Price increases keep on coming.* Lots of resin prices went up in April, and they will again in May. Expect hikes in polyethylene, polystyrene, PVC, acrylic, TPO, polycarbonate, ABS, SAN, and other styrenic alloys and copolymers. PE prices moving up Polyethylene prices are expected to move up this month as suppliers attempt to implement increases of 5 cents/lb that were pushed back twice from February to May 1. Contributing factors: Suppliers say the first two months of the year were slower than expected, but demand surged in March by as much as 20% over the previous month. "Supply/demand balance is a bit tighter," says a source at one major supplier. The first quarter is expected to show little or no increase from the year before. Meanwhile, ethylene monomer suppliers proposed increases of 1 cents to 2 cents/lb for April contracts. Plant maintenance shutdowns are causing tight ethylene supply. PP tabs up, supply tight Polypropylene prices went up another 3 cents to 4 cents/lb in April, bringing the total increases this year to 14 cents/lb. Contributing factors: Demand continues to be robust, with the first quarter showing a 2% to 3% gain over 2003. After years of oversupply, PP resin is now on the tight side. Plant utilization is in the mid-90% range. PVC hike may be split As of mid-April all major PVC producers except Shintech had supported a 2 cents/lb hike for rigid PVC on May 1. Shintech, however, will likely split the hike into 1 cents increases in May and June. Contributing factors: Pipe demand is good. Preliminary first-quarter data show overall PVC demand up 2% vs. 2003. March sales were especially strong--up 7%--while resin producers' operating rates were at 94%. PS 4 cents hike for May Polystyrene producers announced a 4 cents/lb increase for crystal PS and HIPS for May 1, following increases totaling 11 cents announced for January, February, and March. The first 8 cents of these increases was being implemented in mid-April. Nova announced a 4 cents increase on EPS for May, but BASF posted a 3 cents hike. Contributing factors: Benzene feedstock contracts ranged from $2.35/gal to $3/gal in early April. With $3 benzene, one resin producer says it doesn't make economic sense to produce styrene monomer. Meanwhile, PS demand is steady but down about 4% for the first quarter from last year. Resin operating rates are in the low 80% range. PET prices up PET bottle-resin tabs moved up 3 cents/lb in February, and another 6 cents/lb in March. A 3 cents/lb increase for April 1 was pushed back to May 1. Contributing factors: Suppliers claim these hikes are needed to make up for increased feedstock and energy costs. However, PET supply is on the long side after major capacity additions from DAK Americas and M&G Group. In March the U.S. PET Producers' Coalition asked the U.S. Dept. of Commerce and International Trade Commission to investigate allegations of dumping and unfair subsidies by PET bottle-resin makers in India, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Thailand. More thermoplastics up GE raised ABS by 6 cents/lb on Apr. 19; BASF and Dow did the same on May 1. Bayer would not specify its April 1 hikes on ABS and ABS/nylon. Hikes of 6 cents/lb for SAN also took effect April 1 for Bayer and May 1 for Dow and BASF. Polycarbonate tabs were raised 6 cents/lb by GE on April 19 and by Dow on May 1. Dow also hiked Emerge PC/ABS PC/ABS - Polycarbonate/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene 6 cents. GE also hiked tabs by 6 cents/lb on April 19 for PC/ABS, ASA, PC/PBT, Noryl PPE alloys, PET, and Xylex PC/polyester. GE also raised PBT 4 cents/lb on that date. BASF added 6 cents/lb to ASA, ASA/PC, and MABS on May 1. BASF nylon extrusion grades went up 12 cents to 16 cents on April 15. CYRO Industries hiked acrylic compounds 8 cents/lb on May 3. Solvay Engineered Polymers raised TPOs by 4 cents/lb May 1. Thermosets up again, too Durez Corp. boosted prices 12 cents/lb for solid phenolic resins and 7 cents/lb for liquid grades April 1. AOC put a 15 cents/lb surcharge April 1 on unsaturated polyester products supplied in steel drums. It reflects tight supply and higher prices for cold-rolled steel.
