Volume Polymers in North America and Western Europe, Industry Analysis Report

Volume Polymers in North America and Western Europe, Industry Analysis Report

Author: W.C. Kuhlke
ISBN 978-1-85957-238-2 

Published: 2001
Pages: 228
$450.00
In recent years, the plastics industry has undergone significant change due to company acquisitions and mergers. The scale of change means that it is crucial for all companies involved in the industry-manufacturers, suppliers and end-users-to have contemporary information on the major players in the marketplace.

This Rapra Industry Analysis Report compares the North American volume polymers market with its Western European counterpart, and contains market data on the volume thermoplastics: polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride. Discussion of polyethylene is further divided into LDPE, LLDPE and HDPE, and that of polystyrene into conventional polystyrene (CPS) and expandable polystyrene (EPS). The report focuses on the producing countries for both regions, with the following nations covered in detail:

Canada
Mexico
United States of America
Austria
Belgium
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom


For each country, an analysis of the base chemical capability is followed by a review of the volume polymer industry. An overview of volume polymer production capacity and consumption is provided by material, with the key end-use markets examined. The report includes discussion of the activities of the leading polymer-producing companies including merger and acquisition activity. A table is provided for each country summarising supply and demand for the period 1992-1998 with forecasts to 2003.

Appendix tables describe all the volume polymer plants in these two regions. The annual capacity of these plants is displayed over the period 1996-2000 with forecasts to 2005. Data included in these tables include the year the plant came on line, the type of resin produced, the technology used (or licenced) by the producer as well as capacity in the planning stage.

1 Introduction
2 Executive Summary
3 Volume Polymers
3.1 Polyethylene
3.2 Polypropylene
3.3 Polystyrene
3.4 PVC

4 Market Overview
4.1 A Comparison of the North American Plastics Market with the Western European Market
4.1.1 Population and GDP per Capita
4.1.2 Labour Costs
4.1.3 Delivery of Plastics
4.1.4 Feedstocks
4.1.5 The Internet
4.1.5.1 Plastics Trading Sites
4.1.5.1 Plastics Industry Information Sites
4.1.6 Polymer Supply

5 North America
5.1 Canada
5.1.1 Base Chemicals
5.1.2 Plastics General
5.1.3 Polyethylene
5.1.4 Polypropylene
5.1.5 Styrene Monomer
5.1.6 Polystyrene
5.1.7 VCM
5.1.8 PVC
5.1.9 ABS/SAN
5.1.10 Polycarbonate
5.1.11 PET
5.1.12 Major International Companies
5.1.12.1 AT Plastics
5.1.12.2 Nova Corp
5.1.12 Supply Demand Balance
5.1.14 Sources

5.2 Mexico
5.2.1 Base Chemicals
5.2.2 Plastics General
5.2.3 Polyethylene
5.2.4 Polypropylene
5.2.5 Styrene Monomer
5.2.6 Polystyrene
5.2.7 VCM
5.2.8 PVC
5.2.9 ABS/SAN
5.2.10 Major International Companies
5.2.10.1 Pemex
5.2.11 Supply Demand Balance
5.2.12 Sources

5.3 USA
5.3.1 Base Chemicals
5.3.2 Plastics General
5.3.3 Polyethylene
5.3.4 Polypropylene
5.3.5 Polystyrene
5.3.6 PVC
5.3.7 ABS/SAN
5.3.8 Major International Companies
5.3.8.1 BP-Amoco
5.3.8.2 Arco
5.3.8.3 Aristech
5.3.8.4 Chevron
5.3.8.5 Dow
5.3.8.6 Eastman
5.3.8.7 Exxon
5.3.8.8 General Electric
5.3.8.9 Geon
5.3.8.10 Hunstman
5.3.8.11 Mobil
5.3.8.12 Oxychem
5.3.8.13 Phillips Petroleum
5.3.8.14 Union Carbide
5.3.9 Supply Demand Balance
5.3.10 Sources

6 Western Europe
(a) Base Chemicals
(b) Plastics General
(c) Polyethylene
(d) Polypropylene
(e) Styrene Monomer
(f) Polystyrene
(g) PVC
(h) ABS/SAN
(i) Western EuropeSupply Demand Balance

6.1 Austria
6.1.1 Base Chemicals
6.1.2 Plastics General
6.1.3 Polyethylene
6.1.4 Polypropylene
6.1.5 Polystyrene
6.1.6 PVC
6.1.7 Polycarbonate
6.1.8 Major International Companies
6.1.8.1 OeMV
6.1.9 Supply Demand Balance
6.1.10 Sources

6.2 Belgium
6.2.1 Base Chemicals
6.2.1.1 FAO
6.2.1.2 North Sea Propane Dehydrogenation Plant
6.2.1.3 BASF Complex
6.2.2 Plastics General
6.2.3 Polyethylene
6.2.4 Polypropylene
6.2.5 Styrene Monomer
6.2.6 Polystyrene
6.2.7 VCM
6.2.8 PVC
6.2.9 Major International Companies
6.2.9.1 EVC
6.2.9.2 Petrofina
6.2.9.3 Solvay
6.2.10 Supply Demand Balance
6.2.11 Sources

6.3 Denmark
6.3.1 Base Chemicals
6.3.2 Plastics General
6.3.3 Major International Companies
6.3.3.1 Borealis
6.3.4 Supply Demand Balance
6.3.5 Sources

6.4 Finland
6.4.1 Base Chemicals
6.4.2 Plastics General
6.4.3 Polyethylene
6.4.4 Polypropylene
6.4.5 Polystyrene
6.4.6 VCM Monomer/PVC
6.4.7 Major International Companies
6.4.7.1 Neste
6.4.8 Supply Demand Balance
6.4.9 Sources

