrial, monocarboxylic; acid oils from refining (excl. stearic acid, oleic acid and tall oil fatty acids, distilled fatty acids and fatty acid distillate) 38237000 fatty alcohols, industrial 38260010 fatty-acid mono-alkyl esters, containing by weight => 96,5 % of esters "famae" 38260090 biodiesel and mixtures thereof, not containing or containing < 70 % by weight of petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. fatty-acid mono-alkyl esters containing by weight >= 96,5 % of esters "famae") 39013000 ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, in primary forms 39019080 polymers of ethylene, in primary forms (excl. polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene-alpha-olefins copolymers having a specific gravity of < 0,94, ionomer resin consisting of a salt of a terpolymer of ethylene with isobutyl acrylate and methacrylic acid and a-b-a block copolymer of ethylene of polystyrene, ethylene-butylene copolymer and polystyrene, containing by weight <= 35% of styrene, in blocks of irregular shape, lumps, powders, granules, flakes and similar bulk forms) 39021000 polypropylene, in primary forms 39023000 propylene copolymers, in primary forms 39029010 a-b-a block copolymer of propylene or of other olefins, of polystyrene, ethylene-butylene copolymer and polystyrene, containing by weight <= 35% of styrene, in blocks of irregular shape, lumps, powders, granules, flakes and similar bulk forms 39029020 polybut-1-ene, a copolymer of but-1-ene with ethylene containing by weight <= 10% of ethylene, or a blend of polybut-1-ene with polyethylene and/or polypropylene containing by weight <= 10% of polyethylene and/or <= 25% of polypropylene, in blocks of irregular shape, lumps, powders, granules, flakes and similar bulk forms 39031100 expansible polystyrene, in primary forms 39031900 polystyrene, in primary forms (excl. expansible) 39032000 styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers "san", in primary forms 39033000 acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers "abs", in primary forms 39039090 polymers of styrene, in primary forms (excl. polystyrene, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers "san", acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene "abs", copolymer solely of styrene with allyl alcohol, of an acetyl value of >= 175 and brominated polystyrene, containing by weight >= 58% but <= 71% of bromine, in blocks of irregular shape, lumps, powders, granules, flakes and similar bulk forms) 39041000 poly"vinyl chloride", in primary forms, not mixed with any other substances 39042100 non-plasticised poly"vinyl chloride", in primary forms, mixed with other substances 39042200 plasticised poly"vinyl chloride", in primary forms, mixed with other substances 39051200 poly"vinyl acetate", in aqueous dispersion 39051900 poly"vinyl acetate", in primary forms (excl. in aqueous dispersion) 39052100 vinyl acetate copolymers, in aqueous dispersion 39052900 vinyl acetate copolymers, in primary forms (excl. in aqueous dispersion) 39053000 poly"vinyl alcohol", in primary forms, whether or not containing unhydrolyzed acetate groups 39061000 poly"methyl methacrylate", in primary forms 39071000 polyacetals, in primary forms 39072911 polyethylene glycols, in primary forms 39072920 polyether alcohols, in primary forms (excl. bis(polyoxyethylene) methylphosphonate and polyethylene glycols) 39072999 polyethers in primary forms (excl. polyether alcohols, polyacetals and copolymer of 1- chloro-2,3-epoxypropane with ethylene oxide) 39073000 epoxide resins, in primary forms 39074000 polycarbonates, in primary forms 39075000 alkyd resins, in primary forms 39076100 poly"ethylene terephthalate", in primary forms, having a viscosity number of >= 78 ml/g 39076900 poly"ethylene terephthalate", in primary forms, having a viscosity number of < 78 ml/g 39079110 unsaturated liquid polyesters, in primary forms (excl. polycarbonates, alkyd resins, poly"ethylene terephthalate" and poly"lactic acid") 39079190 unsaturated polyesters, in primary forms (excl. liquid, and polycarbonates, alkyd resins, poly"ethylene terephthalate" and poly"lactic acid") 39079980 polyesters, saturated, in primary forms (excl. polycarbonates, alkyd resins, poly"ethylene terephthalate", poly"lactic acid", poly"ethylene naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylate" and thermoplastic liquid crystal aromatic polyester copolymers) 39089000 polyamides, in primary forms (excl. polyamides-6, -11, -12, -6,6, -6,9, -6,10 and -6,12) 39091000 urea resins and thiourea resins, in primary forms 39092000 melamine resins, in primary forms 39093100 poly"methylene phenyl isocyanate" "crude mdi, polymeric mdi", in primary forms 39094000 phenolic resins, in primary forms 39095010 polyurethane of 2,2'-"tert-butylimino"diethanol and 4,4'-methylenedicyclohexyl diisocyanate, in the form of a solution in n,n-dimethylacetamide, containing by weight >= 50% of polymer 39095090 polyurethanes in primary forms (excl. polyurethane of 2,2'-"tert-butylimino"diethanol and 4,4'-methylenedicyclohexyl diisocyanate, in the form of a solution in n,ndimethylacetamide) Source: EU CN CODE DESCRIPTION 39011010 linear polyethylene with a specific gravity of < 0,94, in primary forms 39011090 polyethylene with a specific gravity of < 0,94, in primary forms (excl. linear polyethylene) 39012010 polyethylene in blocks of irregular shape, lumps, powders, granules, flakes and similar bulk forms, of a specific gravity of >= 0,958 at 23°c, containing <= 50 mg/kg of aluminium, <= 2 mg/kg of calcium, of chromium, of iron, of nickel and of titanium each and <= 8 mg/kg of vanadium, for the manufacture of chlorosulphonated polyethylene 39012090 polyethylene with a specific gravity of >= 0,94, in primary forms (excl. polyethylene in blocks of irregular shape, lumps, powders, granules, flakes and similar bulk forms, of a specific gravity of >= 0,958 at 23°c, containing <= 50 mg/kg of aluminium, <= 2 mg/kg of calcium, of chromium, of iron, of nickel and of titanium each and <= 8 mg/kg of vanadium, for the manufacture of chlorosulphonated polyethylene) 39014000 ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers, having a specific gravity of < 0,94 , in primary forms 39081000 polyamides-6, -11, -12, -6,6, -6,9, -6,10 or -6,12, in primary forms Source: EU