Market Prices Effective Mid-April (a)
RESIN GRADE (b) cents/LB cents/CU IN (c)
ABS
MED IMPACT 62-82 2.4-3.1
HI IMPACT 72-85 2.7-3.2
X-HI IMPACT 82-105 3.1-3.9
HI HEAT 85-95 3.2-3.6
PIPE 58-62 2.2-2.3
SHEET 75-90 3.0-3.7
TRANSPARENT 125-165 4.9-6.4
FITTINGS 65-78 2.4-2.9
PLATING 95-105 3.5-3.9
FLAME RET 105-135 4.6-5.9
STRUCTFM 83-97 3.6-4.3
10% GLASS 125-140 5.0-5.6
30% GLASS 116-136 5.3-6.3
ABS/PC ALLOY 135-165 5.6-6.8
ABS/PVC ALLOY 130-135 5.8-6.1
ABS MYLON ALLOY 190 7.3
ACETAL
HOMOPOL 130-147 6.7-7.3
20% GLASS 160-220 9.0-12.4
COPOLYMER 133-137 6.8-7.0
25% GLASS 160-215 9.2-12.3
ACRYLIC
G-P 72-102 3.0-4.3
IMPACT 130-191 5.4-7.9
ACRYLONI-
TRILE COPOL
EXTRUSION 78-110 3.3-4.7
INJECTION 130-191 5.4-7.9
ALKYD 65-74 4.9-5.5
CELLULOSICS
ACETATE 187 8.6
CAB 184 7.9
CAP 184 7.9
DAP (G-P) 251-97 16.3-34.7
EPOXY
G-P RESIN 116-126 NA (d)
COMPOUNDS
C/B/T (e) 123-166 9.4-12.9
R/C/D (f) 208-271 15.3-20.1
SEMICONDUCTOR
NOVOLAC 193-228 3.1-15.9
ANHYDRIDE 188-268 13.9-19.2
EVA
INJECTION 4652 1.5-1.7
FILM EXTRU 42-49 1.4-1.6
EVOH 265 11.3
FLUORO-
POLYMER
CTFE 4500 346.6
ECTFE 1400-1600 108.3-123.8
ETFE 1100-1600 73.6-107.1
FEP 925-1400 71.3-107.9
PFA 1700-2400 131.6-185.8
PTFE 450-900 34.8-69.7
PVDF 650-800 41.4-50.9
IONOMER
PACKAGING 127-166 4.3-6.0
INDUSTRIAL 150-244 5.0-8.3
LIQUID-
CRYSTAL
POLYMERS
INJECTION
MIN FILLED 690-81035 44.2-72.1
GLASS FILLED 695-395 40-52
CARBON FILLED 1700-2000 83.2-138.6
UNFILLED 1000-1200 58-70
EXTRUSION
UNFILLED 1200-2200 60.5-110.9
MELAMINE
COMPOUND 90-94 5.5-5.6
MELAMINE/
PHENOLIC
COMPOUND 75-83 4.5-5.0
NYLON
TYPE 6 124-144 5.0-5.9
MIN FILLED 119-132 5.9-6.6
30% GLASS 135-160 6.6-7.8
TYPE 66 140-155 7.4-8.2
MIN FILLED 140-148 7.4-7.8
30% GLASS 130-180 6.3-8.8
TYPE 69 250-276 9.7-10.7
TYPE 6/10 286-313 12.4-13.6
TYPE 612 400 15.3
30% GLASS 309-311 14.7
40% GLASS 309 14.1
TYPE 46 295 12.6
TYPE 11 329-341 13.6-14.1
30% GLASS 331-350 15.0-15.8
40% GLASS 347-360 17.7-18.5
TYPE 12 318-341 12.1-13.0
30% GLASS 327-350 14.7-15.8
40% GLASS 299-340 15.6-17.8
TRANSPARENT
AMORPHOUS 247360 10.3-15.0
PHENOLIC
MOLD COMP 55.5-87.5 2.8-4.0
REINFORCED
GRADES 100.5-267.5 6.0-15.9
POLYAMIDE-
IMIDE (g)
UNFILLED 23103045 124.7-164.4
30% GLASS 2250-2985 130.4-173.0
30% CARBON FIB. 3260-3950 173.6-210.5
POLYARYLATE 200-280 8.8-12.3
POLYARYL-
SULFONE 440 21.8
POLYBUTYLENE
G-P 94-9 3.1
FILM 88-91 2.9
PIPE
COLD WATER 116-120 3.9-4.0
HOT WATER 162-166 5.5-5.6
POLYCAR-
BONATE
INJECTION 138-165 5.9-7.0
20% GLASS 177-190 7.6-8.2
30% GLASS 178-217 7.6-9.3
EXTRUSION 127-145 5.4-6.2
BLOW MOLD 140-170 6.0-7.3
STRUCT FOAM 149-181 6.4-7.8
20% GLASS 235-255 101.1-11.0
FR 166-197 7.1-8.5
CD 82-100 3.5-4.3
POLYESTER (TP)
PBT TYPE
UNFILLED 143-150 6.9
HI-IMP 154-165 7.6
30% GLASS, FR 165-187 10.0
STRUCT FOAM 159-165 NA (d)
PET
BOTTLE (RAILCAR) 74-79 [up arrow] 3.6-3.7 [up arrow]
MOD PET
30% GLASS 132-143 7.4
55% GLASS 148-155 9.8
30% GLASS
FLAME RET 14-157 9.2
PETG COPOL 114-124 5.2-5.6
POLYESTER
THERMOSET
G-P ORTHO 60-66 NA (d)
ISOPHTHALIC 88-98 NA (d)
BIS-A 123-153 NA (d)
PEEK
30% GLASS 4400 231
3000 173
POLYETHER-
IMIDE 641-646 29.3-29.5
