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Xylenes

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Discover the factors influencing xylenes markets

Xylenes prices and demand can change in an instant. As a by-product of oil refining, petrochemical production and coke fuel manufacturing, these chemicals are highly dependent on upstream markets. Likewise, xylenes demand fluctuates rapidly in downstream markets as they are used in a variety of processes.

Xylenes are split into four main components, isomer grade mixed xylenes (MX), solvent grade xylenes, para-xylenes (PX) and orthoxylenes (OX). Solvent xylenes are used as solvents in the printing, rubber and leather industries as well as cleaning agents, thinners for paints and in agricultural sprays. The primary use of mixed xylenes is as an octane booster for transportation fuels. Xylenes are also one of the precursors of the production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyester fibre. OX is largely used for the production of phthalic anhydride (PA) markets.

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Xylenes news

S Korea's S-Oil Shaheen project 55% complete; to start commercial ops in H2 ’26

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–S-Oil's Shaheen crude-to-chemical project in Ulsan, South Korea is now 55% complete and is expected to start commercial operations in the second half 2026, the producer said on Monday. Construction of the $7bn project at the Onsan Industrial Complex of Ulsan City started in March 2023, with mechanical completion targeted by the first half of 2026. South Korean refiner S-Oil is 63%-owned by Saudi Aramco, the world's largest crude exporter. The Shaheen project – named after the Arabic word for “falcon” – will have a 1.8 million tonne/year mixed-feed cracking facility; an 880,000 tonne/year linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) unit; and a 440,000 tonne/year high density PE (HDPE) plant. The site will have a thermal crude-to-chemical (TC2C) facility, which will convert crude directly into petrochemical feedstocks such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and naphtha, and the cracker is expected to recycle waste heat for power generation in the refinery. The company currently produces a range of petrochemicals and fuels including benzene, mixed xylenes, ethylene, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), paraxylene, polypropylene, propylene, propylene oxide, biodiesel, and potentially bio-based aviation and other bio-derived products at its Onsan site. S-Oil plans to supply feedstock to domestic petrochemical downstream companies mainly through pipelines. "To this end, the construction of logistics-related infrastructure, such as a new pipeline network, is being carried out at the same time," it said. Long-term agreements for stable supply of raw materials are being signed between S-Oil and petrochemical companies located at the two industrial complexes in Ulsan, which would boost competitiveness of domestic value chain, the company said.

17-Feb-2025

Europe top stories: weekly summary

LONDON (ICIS)–Here are some of the top stories from ICIS Europe for the week ended 14 February. Europe MX and PX chemical value chain braces for headwinds amid downstream closures and tariff threats Downstream demand for mixed xylenes (MX) and paraxylene (PX) in Europe has been limited at the start of 2025, with permanent shutdowns and the threat of tariffs among the hurdles to a meaningful recovery. Germany's battered chemical industry holds its breath ahead of general election Germany is set to head to the polls on 23 February amid one of the most challenging economic scenarios the country has faced in post-war times. EU gas price cap proposals would drive shipments to other regions – ICIS expert Proposals under consideration in the European Commission to temporarily cap natural gas pricing would likely result in the diversion of supplies away from Europe and tighten supply in the region, an ICIS analyst said on Wednesday. EU promises plan to save chemicals as Clean Industrial Deal approaches The European Commission has promised to address the plight of the region’s energy-intensive petrochemical sector later this year as it gears up for the publication of the Clean Industrial Deal on 26 February. IPEX: Asia finding a floor, up 1%; PVC and PP drive 1.3% index fall in Europe; USG toluene firms The ICIS Petrochemical Index (IPEX) for January shows that northeast Asian chemical markets may be finding a floor after two consecutive months of declines, with the regional index up 1% – only its second gain in six months, driven by a 14.7% surge in butadiene due to rising crude oil costs.