6.5 France
6.5.1 Base Chemicals
6.5.2 Plastics General
6.5.3 Polyethylene
6.5.4 Polypropylene
6.5.5 Polystyrene
6.5.6 PVC
6.5.7 ABS/SAN
6.5.8 Major International Companies
6.5.8.1 Atochem
6.5.9 Supply Demand Balance
6.5.10 Sources

6.6 Germany
6.6.1 Base Chemicals
6.6.2 Plastics General
6.6.3 Polyethylene
6.6.4 Polypropylene
6.6.5 Polystyrene
6.6.6 PVC
6.6.7 ABS/SAN
6.6.8 Polycarbonate
6.6.9 PET
6.6.10 Major International Companies
6.6.10.1 Bayer
6.6.10.2 BASF
6.6.10.3 Hoechst
6.6.11 Supply Demand Balance

6.7 Greece
6.7.1 Base Chemicals
6.7.2 Polyethylene
6.7.3 Polypropylene
6.7.4 Polystyrene
6.7.5 PVC
6.7.6 Major International Companies
6.7.6.1 Eko Chemicals
6.7.7 Supply Demand Balance
6.7.8 Sources

6.8 Ireland
6.8.1 Plastics General
6.8.2 Sources

6.9 Italy
6.9.1 Base Chemicals
6.9.2 Plastics General
6.9.3 Polyethylene
6.9.4 Polypropylene
6.9.5 Styrene Monomer
6.9.6 Polystyrene
6.9.7 VCM
6.9.8 PVC
6.9.9 ABS/SAN
6.9.10 Polycarbonate
6.9.11 PET
6.9.12 Major International Companies
6.9.12.1 Montedison
6.9.12.2 Enichem
6.9.13 Supply Demand Balance
6.9.14 Sources

6.10 The Netherlands
6.10.1 Base Chemicals
6.10.2 Plastics General
6.10.3 Polyethylene
6.10.4 Polypropylene
6.10.5 Styrene Monomer
6.10.6 Polystyrene
6.10.7 PVC
6.10.8 ABS/SAN
6.10.9 Polycarbonate
6.10.10 PET
6.10.11 Major International Companies
6.10.11.1 DSM
6.10.11.2 Basell
6.10.12 Supply Demand Balance
6.10.13 Sources

6.11 Norway
6.11.1 Base Chemicals
6.11.2 Plastics General
6.11.3 Polyethylene
6.11.4 Polypropylene
6.11.5 Polystyrene
6.11.6 EDC/VCM
6.11.7 PVC
6.11.8 ABS/SAN
6.11.9 Other Polymers
6.11.10 Major International Companies
6.11.10.1 Norsk Hydro
6.11.11 Supply Demand Balance
6.11.12 Sources

6.12 Portugal
6.12.1 Base Chemicals
6.12.2 Plastics General
6.12.3 Polyethylene
6.12.4 Polypropylene
6.12.5 Polystyrene/ABS
6.12.6 EDC/VCM
6.12.7 PVC
6.12.8 PET
6.12.9 Polycarbonate
6.12.10 PET
6.12.11 Supply Demand Balance
6.12.12 Sources

6.13 Spain
6.13.1 Base Chemicals
6.13.2 Plastics General
6.13.3 Polyethylene
6.13.4 Polypropylene
6.13.5 Styrene Monomer
6.13.6 Polystyrene
6.13.7 VCM
6.13.8 PVC
6.13.9 ABS/SAN
6.13.10 Polycarbonate
6.13.11 PET
6.13.12 Major International Companies
6.13.12.1 Repsol
6.13.13 Supply Demand Balance
6.13.14 Sources

6.14 Sweden
6.14.1 Base Chemicals
6.14.2 Plastics General
6.14.3 Supply Demand Balance
6.14.4 Sources

6.15 Switzerland
6.15.1 Base Chemicals
6.15.2 Plastics General
6.15.3 Supply Demand Balance
6.15.4 Sources

6.16 UK
6.16.1 Base Chemicals
6.16.2 Plastics General
6.16.3 Polyethylene
6.16.4 Polypropylene
6.16.5 Polystyrene
6.16.6 PVC
6.16.7 Major International Companies
6.16.7.1 BP-Amoco
6.16.7.2 Royal Dutch
6.16.8 Supply Demand Balance

6.17 Other Western European Countries
6.17.1 Supply Demand Balance

7 Polymer Pricing

Appendix A - Capacity Tables
A.1 Abbreviations for Capacity Tables
Appendix B - Definitions and Abbreviations
B.1 Definitions
B.2 Abbreviations
B.3 Yield factors
Appendix C - Abbreviations for State Names in the USA, Canada and Mexico

William C. Kuhlke is president of Kuhlke and Associates, a consulting firm in Houston, Texas, which specialises in the marketing of volume polymers.

Mr. Kuhlke was with Shell Chemical Company for 33 years in various marketing functions, initially with the oil company and then with the chemical company. In the latter position, he was associated with the Resins, Elastomers, and Polymer businesses. The author subsequently moved to DeWitt and Company, where he was responsible for all polymer consulting activities.

William Kuhlke was the International President of the SPE during the period 1984-1985. His SPE activities also included: President of the South Texas Section, Programme Chairman for the 1979 ANTEC meeting and Programme Chairman for the first International Polyolefins Conference. He has served as Chairman of the SPI's Furniture Division and as an SPI industry spokesman, in which role he has appeared in numerous radio and television interviews. He has also written numerous published articles on plastics.