A mixed bag for engineering TPs in '98.Stable was the word for most engineering-resin prices in 1997, and this year should also be fairly quiet on the pricing front provided that feedstock feed·stock n. Raw material required for an industrial process. Noun 1. feedstock - the raw material that is required for some industrial process raw material, staple - material suitable for manufacture or use or finishing supplies remain healthy. Polycarbonate A category of plastic materials used to make a myriad of products, including CDs and CD-ROMs. resin resin, any of a class of amorphous solids or semisolids. Resins are found in nature and are chiefly of vegetable origin. They are typically light yellow to dark brown in color; tasteless; odorless or faintly aromatic; translucent or transparent; brittle, fracturing , for one, will stay fairly tight, as will feedstocks for making it. Feedstocks could also push up nylon nylon, synthetic thermoplastic material characterized by strength, elasticity, resistance to abrasion and chemicals, low moisture absorbency, and capacity to be permanently set by heat. After 10 years of research E. I. resin tabs somewhat. On the other hand, a global glut glut pronounced as rut, slut Vox populi An excess of a service or skilled labor in a particular area. See Physician glut. of styrene sty·rene n. A colorless oily liquid from which polystyrenes, plastics, and synthetic rubber are produced. Also called vinylbenzene. monomer monomer (mŏn`əmər): see polymer. monomer Molecule of any of a class of mostly organic compounds that can react with other molecules of the same or other compounds to form very large molecules (polymers). could put some downward pressure on ABS (Automatic Backup System) See backup program. prices. No real change in PBT PBT Provider Backbone Transport (networking technology adding determinism to ethernet) PBT Polybutylene Terephthalate PBT Profit Before Tax PBT Paper Based Test (education) or acetal acetal /ac·e·tal/ (as´e-t'l) 1. any of a class of organic compounds formed by combination of an aldehyde molecule and two alcohol molecules. 2. prices is foreseen fore·see tr.v. fore·saw , fore·seen , fore·see·ing, fore·sees To see or know beforehand: foresaw the rapid increase in unemployment. for this year. One wild card that could affect pricing is the economy of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, region of Asia (1990 est. pop. 442,500,000), c.1,740,000 sq mi (4,506,600 sq km), bounded roughly by the Indian subcontinent on the west, China on the north, and the Pacific Ocean on the east. . Last year, while the region was experiencing growth, engineering resins resins, n.pl complex, insoluble, sticky substances secreted by plants. Used as astringents, antimicrobials, and antiinflammatories, and are burned as incense. Can cause oral ulcers and epidermal irritations. were stockpiled and new resin plants came on line. Now, with the local currencies depreciated Depreciated may refer to:
POLYCARBONATE GOING UP GE Plastics announced a 13% increase on extrusion grades of PC, effective January 1. Dow Plastics followed suit just before Christmas with a 16[cents]/lb hike on film and sheet grades effective January 15. No comment was available from Bayer Corp. at press time. Contributing factors: Dow sources attribute this price hike partly to increasing costs of feedstocks. A company official notes that supply of bisphenol-A is tight and likely to remain so. Industry sources say the same is true of phenol phenol (fē`nōl), C6H5OH, a colorless, crystalline solid that melts at about 41°C;, boils at 182°C;, and is soluble in ethanol and ether and somewhat soluble in water. . At least one producer, Shell Chemical, will begin constructing a world-scale phenol plant this month at the site of its Deer Park, Texas Deer Park is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown Metropolitan Area and is situated in Southeast Texas. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 28,520. History Deer Park was founded in 1892 by Simon West. , facility. The project is due for completion in the second half of 1999 and will add 500 million lb of phenol capacity to the existing 400 million lb/yr. Voracious voracious said of appetite. See polyphagia. polycarbonate demand took resin makers by surprise last year. GE, for example, did not expect the 135 million lb/yr of new capacity it launched in the fall of '96 to be absorbed so quickly. Another supplier recalls, "We were at four weeks' lead time through the first half of 1997. By late August or early September, we started to see the supply/demand situation change. We had to move lead times out to seven weeks."