17-Feb-2025

ICIS EXPLAINS: German election's impact on energy

LONDON (ICIS)– Germany will head to the polls on 23 February for a snap federal election as Olaf Scholz, the incumbent chancellor, lost the vote of confidence last December, a month after his coalition government collapsed in November 2024. The following analysis will reflect core pledges from the manifestos of the German parties and review those in detail using ICIS data and insights. This analysis of German political pledges and announcements will be continuously updated by the ICIS energy editorial team. Lead authors include German power reporter Johnathan Hamilton-Eve, German gas reporters Ghassan Zumot and Eduardo Escajadillo. Data aggregated from multiple surveys collated by Politico, showed that on 12 February, the CDU/CSU led the polls with 29% of the vote. While the CDU/CDU remains ahead, the party has lost three percentage points since 13 November, when Scholz first announced a vote of confidence would take place on 16 December. Meanwhile, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Linke party have seen the largest gains in voter support, with each increasing by three percentage points in the polls. NORD STREAM AfD co-leader, Alice Weidel, said in a party congress on 11 January that her party is willing to resume Russian gas supplies via Nord Stream. The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) has proposed reviving Nord Stream as part of its strategy to affordable and secure gas supplies. However, this is unlikely to materialise as BSW is not among the top three parties while the AfD is explicitly excluded from the ruling coalition. As a result, such energy policies would be very unlikely to pass in parliament. Other parties are explicitly against the idea of returning to Russian piped supplies. Technical capacity of Nord Stream 1 and 2 is 55 billion cubic meters (bcm) per year for each of the twin pipelines. REVIVAL OF NUCLEAR POWER Germany’s controversial decision to shut down its last three nuclear power plants in April 2023, is also an important topic discussed by the main parties who claim that this source of generation would ensure security of supply in the power sector. The AfD is the most vocal party to advocate for the return of nuclear energy as part of its agenda, the CDU/CSU dissimilarly said it would examine the possibility of recommissioning nuclear power plants as part of energy diversification. Excluding the FDP which support nuclear power development, the SPDs have no clear stance on the issue. The Greens/Alliance 90, Linke and BSW are the only parties that explicitly oppose a return to nuclear power generation, although BSW does support intensifying research in the field of nuclear fusion. Despite mixed views on nuclear, market participants and former nuclear operators  remain sceptical on the issue, citing high costs, extensive staff training, regulatory challenges and the advanced dismantling of decommissioned nuclear plants as key barriers, making a revival unfeasible. GAS POWER PLANT STRATEGY? After a year of delays to the power plant safety act, Germany’s coalition collapse led to the current minority government failing to pass the act in December 2024. While the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate action (BMWK) previously told ICIS that implementing the act was “no longer possible” due to CDU/CSU opposition, traders active within the German power market noted that a revised bill with a renewed focus would likely follow the elections to help address missing power plant capacity. “A law to increase the capacity of dispatchable power plants is highly necessary and we will see some version of it in 2025,” said one trader. The CDU/CSU, led by Friedrich Merz, said in January that it would build 50 new gas-fired power plants quickly if elected. According to ICIS Analytics, that would make around a 25GW capacity addition to Germany’s current 36GW gas-fired fleet. This move aims to bring back confidence for investors and supply security for power consumers amid multiple periods of limited renewable generations this winter so far. On the other hand, the Greens want to move away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy as fast as possible. They strongly oppose new gas-fired power plants, unless hydrogen-ready, and aim to achieve 100% renewable electricity within the next ten years. Additionally, they plan to stop using fossil gas by 2045 and reject new long-term gas import deals, focusing on local sustainable energy. The Social Democrats, led by the incumbent chancellor Olaf Scholz, advocate for a more balanced approach. They aim to reduce CO2 emissions and are open to carbon capture and storage projects. Scholz recently welcomed the commissioning of new US LNG projects in a bid to diversify energy sources and expressed commitments to phasing out traditional energy sources gradually to maintain energy security and industrial strength. The Free Democratic Party (FDP) supports a market-driven policy. They want to reduce regulations to improve efficiency and modernization, creating a simple capacity market to incentivize building gas-fired power plants. The FDP also supports increasing domestic natural gas extraction, including the use of fracking, and boosting storage capacities to reduce reliance on international supplies. In stark contrast, AfD takes a very different approach. They support building new coal- and lignite-fired power plants and aim to revive the Nord Stream pipelines to secure cheap gas imports. RENEWABLE ENERGY The expansion of renewable energy remains a key topic in Germany, however, its focus has somewhat declined as debates over migration and how to revive the country's struggling economy take centre stage. Despite this shift, most parties continue to agree on the need to expand renewables. The Greens, SPD and Linke are the most ambitious in terms of promoting renewable energy. The Greens have pledged to uphold the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) target of an 80% renewable energy mix by 2030 and a carbon-neutral power grid by 2035. Similarly, Linke supports a 100% renewable energy mix, but with an extended timeline to 2050. To accelerate renewable expansion, Linke proposes municipalities receive a €25,000 bonus per MW for new wind turbines and large-scale PV systems built, along with a higher mandatory payment from wind and solar operators to municipalities. All parties advocate for lower grid fees, while the Greens, SPD, and CDU/CSU also advocate for a reduction in electricity taxes to cut prices and incentivise renewable growth. The BSW has indicated it would implement a repowering program to replace old wind turbines with new ones to increase electricity yield, while encouraging the installation of PV systems on public buildings and parking lots. In contrast, the FDP and AfD take an openly hostile stance towards renewables. Both parties have pledged to ban renewable subsidies, while the AfD has vowed to go a step further and demolish all wind turbines, with Weidel describing them as “windmills of shame”.

17-Feb-2025

Asia top stories – weekly summary

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Here are the top stories from ICIS News Asia and the Middle East for the week ended 7 February 2025. INSIGHT: South Korea broadens aid for struggling petrochemical industry By Nurluqman Suratman 07-Feb-25 11:29 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–South Korea is streamlining regulations to make it easier for regions densely populated by petrochemical companies to qualify as "industrial crisis response areas", a designation that unlocks government support and financial assistance to mitigate impact of market downturns. Asia PE pipe prices get lift from tighter Mideast supply By Izham Ahmad 06-Feb-25 11:01 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Deals and offers for polyethylene (PE) pipe grade in China and southeast Asia in the week ending 5 February were mostly firmer. China petrochemical futures mixed amid renewed US-China trade war By Jonathan Yee 05-Feb-25 16:05 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–China’s petrochemical futures markets were mixed on Wednesday after the country reopened following its Lunar New Year holiday, amid a trade war renewal with the US on 4 February. Japan's Asahi Kasei 9-month income surges; basic materials swing to profit By Nurluqman Suratman 05-Feb-25 14:20 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Asahi Kasei's net income surged by 68.1% year on year in the nine months to December 2024, supported by improved petrochemical prices and lower fixed costs, the Japanese chemicals major said on Wednesday. UPDATE: Oil gains, Asia petrochemical shares fall as Trump starts trade war By Nurluqman Suratman 03-Feb-25 14:16 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Oil prices jumped while shares of petrochemical firms in Asia tumbled on Monday, after US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico. Asia rPE, rPP demand from packaging stays subdued in Q1 By Arianne Perez 07-Feb-25 15:40 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–The use of recycled polyethylene (rPE) and recycled polypropylene (rPP) for the packaging of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) has been weak in general for Q1.

10-Feb-2025

VIDEO: Europe R-PET flake, food-grade pellet prices rise in February

LONDON (ICIS)–Senior editor for recycling Matt Tudball discusses the latest developments in the European recycled polyethylene terephthalate (R-PET) market, including: Colourless, mixed coloured, blue flake prices rise Food-grade pellet (FGP) prices increase Question if demand will be sustained Petcore 2025 conference highlights

07-Feb-2025

CORRECTED: INSIGHT: US tariffs unleash higher costs to nation's chem industry

Correction: In the ICIS story headlined “INSIGHT: US tariffs unleash higher costs to nation's chem industry” dated 3 February 2025, the wrong volumes were used for the following imports: Canadian ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers, having a specific gravity of less than 0.94; Canadian polyethylene having a specific gravity of 0.94 or more, in primary forms; Canadian polyethylene having a specific gravity of less than 0.94, in primary forms; Canadian polypropylene, in primary forms; Canadian mixed xylene isomers; Mexican polypropylene, in primary forms; and Mexican cyclohexane. The US did not import cyclohexane from Mexico in 2023. A corrected story follows. HOUSTON (ICIS)–The tariffs that the US will impose on all imports from Canada, Mexico and China will unleash higher costs for the nation's chemical industry, create supply-chain snarls and open it to retaliation. For Canada, the US will impose 10% tariffs on imports of energy and 25% tariffs on all other imports. For Mexico, the US imposed 25% tariffs on all imports but the countries' presidents said on Monday the tariffs are being paused for a month. For China, the US will impose 10% tariffs on all imports. US IMPORTS LARGE AMOUNTS OF PE FROM CANADAUS petrochemical production is concentrated along its Gulf Coast, which is far from many of its manufacturing hubs in the northeastern and midwestern parts of the country. As a result, individual states import large amounts of polyethylene (PE) from Canada – even though the nation as a whole has a large surplus of the material. Even Texas imports large amounts of PE from Canada – despite its abundance of plants that produce the polymer. In addition, polyester plants in North and South Carolina import large amounts of the feedstocks monoethylene glycol (MEG) and purified terephthalic acid (PTA) from Canada. The US as a whole imports significant amounts of polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from Canada – again, despite its surplus of these plastics. The following table lists some of the main plastics and chemicals that the US imported from Canada in 2023. The products are organized by their harmonized tariff schedule (HTS) code. HTS PRODUCT MEASUREMENT VOLUMES 3901.40.00 Ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers, having a specific gravity of less than 0.94 kilograms 1,319,817,405 3901.20.50 Polyethylene having a specific gravity of 0.94 or more, in primary forms kilograms 1,088,071,523 3901.10.50 Polyethylene having a specific gravity of less than 0.94, in primary forms kilograms 420,561,390 2917.36.00 Terephthalic acid and its salts kilograms 407,710,439 2905.31.00 Ethylene Glycol kilograms 329,542,378 3902.10.00 Polypropylene, in primary forms kilograms 271,201,880 3904.10.00 Polyvinyl chloride, not mixed with any other substances, in primary forms kilograms 188,800,413 2902.44.00 Mixed xylene isomers liters 746,072 2905.12.00 Propan-1-ol (Propyl alcohol) and Propan-2-ol (isopropyl alcohol) kilograms 87,805,095 3901.30.60 Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers kilograms 71,372,396 Source: US International Trade Commission (ITC) IMPORTS FROM MEXICOMexico is not as large of a source of US petrochemical imports as Canada, but shipments from the country are still noteworthy. The following table lists some of the main plastics and chemicals that the US imported from Mexico in 2023. HTS PRODUCT MEASUREMENT VOLUMES 2917.36.00 Terephthalic acid and its salts kilograms 69,230,708 3901.10.50 Polyethylene having a specific gravity of less than 0.94, in primary forms kilograms 34,674,435 2915.24.00 Acetic anhydride kilograms 25,294,318 3904.10.00 Polyvinyl chloride, not mixed with any other substances, in primary forms kilograms 24,005,371 2915.31.00 Ethyl acetate kilograms 18,855,544 3901.20.50 Polyethylene having a specific gravity of 0.94 or more, in primary forms kilograms 14,469,582 3902.10.00 Polypropylene, in primary forms kilograms 8,849,478 Source: US International Trade Commission (ITC) IMPORTS FROM CHINAChina remains a significant source for a couple of noteworthy chemicals despite the effects of the tariffs that US President Donald Trump imposed during his first term in office. The following table shows 2023 US imports from China. HTS PRODUCT MEASUREMENT VOLUMES 29152100 Acetic acid kilograms 21,095,566 39093100 Poly(methylene phenyl isocyanate) (crude MDI, polymeric MDI) kilograms 206,642,886 Source: US International Trade Commission (ITC) China's shipments of plastics goods are more significant. OIL TARIFFS WILL HIT US REFINERSCanada and Mexico are the largest sources of imported