INEOS Styrenics targets €50/tonne hike for Europe March PS

03 March 2011 17:47  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS)--INEOS Styrenics is targeting a €50/tonne ($69/tonne) increase for March polystyrene (PS) in Europe following the settlement of the first styrene barge contract on Wednesday at an increase of €39/tonne, at €1,359/tonne FD (free delivered) NWE (northwest Europe), the company said on Thursday.

“The price increase is necessary due to the continued escalation of key raw materials required to manufacture PS products,” the company said in a statement.

A second styrene settlement was settled on Thursday, at €1,298/tonne FD NWE, up €31/tonne from February.

General purpose PS (GPPS) prices were trading at around the €1,600/tonne FD NWE level at the end of February and buying sources generally expected to be paying increases in March, as permanent capacity closures in 2009 had led to a tight supply-demand balance in the European market.

Styrolution had already announced a €40/tonne target increase for its March PS business.

PS buyers had been subject to increases for several successive months, paying increases amounting to €250/tonne in the past three months.

GPPS is used widely in the food packaging industry.

($1 = €0.72)

For more on PS visit ICIS chemical intelligence

By: Linda Naylor
+44 20 8652 3214

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly