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 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.