crude oil in the US, and the heavier grades from these countries complement the lighter grades that the US produces in abundance. Those imports help fill out refining units that process heavier crude fractions, such as hydrocrackers, cokers, base oil units and fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units. Refiners cannot swap out heavier Canadian and Mexican grades with lighter US grades. Instead, they will need to pay the tariffs or find another supplier of heavier grades, possibly at a higher cost. The following table shows the largest sources of imported crude in 2023. Figures are listed in thousands of barrels/day. COUNTRY IMPORTS % Canada 3,885 59.9 Mexico 733 11.3 Saudi Arabia 349 5.4 Iraq 213 3.3 Colombia 202 3.1 Total US imports 6,489 Source: Energy Information Administration (EIA) US refiners could take another hit from higher catalyst costs. These are made from rare earth elements, and China remains a key source. TARIFFS TO RAISE COSTS FOR FERTILIZERCanada is the world's largest producer of potash, and it exports massive amounts to the US. It is unclear how the US could find another source. Russia and Belarus are the world's second and third largest potash producers. Together, the three accounted for 65.9% of global potash production in 2023, according to the Canadian government. Canada accounts for significant shares of other US imports of fertilizers. The following table lists some of Canada's fertilizer shipments to the US in 2023 and shows its share of total US imports. Figures are from 2023. HTS PRODUCT MEASUREMENT VOLUME % 31042000 Potassium chloride metric tonne 11850925 88.8 31023000 Ammonium nitrate, whether or not in aqueous solution metric tonne 295438 76.6 31024000 Mixtures of ammonium nitrate with calcium carbonate or other inorganic nonfertilizing substances metric tonne 29203 75.7 31055100 Mineral or chemical fertilizers, containing nitrates and phosphates metric tonne 1580 66.1 31022100 Ammonium sulfate metric tonne 947140 49.6 31052000 Mineral or chemical fertilizers, containing the three fertilizing elements nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium metric tonne 147850 41.4 Source: US ITC SUPPLY CHAIN SNARLSIf US companies choose to avoid the tariffs and seek other suppliers, they could be exposed to delays and supply chain constraints. Other companies outside of the petrochemical, plastic and fertilizer industries will also be seeking new suppliers. The scale of these disruptions could be significant because Canada, Mexico and China are the largest trading partners in the US. The following table lists the top 10 US trading partners in 2023 based on combined imports and exports. Country Total Exports ($) General Imports ($) TOTAL Mexico 322,742,472,406 475,215,965,697 797,958,438,103 Canada 354,355,997,349 418,618,659,183 772,974,656,532 China 147,777,767,493 426,885,009,750 574,662,777,243 Germany 76,697,761,127 159,272,068,221 235,969,829,348 Japan 75,683,130,214 147,238,042,342 222,921,172,556 South Korea 65,056,093,590 116,154,470,335 181,210,563,925 UK 74,315,228,810 64,217,031,774 138,532,260,584 Taiwan 39,956,725,574 87,767,403,487 127,724,129,061 Vietnam 9,842,922,146 114,426,076,081 124,268,998,227 Source: US ITC RETALIATIONUS petrochemical exports would be tempting targets for retaliation because of their magnitude and the global capacity glut. China, in particular, could impose tariffs on US chemical imports and offset the disruptions by increasing rates at under-utilized plants. So far, none announced plans to target chemicals on Sunday. Canada's plans to impose 25% tariffs on $30 billion in US goods does not include oil, refined products, chemicals or plastics. That batch of tariffs will take place on February 4. Canada will impose 25% tariffs on an additional $125 billion worth of US goods following a 21-day comment period, it said. The government did not highlight plastics or chemicals in this second batch of tariffs. Instead, it said the tariffs will cover passenger vehicles and trucks, including electric vehicles, steel and aluminium products, certain fruits and vegetables, aerospace products, beef, pork, dairy, trucks and buses, recreational vehicles and recreational boats. In a statement issued on Sunday, Mexico's president made no mention of retaliatory tariffs. Instead, she said she will provide more details about Mexico's response on Monday. China said it will start legal proceedings through the World Trade Organization (WTO) and take corresponding countermeasures. RATIONALE BEHIND THE TARIFFSThe US imposed the tariffs under the nation's International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which gives the president authority to take actions to address a severe national security threat. In a fact sheet, Trump cited illegal immigration and illicit drugs. Saturday's executive order is the first time that a US president imposed tariffs under IEEPA. Prior IEEPA actions lasted an average of nine years. They can be terminated by a vote in Congress. Insight article by Al Greenwood (Thumbnail shows containers, in which goods are commonly shipped. Image by Shutterstock)

