Price moves vary / PC, PBT roll over / POM, PMMA at record highs / June increases expected on rise in benzene

The market for engineering thermoplastics presented a mixed picture in May: producers and converters experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, and the number of increases and reductions more or less balanced each other out. For polycarbonate and PBT, the slight increase in the feedstock price (EUR 45/t) resulted in a rollover. POM, on the other hand, soared to a new record because virtually no material is available on the market. PMMA followed suit.

On the customer side, there is still very little action: the car industry can simply not get into gear, with the result that ordered material is piling up in the cellar.

On the polyacrylic side came reports of small reductions. Producers were evidently not able to push through their latest calls for increases. One noteworthy aspect about prices last month was that the range of movement, both up and down, was extreme – for PA 6 and PA 6.6 it varied from a decline of EUR 600/t to an increase of EUR 500/t.

The price of benzene rose EUR 219/t in June. Market observers had expected the feedstock to become more expensive, but that the increase would be this high came as a surprise to many. The added cost will make the entire feedstock chain significantly more expensive. In view of the continuing weak order situation from the car industry, prices for engineering thermoplastics are expected to rise again in June.

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