Vinyl Chloride Monomer Overview Transcript
Vinyl chloride monomer, also known as VCM, is an intermediate in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production and is largely integrated, with only a small merchant market outside of contract agreements.
About 99% of VCM is used in the production of downstream PVC, which is the main driver of VCM prices.
Other drivers include movements in ethylene and chlorine costs as well as events in the wider chlor alkali chain, as producers need to balance the electro chemical unit in order to make the business profitable.
The economy is also a key driver for VCM consumption, as the PVC market is strongly linked with construction activity and GDP.
In the global VCM market, trading activity has depended on the outcome of PVC negotiations, which have been largely unsuccessful for producers, as poor conditions in the construction market continue to cap potential increases and producers’ efforts to pass higher ethylene costs.