03-Feb-2025

Americas top stories: weekly summary

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Here are the top stories from ICIS News from the week ended 31 January. Colombia accepts US terms for migrants’ deportations, fends off 25% tariff threat Colombia became over the weekend the first Latin American country to get a taste of President Donald Trump’s immigration policy mixed with unconventional diplomacy after the country refused landing to two flights with repatriated Colombian migrants. INSIGHT: US tariffs of 25% on Mexico and Canada would cause massive hit to GDP – ICIS analysis Proposed US tariffs of 25% on all imports from Mexico and Canada would have a massive negative impact to the GDP of the exporting countries and slow US GDP growth as well, according to the ICIS economist. Brazil’s chemicals to slow in 2025 amid currency, fiscal deficit woes – Activas CEO Brazil’s chemicals distribution sector posted healthy activity in 2024 as manufacturing finally gained traction, but conditions are set to worsen in 2025 amid high inflation, high borrowing costs, and a government too prone to spend, according to the CEO at Brazilian chemicals distributor Activas. Dow to face margin pressure in Q1 with no help from macros – execs Dow expects to face sales and margin pressures in Q1 2025 with no improvement in the macro outlook following a difficult Q4, senior executives said. LyondellBasell confident on Q1 PE price gains on cracker downtime, lack of new capacity – execs LyondellBasell expects to see price improvement in North America polyethylene (PE) in Q1 on industry cracker outages and lack of new local capacity starting up, along with higher demand through 2025.

03-Feb-2025

VIDEO: Europe R-PET higher February offers for colourless, mixed coloured NWE flake

LONDON (ICIS)–Senior editor for recycling Matt Tudball discusses the latest developments in the European recycled polyethylene terephthalate (R-PET) market, including: Colourless, mixed coloured flake sellers raise offers for February Italian bale prices rise again European Commission members may face grilling on regulation at Petcore Annual Conference in Brussels on 4-5 February

