S Korea exports more olefins, less aroms in March

21 April 2008 11:39  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS News)--South Korea exported more olefins and less aromatics in March 2008 as compared to the previous corresponding month, statistics released by the Korean International Trade Authority revealed on Sunday.

Its ethylene export figures surged 67% to 74,350 tonnes from 44,508 tonnes in March 2007, while its butadiene (BD) exports climbed 11.3% to 15,074 tonnes from 13,547 tonnes.

Propylene export numbers bucked the trend as export volumes slipped 12.5% to 34,200 tonnes from 39,079 tonnes.

Benzene, toluene and paraxylene (PX) sectors entered negative territories with export figures dipping 23%, 19.3% and 13.5% respectively.

Styrene monomer (SM) was the only product in the aromatic group that posted a positive 19.3% growth in exports to 104,815 tonnes from 87,824 tonnes.

In the polymers sector, polypropylene (PP) exports rose 26.5% to 97,316 tonnes from 76,743 tonnes year on year, while polyvinyl chloride (PVC) exports closed 21.4% higher at 43,226 tonnes from 35,648 tonnes.

The region’s purified terephthalic acid (PTA) exports also surged 46.3% to 351,276 tonnes from 240,667 tonnes year on year, while methanol exports rose marginally to 116,591 tonnes from 112,828 tonnes.

Product		Export (tonnes) March 2008	Export (tonnes) March 2007	Percentage Change
Olefins
Ethylene		74,350	44,508	67.0%
Propylene		34,200	39,079	-12.5%
Butadiene		15,074	13,547	11.3%
Polymers
hdPE		96,599	88,259	9.5%
ldPE		18,903	19,226	-1.7%
lldPE		30,135	29,105	3.5%
PP		97,316	76,943	26.5%
PVC		43,266	35,648	21.4%
PS		20,023	19,039	5.2%
Aromatics
Benzene		86,308	112,029	-23.0%
Toluene		57,594	71,344	-19.3%
MX		2,208	N.A.	N.A.
PX		123,442	142,784	-13.5%
SM		104,815	87,824	19.3%
Others
PTA		351,276	240,667	46.0%
Phenol		12,449	13,289	-6.32%
Acetone		13,845	14,020	-5.3%
	Imports (tonnes) March 2008		Imports (tonne) March 2007	Percentage change
Methanol	116,591 (3%)		112,828	3.3%

Source: Korean International Trade Association (KITA)

By: Serene Cheong
+65 6780 4359

< previous article(ICIS Chemical Business podcast November 2, 2009)

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