Bulk(*) List & Market Prices Effective Mid-January
LIST MARKET
RESIN GRADE(b) [cents]/LB [cents]/LB(b) [cents]/CU IN(b)
ABS
MED IMPACT 128-138 89-91 3.4
HI IMPACT 135-141 94-100 3.7
X-HI IMPACT 140-147 102-105 3.9
HI HEAT 132-155 117-121 4.7
PIPE 110-115 78-82 2.6-3.0
SHEET 95-105 87-90 3.4
TRANSPARENT 152-158 152-158 5.7-5.9
FITTINGS 102-107 88-92 3.3-3.4
PLATING 137-139 105-115 4.0
FLAME RET 138-161 122-130 5.7
STRUCT FM 120-126 103-107 NA(d)
10% GLASS 147-160 140-160 6.0-6.1
30% GLASS 143-156 136-156 6.0-7.2
ABS/PC ALLOY 148-154 145-150 6.0-6.1
ABS/PVC ALLOY 144-161 140-45 6.0-6.1
ABS/NYLON ALLOY 177-199 177-199 7.0-8.0
ACETAL HOMOPOL 180-184 123-127 6.1-6.4
20% GLASS 183-197 142-150 7.9-8.4
COPOLYMER 180-184 123-127 6.1-6.4
25% GLASS 190-201 142-150 7.9-8.4
ACRYLIC
G-P 1.25-1.32 101-1.08 4.3-4.9
IMPACT 1.60-1.73 162-173 6.9-7.3
ACRYLONI-
TRILE COPOL
EXTRUSION 119 101-116 4.0-4.6
INJECTION 158 120-135 4.8-5.4
ALKYD 72-85 65-74 4.9-5.5
CELLULOSICS
ACETATE 156 156 NA(d)
CAB 154 154 NA(d)
CAP 154 154 NA(d)
DAP (G-P) 251-497 251-497 16.26-34.71
EPOXY
G-P RESIN 128-137 116-126 NA(d)
COMPOUNDS
C/B/T(e) 123-166 123-166 9.4-12.9
R/C/D(f) 208-271 208-271 15.3-20.1
SEMICONDUCTOR
NOVOLAC 193-228 193-228 13.1-15.9
ANHYDRIDE 188-268 188-268 13.9-19.2
EVA
INJECTION 84-110 60-95 2.4-4.0
FILM EXTRU 55-95 55-87 2.4-2.7
EVON 265 265 11.3
FLUORO-
POLYMER
CTFE 3000 3000 237.6
ECTFE 1200 1100 70.1
ETFE 1230-1505 1230-1505 79.3-97
FEP 1100-1500 925-1090 70.3-82.8
PFA 2100-2700 1830-2005 141-154.5
PTFE 650-720 570-640 45.0-51.0
PVDF 700-850 650-700 41.7-44.9
IONOMER
PACKAGING 127-166 127-166 4.3-6.0
INDUSTRIAL 150-244 150-244 5.0-8.3
LIQUID-
CRYSTAL
POLYMERS
INJECTION
MIN FILLED 690-1035 690-1035 44.2-72.1
GLASS FILLED 715-1065 715-1065 50.5-100.4
CARBON FILLED 1700-2000 1700-2000 83.2-138.6
EXTRUSION
UNFILLED 1200-2200 1200-2200 60.5-110.9
MELAMINE
MOLD
COMPOUND 95-103 90-94 5.5-5.6
MELAMINE/
PHENOLIC
COMPOUND 78-117 75-83 4.5-5.0
NYLON
TYPE 6 228-345 129-1335.9
MIN FILLED 170-177 122-130 6.3
30% GLASS 210-244 156-160 7.7
TYPE 66 240-241 136-1436.5
MIN FILLED 175-195 123-127 6.3
30% GLASS 240-244 165-175 9.8
TYPE 69 255-280 250-276 9.7-10.7
TYPE 6/10 332 286-313 12.4-13.6
TYPE 612 341 286-327 11.4-13.2
30% GLASS 330 309-311 14.7
40% GLASS 328 309 14.7