30% GLASS 526-531 24.0-24.2
POLYETHER-
KETONE (PEK) 2950 130.1
30% GLASS 2600 153
POLYETHER-
SULFONE 350-400 17.2-19.7
30% GLASS 425-525 21-25.9
POLYETHYLENE
(RAILCAR)
LDPE
G-P MOLDING
& EXTRU 68-70 2.3
INJECTION 68-70 2.3
LID RESIN 69-71 2.3-2.4
LINER 67-69 2.2-2.3
CLARITY 66-68 2.2-2.3
EXTRU COATG 68-70 2.3
BLOW MOLD 69-71 2.3-2.4
LLDPE,
BUTENE-
BASED
G-P MOLDING 54-56 1.8-1.9
FILM 56-58 1.9
ROTOMOLD 58-60 1.9-2.0
LLDPE,
HAO-BASED
G-P MOLDING 64-67 2.1-2.2
LID RESIN 70-73 2.3-2.4
LINER FILM 65-67 2.1-2.2
HDPE
G-P INJ MOLD 56-58 1.9-2.0
FILM 64-66 2.2-2.3
BLOW MOLD 58-60 2.0-2.1
HMW-HDPE
BLOW MOLD 66-68 2.3
FILM 68-40 2.3-2.4
PIPE 72-74 2.5
UHMW-PE 100-125 3.6-3.7
PPE/PRO-
BASED RESIN
INJECTION 180 6.8
20% GLASS (h) 283 12.3
30% GLASS (h) 291 13.3
EXTRUSION (h) 242 9.2
STRUCT FM 231 NA (d)
PPS
40% GLASS 340-385 20-23
55% GLASS/
MINERAL 275-295 16.2-17.4
65% GLASS/
MINERAL 215-260 11-14
POLY-
PROPYLENE
(RAILCAR)
G-P HOMOPOL
INJECTION 59-61 [up arrow] 1.9-2.0 [up arrow]
EXTRUSION
FIBER 56-58 [up arrow] 1.8-1.9 [up arrow]
PROFILES 60-62 [up arrow] 1.9-2.0 [up arrow]
RANDOM COPOL
BLOW MOLDING 64-66 [up arrow] 2.0-2.1 [up arrow]
FILM 62-64 [up arrow] 2.0-2.1 [up arrow]
INJECTION 61-63 [up arrow] 1.9-2.0 [up arrow]
IMPACT COPOL
MED IMP 74-77 [up arrow] 2.4-2.5 [up arrow]
HI IMP 77-79 [up arrow] 2.5 [up arrow]
POLYSTERENE
(RAILCAR)
G-P CRYSTAL 56-66 [up arrow] 2.2-2.5 [up arrow]
HI FEAT 58-65 [up arrow] 2.2-2.5 [up arrow]
HIPS 59-67 [up arrow] 2.2-2.5 [up arrow]
SUPER HI IMP 69-75 [up arrow] 2.6-2.8 [up arrow]
FR 87-98 3.2-3.7
SRUCT FM (FR) 91-93 NA
EPS
UNIMODIFIED 80-83 NA (d)
MODIFIED 81-85 NA (d)
POLYSULFONE 432-512 19.3-22.9
10% GLASS 607-612 27-27.3
30% GLASS 557-562 24.9-25
POLYURE-
THANE (TP)
ESTER TYPE 185-255 8-11
ETHER TYPE 245-295 10.6-13
PU
ISOCYANATES
POLYMERIC MDI 105-115 NA (d)
80/20 TDI 110-120 NA (d)
PVC RESIN
(RAILCAR)
G-P HOMOPOL 40-43 [up arrow] NA (d)
PIPE 38-44 [up arrow] NA (d)
FILM 50-52 [up arrow] NA (d)
COPOLYMER
FLOORING 46-48 NA (d)
DISPERSION
HOMOPOLY 59-63 NA (d)
COPOLYMER 63-67 NA (d)
CPVC PIPE
COMPOUND 119 NA (d)
PVDC
EXTRUDABLE 162 NA (d)
SILICONES
MOLD. COMP. 581-640 38.1-39.3
SPECILATY GR. 891-3148 NA (d)
SILICONE/EPOXY 339-343 22.5-22.8
STYRENE-
ACRYLIC 108-112 3.7-4.0
SAN (G-P) 66-74 2.5-2.8
STYRENE-
MALEIC
ANHYDRIDE
G-P 110-115 4.2-4.3
HI IMP 130-140 4.2-4.5
FR 175-183 6.7-7.0
TP ELASTOMERS
OLEFINIC 70-76 2.4
POLYAMIDE 287-337 10.4-12.3
POLYESTER 200-310 8.8-13.6
STYRENIC 83-237 2.9-8.3
UREA MOULDING
COMPOUND
BLACK & BROWN 67-78 3.6-4.1
WHITE & IVORY 72 3.8
VINYL ESTER
COR RES 147 NA (d)
HEAT & COR RES 161 NA (d)
KEY: Colored areas indicate pricing activity. An arrow (') indicates
direction of price change. (a) Truckload, unless otherwise specified.
(b) Unfilled, natural color unless otherwise specified. (c) Based on
typical or average density. (d) Not applicable. (e) Novolac and
anhydride grades for coils, bushings, transformers. (f) Novolac and
anhydride grades for resistors, capacitors, diodes. (g) In quantities
of 20,000 lb. (h) 19,800-lb load.
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