27-May-2025

SAO PAULO (ICIS)–The plastics transformation sector in Brazil is facing increased costs for all major thermoplastic resins as antidumping investigations target imports from key supplier countries, the president of trade group Abiplast told ICIS. Jose Ricardo Roriz said potential antidumping duties (ADDs) against polyethylene (PE) imports from the US and Canada, for which a final decision could be made as soon as this week, will raise cost pressures in the manufacturing sector. The government body that focuses on overseas trade, the Foreign Trade Chamber (Gecex), will meet on 29 May and several sources expect it to make a decision on ADDs during the meeting. The proposal for ADDs on US and Canadian PE was brought forward by polymers major Braskem in July 2024, prompting Gecex to open its probe in November 2024. If approved, the ADDs will complete antidumping coverage on all principal thermoplastic resins used in manufacturing, including PE, polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). "The impact [of the ADDs on PE] will create pressure on costs, which ultimately affects not only the plastic transformation sector, but all industrial chains that use these products as inputs," said Roriz. If enforced, the duties will pose a significant challenge for the manufacturing sector which relies heavily on imported resins to produce a wide range of products including construction, automotives, packaging and consumer goods. Roriz said the ADDs or other trade defense mechanisms are being misused and reiterated Abiplast’s staunch opposition to them. "We are against these movements that turn trade defense instruments into simple tools for closing and reserving markets," he said. GROWING PROTECTIONISMGecex is investigating another proposal for PVC ADDs brought about by Braskem and caustic soda and chlorine derivatives producer Unipar, who claim they are subject to unfair competition. In April, Gecex also began a probe into potential PET dumping from Malaysia and Vietnam, a proposal brought forward by Indorama and Alpek. In the meantime, the Brazilian government re-imposed ADDs on US-origin PP last year. In 2023, it reintroduced a tax break for the purchase of inputs by chemical companies, called REIQ, which was withdrawn by the previous centre-right administration. In October 2024, the government approved higher import tariffs on dozens of chemicals. Earlier this year, it also approved programs contemplating state subsidies or credit lines at a favorable rate for chemicals companies such as Presiq.

27-May-2025

SAO PAULO (ICIS)–The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) has determined there is “a reasonable indication” that the dumping and subsidizing of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) originating in or exported from China and Pakistan has caused injury to Canadian producers. The resolution published this week follows on from the inquiry opened in March after producer Compagnie Alpek Polyester Canada, a subsidiary of Mexico’s Alpek, filed a complaint with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). “The CBSA will continue its investigations and, by 17 June, will issue preliminary determinations,” said the Tribunal this week. If successful, the investigation could conclude advising to impose antidumping duties (ADDs) against PET imports from China and Pakistan, meaning PET imports from both jurisdictions would face higher-than-average import taxes to enter Canada. The CITT is an independent quasi-judicial body that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Finance, and it hears cases on dumped and subsidized imports, safeguard complaints, complaints about federal government procurement, and appeals of customs and excise tax rulings. When requested by the federal government, the Tribunal also provides advice on other economic, trade and tariff matters. The Canadian market of imports for PET resin was estimated at around $193 million in 2023, and at $185 million in 2024, according to government data. In 2024, imports from China made up 46% of total imports into Canada, while shipments from Pakistan made up 28% of imports. The two countries were second and third suppliers of PET to Canada, after the US. PET resins can be broadly classified into bottle, fiber or film grade, named according to the downstream applications. Bottle grade resin is the most commonly traded form of PET resin and it is used in bottle and container packaging through blow molding and thermoforming. Fiber grade resin goes into making polyester fiber, while film grade resin is used in electrical and flexible packaging applications. PET can be compounded with glass fiber for the production of engineering plastics. DAK Americas, Indorama, Nan Ya Plastics Corporation and Far Eastern New Century (FENC) are PET producers in the US. Additional reporting by Melissa Wheeler

23-May-2025