US EPS prices fall along with feedstock costs

11 October 2011 20:44  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS)--US expandable polystyrene (EPS) prices lost ground this week, slipping with the price of feedstock benzene, sources said on Tuesday.

US EPS prices were assessed by ICIS at 87-94 cents/lb ($1,918-2,072/tonne, €1,400-1,513/tonne) DEL (delivered) for block and package material, down by an average of 4 cents/lb from prices at the end of September.

The prices slid along with feedstock values in October, including benzene prices, which fell by 68 cents/gal, sources said.

"We are seeing raw material costs come off, and it makes sense that when it does that that we need to be a little responsive," said one producer, who added prices had fallen by 3-5 cents/lb since September.

Although suppliers will not realise most of the savings in feedstock costs until November, sources said competitive situations among producers helped push prices lower for October.

Buyers, who agreed that prices were down 3-5 cents/lb, said the price dip was not enough to encourage inventory building, particularly with the prospect of prices falling further.

"We're just buying what we need," one buyer said. "I learned that lesson in 2008."

Major US EPS producers are BASF, Nova Chemicals, Flint Hills Resources, Styrochem and Nexkemia.

For more on expandable polystyrene visit ICIS chemical intelligence

By: Michelle Klump
+1 713 525 2653

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