TYPE 46 295 295 12.6
TYPE 11 403 329-341 13.6-14.1
30% GLASS 415 331-350 15.0-15.8
40% GLASS 415 347-360 17.7-18.5
TYPE 12 392 318-341 12.1-13.0
30% GLASS 403 327-350 14.7-15.8
50% GLASS 400 299-340 15.6-17.8
TRANSPARENT
AMORPHOUS 365 247-360 10.3-15.0
PHENOLIC
MOLD COMP 62-100 55.5-87.5 2.8-4.0
REINFORCED GRADES 115-300 100.5-267.5 6.0-15.9
POLYAMIDE-
IMIDE
MODIFIED 1975 1975 113.8
UNMODIFIED 2225 2225 128.2
POLYARYLATE 225-280 200-280 8.8-12.3
POLYARYL-
SULFONE 440 440 21.8
POLYBUTYLENE
G-P 94-96 94-96 3.1
FILM 88-91 88-91 2.9
PIPE
COLD WATER 116-120 116-120 3.9-4.0
HOT WATER 162-166 162-166 5.5-5.6
POLYCAR-
BONATE
INJECTION 242-249 148-163 6.7
20% GLASS 240-329 178-190 8.9
30% GLASS 219-247 188-217 10.4
EXTRUSION 242-249 137-145 5.9
BLOW MOLD 240-262 150-170 6.7
STRUCT FOAM 222 159-181 NA(d)
20% GLASS 297 245-255 NA(d)
FR 255-289 176-197 8.2
CD 281 185-200 9.6
POLYESTER (TP)
PBT TYPE
UNFILLED 164-175 143-150 6.9
HI-IMP 195-205 154-165 7.6
30% GLASS, FR 170-190 165-187 10.0
STRUCT FOAM 165-170 159-165 NA(d)
PET
BOTTLE (RAILCAR) 81-89 54-55 2.7-2.8
MOD PET
30% GLASS 176 132-143 7.4
55% GLASS 200 148-155 9.8
30% GLASS,
FLAME RET 230 147-157 9.2
PETG COPOL 98 98 45
POLYESTER
THERMOSET
G-P ORTHO 68-79 57-65 NA(d)
ISOPHTHALIC 81-85 60-70 NA(d)
BIS-A 120-150 120-150 NA(d)
PEEK 3300 3300 109.3
30% GLASS 2875 2525 110.0
POLYETHER-
IMIDE 465 465 21.5
30% GLASS 380 380 19.8
POLYETHER-
KETONE (PEK) 2950 2950 130.1
30% GLASS 2600 2600 153
POLYETHER-
SULFONE 549-571 549-571 27.1-30.8
30% GLASS 457-505 457-505 26.0-29.2
POLYETHYLENE
(RAILCAR)
LDPE
G-P MOLDING
& EXTRU 55-60 46-48 1.6
INJECTION 55-60 46-48 1.6
LID RESIN 55-60 49-53 1.7
LINER 55-60 42-44 1.5
CLARITY 55-60 47-50 1.5
EXTRU COATG 55-60 47-51 1.6-1.7
BLOW MOLD 67-80 48-52 1.6-1.7
LLDPE,
BUTENE-
BASED
G-P MOLDING 55-60 41-43 1.4
FILM 55-60 38-40 1.3-1.4
ROTOMOLD 70-75 40-42 1.4
LLDPE,
HAO-BASED
G-P MOLDING 63-67 44-47 1.5-1.6
LID RESIN 63-67 44-46 1.5-1.6
LINER FILM 63-67 42-44 1.4-1.5
HDPE
G-P INJ MOLD 60-63 38-42 1.4
FILM 60-63 43-45 1.5
BLOW MOLD 60-63 41-44 1.5
HMW-HDPE
BLOW MOLDING 60-63 43-46 1.5
FILM 60-63 44-46 1.5
PIPE 63-67 47-49 1.5-1.6
UHMW-PE 110-125 95-120 3.6-3.7
PPE/PPO-
BASED RESIN
INJECTION 140-220 116-139 4.9-5.6
20% GLASS 214-226 170-207 7.4-9.0
30% GLASS 200-220 214-274 10.5-10.9
EXTRUSION 170-240 150-181 5.8-7.0
STRUCT FM 164-175 125-137 NA(d)
PPS
40% GLASS 313-330 295-313 15.5-18.3
20% GLASS/
35% FILLER 157 150-159 11.1-12.3
35% GLASS/
35% FILLER 197 147-149 10.1-11.5
POLY-
PROPYLENE
(RAILCAR)
G-P HOMOPOL
INJECTION 55-60 34-37 1.2
EXTRUSION
FIBER 55-60 30-32 1.1-1.2
PROFILES 55-60 36-38 1.2-1.3
RANDOM COPOL
BLOW MOLDING 60-65 39-43 1.3-1.4
FILM 60-65 40-43 1.4
INJECTION 60-65 40-44 1.4
IMPACT COPOL
MED IMP 58-70 37-40 1.3
HI IMP 70-84 48-50 1.7-1.8
POLYSTYRENE
(RAILCAR)
G-P CRYSTAL 39-42 37-42 1.4-1.6
HI HEAT 40-43 38-43 1.4-1.6
HIPS 42-45 40-45 1.5-1.7
SUPER HI IMP 55-60 50-55 1.9-2.0
FR 80-90 75-85 2.8-3.2
STRUCT FM (FR) 100-105 93-94 NA(d)
EPS
UNMODIFIED 79 75-79 NA(d)
MODIFIED 81 79-80 NA(d)
POLYSULFONE 440-490 440-490 19.8-21.9
10% GLASS 410-480 410-480 19.8-22.7
30% GLASS 370-420 370-420 19.6-22.1
POLYURE-
THANE (TP)
ESTER TYPE 168-215 168-215 7.5-9.3
ETHER TYPE 283-304 231-243 10.0-10.5
PU
ISOCYANATES
POLYMERIC MDI 105-110 90-96 NA(d)
80/20 TDI 125-141 90-105 NA(d)
PVC RESIN
(RAILCAR)
G-P HOMOPOL 37-38 31-33 NA(d)
PIPE 36-37 28-31 NA(d)
FILM 39-40 32-34 NA(d)
COPOLYMER
FLOORING 57 45-47 NA(d)
DISPERSION
HOMOPOLY 74 61-64 NA(d)
COPOLYMER 74 65-69 NA(d)
CPVC PIPE
COMPOUND 137 122 NA(d)
PVDC
EXTRUDABLE 162 162 NA(d)
SILICONES
MOLD. COMP. 581-640 581-640 38.1-39.3
SPECIALTY GR. 891-3148 891-3148 NA(d)
SILICONE/EPOXY 339-343 339-343 22.5-22.8
STYRENE-
ACRYLIC 112-118 108-112 3.7-4.0
SAN (G-P) 97 85-88 3.3
STYRENE
MALEIC
ANHYDRIDE
G-P 115-120 110-115 4.2-4.3
HI IMP 149-179 130-140 4.2-4.5
FR 185-189 175-183 6.7-7.0
TP ELASTOMERS
OLEFINIC 95-115 70-76 2.4
POLYAMIDE 287-337 287-337 10.4-12.3
POLYESTER 245-310 200-310 8.8-13.6
STYRENIC 63-350 83-237 2.9-8.3
UREA MOLDING
COMPOUND
BLACK & BROWN 67-78 67-78 3.6-4.1
WHITE & IVORY 72 72 3.8
VINYL ESTER
COR RES 140 144 NA(d)
HEAT & COR RES 145 158 NA(d)
KEY Colored areas indicate pricing activity. An arrow ([up arrow])
indicates direction of price change. * Truckload, unless otherwise
specified.
a Unfilled, natural color, unless otherwise specified.
b Based on sampling of processors. c Based on typical or average
density.
d Not applicable.
e For coils, bushings, transformers; novolac and anhydride grades.
f For resistors, capacitors, diodes; novolac and anhydride grades.
