Home Events Training Fundamentals of the Polymers Business – Agenda
Home Events Training Fundamentals of the Polymers Business – Agenda
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Fundamentals of the Polymers Business – Agenda

Module 1:

1 hour : Understanding Petrochemicals and Polymers

  • What are petrochemicals and where do they come from
  • An overview of polymer chemistry explaining what are
    monomers/polymers, thermosets vs thermoplastics

30 minutes : Polymer feedstock Part 1

  • What are the key polymer feedstocks
  • The main routes to making ethylene, propylene and butadiene and
    their value chains explaine

15 minutes : Break

1 hour : Polymer feedstock Part 2

  • The other raw materials – benzene and xylenes
  • The main routes to making benzene, toluene and xylenes and
    their value chains explained

15 minutes : Interactive discussion

Module 2:

1 hour : Polyethylene (PE)

  • Brief history and early days of development
  • Different types of polyethylene and key applications
  • LDPE, LLDPE and HDPE – properties, production process,
    technologies and grades/applications
  • Latest developments
  • Overview of global and regional demand/supply, major producers
  • Key end-use segments
  • Major demand drivers

15 minutes : Break

1 hour : Polypropylene (PP)

  • Brief history and early days of development
  • Production process, catalysts, technologies, types of PP,
    grades/applications
  • Latest product developments
  • Overview of global and regional demand/supply, major producers
  • Key end-use segments
  • Major demand drivers

15 minutes : Interactive discussion

30 minutes : Plastic processing fundamentals

  • The different polymer properties (MFI, etc) and their role in processing
  • Introduction to major processing techniques and their applications (injection moulding, extrusion, blow moulding, thermoforming)
  • Role of additives

Module 3:

30 minutes Plastic processing fundamentals part 2

45 minutes Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

  • PET and polyester
  • Early days of development
  • Production process
  • Grades and applications
  • Overview of global and regional demand/supply, major producers
  • Key end-use segments and demand drivers
  • Recycling and its importance in the PET business

15 minutes : Break

45 minutes : Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

  • Brief history and early days of development
  • Production process – ethylene and carbide routes to making PVC
  • Different grades of PVC and their applications
  • Overview of global and regional demand/supply, major producers
  • Key end-use segments and demand drivers

45 minutes : Styrenics

  • Brief history and early days of development
  • Production process and technologies
  • Different grades and their applications
  • Overview of global and regional demand/supply, major producers
  • Key end-use segments and demand drivers
  • Major shifts in the Styrenics business

Module 4:

1 hour : Pricing and markets

  • Key price drivers
  • Cost structure, influence of feedstock costs and margin analysis
  • How pricing is assessed
  • Differences in markets and price mechanisms across Asia, Europe and Americas
  • China and its influence on markets
  • The role of futures markets in China and its influence on the physical market

15 minutes : Break

1 hour & 15 mins. : Industry trends and company strategies

  • Key business drivers
  • Major shifts in company strategies
  • Investment trends and changes to trade flows
  • Growth opportunities and challenges
  • Environmental issues
  • The impact of Covid-19 on the polymers marke
  • Examining the effects of Ukraine/Russia conflict

15 minutes : Interactive discussion

15 minutes : Summary and conclusion