Feiplastic’19: Brazil’s Braskem faces competition from PE,PP imports

摘要

SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Brazil’s Braskem is facing heavy competition from polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) imports,while trying to keep good results for its sale discussions with LyondellBasell,market participants in Brazil said on the sidelines of this year’s Feiplastic.At a time when feedstock prices are down in benchmark US Gulf markets,currency exchange pressures are pushing Braskem to increase domestic PE and PP prices,at the risk of losing market share.In PE markets,aggressive offers from an oversupplied US Gulf and from Argentina are putting pressure on local prices.Long PE inventories in the US Gulf have generated intense competition among existing and new suppliers to place volumes in Latin America.The still unresolved trade war with China has made alternative markets more important to US producers seeking to reduce bulging PE inventories.New production will continue to come on line this year and next.