Several factors contributed to this increased demand. The most surprising was the result of Princess Diana's death. Polycarbonate suppliers say Elton John's tribute song "Candle in the Wind (1997)" caused CD manufacturing plants to sell out their capacity just as the already-busy Christmas season was about to kick off. CD replication Manufacturing CDs and CD-ROMs by stamping blank plastic discs from a metal die that contains the predefined pit pattern (binary pattern). Contrast with CD duplication. plants carry little inventory if any, so when sales unexpectedly soar SOAR - 1. State, Operator And Result. A general problem-solving production system architecture, intended as a model of human intelligence. Developed by A. Newell in the early 1980s. SOAR was originally implemented in Lisp and OPS5 and is currently implemented in Common Lisp. , resin demand increases are dramatic. And right around the same time, the automotive industry The automotive industry is the industry involved in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, and sale of motor vehicles. In 2006, more than 69 million motor vehicles, including cars and commercial vehicles were produced worldwide. was going through its traditionally strong season. Normally, automotive demand winds down in October or November, but in 1997 it did not. The computer industry also saw a prolonged pro·long tr.v. pro·longed, pro·long·ing, pro·longs 1. To lengthen in duration; protract. 2. To lengthen in extent. peak-activity period in 1997. Unexpected demand came also from Southeast Asia, where demand for water bottles was very strong, and the expected seasonal decrease did not occur. Healthy growth is predicted again for PC resin in 1998. To meet the demand, Bayer will add 120 million lb/yr of capacity at Baytown, Texas Baytown is a city located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Harris County with small portion in Chambers County, located along both State Highway 146 and , this year. Dow will debottleneck 40 million lb at Freeport, Texas Freeport is a city in Brazoria County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown Metropolitan Area and is situated in Southeast Texas. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 12,708 and is about sixteen miles away from Angleton. . But brand-new capacity for GE and Dow is not expected until 1999. GE will then bring on a grass-roots plant with annual capacity of 300 million lb in Cartagena, Spain For other places with the same name, see Cartagena (disambiguation). Cartagena ( , while Dow will build a 231-million-lb/yr plant in Stade, Germany. NYLON UNDER PRESSURE Suppliers say continued strong demand for nylon and higher costs for the feedstocks needed to make it could lead to resin price increases this year. Contributing factors: The precarious feedstock balance for nylon 66 became evident last May when DuPont had an adipic-acid plant outage out·age n. 1. A quantity or portion of something lacking after delivery or storage. 2. A temporary suspension of operation, especially of electric power. , which forced a month's allocation The apportionment or designation of an item for a specific purpose or to a particular place. In the law of trusts, the allocation of cash dividends earned by a stock that makes up the principal of a trust for a beneficiary usually means that the dividends will be treated as or so. Since then, DuPont started up an adipic-acid plant in Singapore. The new capacity eased the situation, although it reportedly has just kept up with demand growth, leaving no extra to spare. No other significant expansions in adipic acid a·dip·ic acid n. A white crystalline dicarboxylic acid, C6H11O4, that is derived from oxidation of various fats, slightly soluble in water and soluble in alcohol and acetone, and used especially in the manufacture of have been announced by the major players. The feedstock tightness is much the same for nylon 6, where the caprolactam Caprolactam is an organic compound which is a cyclic amide (or lactam). The primary industrial use of caprolactam is as a monomer in the production of nylon. Most of the caprolactam is synthesised from cyclohexanoxime by a Beckmann rearrangement. supply continues to be stretched thin. Restricted availability of cyclohexane cyclohexane (sī'kləhĕk`sān), C6H12, colorless liquid hydrocarbon. It is a cyclic alkane that melts at 6°C; and boils at 81°C;. It is nearly insoluble in water. adds to the pressure, and the supply of glass for reinforced nylon 6 compounds is also likely to be strapped strapped adj. Informal In financial need: We are strapped for cash right now. strapped Adjective strapped for Slang , further inflaming in·flame v. in·flamed, in·flam·ing, in·flames v.tr. 1. To arouse to passionate feeling or action: crimes that inflamed the entire community. 2. the situation. In the Americas, 1998 growth in nylon resin consumption is expected to be in the 7-8% range and slightly higher for glass-reinforced grades. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. one source, "New capacity is well-balanced with growing demand." BASF BASF Bar Association of San Francisco (since 1872; San Francisco, California) BASF Badische Anilin und Soda Fabrik (German chemical products company) BASF Builders Association of South Florida , for example, recently completed a 70-million-lb/yr nylon 6 expansion at Freeport, Texas. Solutia Inc Solutia Inc. is a chemical production company. It was formed in 1997 as a spin-off of Monsanto Company. History Monsanto's core business was chemicals, and so Solutia traces its antecedents back to the foundation of Monsanto in St. Louis in 1901. . (the Monsanto spin-off The situation that arises when a parent corporation organizes a subsidiary corporation, to which it transfers a portion of its assets in exchange for all of the subsidiary's capital stock, which is subsequently transferred to the parent corporation's shareholders. ) started up a new 60-million-lb/yr expansion of nylon 66 at Pensacola, Fla. ABS PRICES COULD WEAKEN Last year, the overall pricing trend was down for ABS. An increase was attempted during the first quarter of 1997, but it failed. Downward pressure is again likely in 1998, although most suppliers say prices will remain flat. Contributing factors: Excess capacity in Asia, coupled with weak currencies in that region, lead some ABS suppliers to fret that a wave of bargain-priced imports may arrive on our shores this year. Another factor is a glut of styrene monomer and weak prices for feed-stocks generally. Styrene and acrylonitrile acrylonitrile /ac·ry·lo·ni·trile/ (ak?ri-lo-ni´tril) a colorless halogenated hydrocarbon used in the making of plastics and as a pesticide; its vapors are irritant to the respiratory tract and eyes, may cause systemic poisoning, and are prices may drop 1 to 1.5[cents]/lb this year, while butadiene butadiene (by  t'ədī`ēn), colorless, gaseous hydrocarbon. There are two structural isomers of butadiene; they differ in the location of the two carbon-carbon double bonds in the will remain flat.Not least important is that 1997 was the third straight year of declining ABS consumption in North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. . Suppliers report that last year's drop was 4-6%, and they expect another 3% decrease in 1998. Competition from polypropylene polypropylene (pŏl'ēprō`pəlēn), plastic noted for its light weight, being less dense than water; it is a polymer of propylene. It resists moisture, oils, and solvents. and HIPS are said to be the major culprits. PBT TO STAY PUT PBT polyester polyester, synthetic fiber, produced by the polymerization of the product formed when an alcohol and organic acid react. The outstanding characteristic of polyesters is their ability to resist wrinkling and to spring back into shape when creased. prices were generally stable in 1997 and are expected to remain so this year. Contributing factors: Arrival of new capacity last year is balanced by continued strong demand. Volume growth was 8-10% last year and will be about 8% worldwide this year, suppliers predict. Growth is fueled primarily by automotive and electrical applications. ACETAL PRICES REMAIN STABLE Acetal prices have been steady for some time and are expected to stay that way as long as feedstock prices stay put. Contributing factors: Early last year, high natural-gas prices pushed up methanol methanol, methyl alcohol, or wood alcohol, CH3OH, a colorless, flammable liquid that is miscible with water in all proportions. Methanol is a monohydric alcohol. It melts at −97. tabs, the major feedstock for acetal. However, by the second half of the year, feedstock price pressures began to subside sub·side intr.v. sub·sid·ed, sub·sid·ing, sub·sides 1. To sink to a lower or normal level. 2. To sink or settle down, as into a sofa. 3. To sink to the bottom, as a sediment. 4. and are expected to remain fiat [Latin, Let it be done.] In old English practice, a short order or warrant of a judge or magistrate directing some act to be done; an authority issuing from some competent source for the doing of some legal act. through 1998. Acetal demand grew 5% worldwide in 1997, although the greatest growth was in Asia. The growth rate this year is expected to be about the same, though economic trends in Southeast Asia are an unpredictable factor. Domestic producers fear that if Asian producers start dumping dumping, selling goods at less than the normal price, usually as exports in international trade. It may be done by a producer, a group of producers, or a nation. resin to raise hard cash, domestic acetal prices could soften. |
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