31-Jan-2025

INSIGHT: US states near Canada face massive tariff bill on plastics imports

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Customers in several US states closer to Canada than its Gulf Coast petrochemical hubs import large amounts of plastics and chemicals from the country, including materials that the US produces in abundance, and these shipments could soon become subject to tariffs totalling hundreds of millions of dollars. US President Donald Trump has said he could announce on February 1 tariffs of up to 25% on imports from Canada and Mexico. Even though the US has large surpluses of many plastics and chemicals, domestic companies still import large amounts of these materials from Canada. These customers face the prospects of higher tariffs from Canadian imports or potentially higher shipping costs from suppliers that are farther away. CANADIAN EXPORTS TO NORTHERN STATESUS plastics and chemicals production is concentrated on the Gulf Coast in the south, which is far from the manufacturing and plastic processing hubs in Michigan, Illinois and Ohio in the north. These and other northern US states are much closer to Canada's petrochemical plants in Sarnia, Ontario province, than they are to the Gulf Coast. The following table shows various plastics and chemicals that Canadian exported in 2023 to Michigan, Illinois and Ohio. The bottom row shows how much customers from each state would pay if a 25% tariff was levied on the total value of these 2023 exports. Export figures are in tonnes. HTS Code Description Michigan (tonnes) Illinois (tonnes) Ohio (tonnes) 3901.10.00 PE having a specific gravity of less than 0.94 30,403 41,967 59,908 3901.20.00 PE having a specific gravity of 0.94 or more 125,693 66,493 85,328 3901.40.00 Ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers 163,543 155,042 88,793 3902.10.00 Polypropylene 6,232 122,970 20,694 3901.30.00 Ethyl vinyl acetate copolymer 55 55,012 2,526 2905.31.00 Ethylene glycol 5 152,746 8,634 Total tariff bill $119,027,186 $243,701,358 $103,054,090 Source: Statistics Canada CANADIAN IMPORTS FROM THE CAROLINASNorth and South Carolina are also large destinations for Canadian exports. These states are home to auto plants as well as facilities that make polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which uses monoethylene glycol (MEG) and purified terephthalic acid (PTA) as feedstocks. The following table shows 2023 shipments made to these states. The bottom row shows how much customers would pay if a 25% tariff was levied on the total value of these exports. Export figures are in tonnes. HTS Code Description South Carolina (tonnes) North Carolina (tonnes) 3904.10.00 PVC, not mixed with any other substances 428 134,433 2905.31.00 Ethylene glycol 66,973 2,731 2917.36.00 Terephthalic acid and its salts 102,162 162,505 3901.10.00 PE having a specific gravity of less than 0.94 25,379 13,076 3901.20.00 PE having a specific gravity of 0.94 or more 79,301 30,278 3901.40.00 Ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers 98,070 40,879 3902.10.00 Polypropylene 38,763 1,033 Total tariff bill $168,380,231 $166,512,281 Source: Statistics Canada Even though Texas is home to many plastics and chemical plants, it is still a destination for a large amount of plastic exports from Canada. The following table shows 2023 shipments made to Texas. The bottom row shows how much customers would pay if a 25% tariff was levied on the total value of these exports. Export figures are in tonnes. HTS Code Description Texas (tonnes) 3901.10.00 PE having a specific gravity of less than 0.94 62,300 3901.20.00 PE having a specific gravity of 0.94 or more 189,247 3901.40.00 Ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers 185,610 3902.10.00 Polypropylene 21,315 Total tariff bill $145,297,714 Source: Statistics Canada CONSEQUENCES OF TARIFFSWhether the US proposes the tariffs on February 1 is still up in the air. Trump has used the threat of tariffs as a negotiating tool in the past, as he did against Mexico during his first term and against Colombia earlier this month. In both cases, the US reached agreements with the countries without imposing the tariffs. If the US does impose the tariffs, customers could pay the additional tax, or they could find another supplier. For states closer to Canada, new suppliers could increase shipping times and costs. If the tariffs are broad enough, customers will be competing for cargo space with other companies that are also procuring supplies from new suppliers. The tariffs could make the US plastic and chemical markets more vulnerable to weather disruptions because most of its production is concentrated along the Gulf Coast. This region of the US is vulnerable to hurricanes and, increasingly, to sub-freezing temperatures. Since 2021, the Gulf Coast has had spells of sub-freezing temperature every winter season. The region's plants were not designed to operate in such low temperatures, so they typically suffer from unplanned outages during the winter. Canadian material made US chemical and plastic supply chains more resilient by offering an alternative to Gulf Coast material. HOW CANADIAN TARIFFS COULD UNFOLDIf the US does pursue tariffs against Canada, it will likely do so under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977, said Jacob Jensen, a data analyst for the American Action Forum (AAF), a think tank. The IEEPA allows the president to propose actions to address a severe national security threat. In the case of tariffs, immigration, fentanyl or both would be declared as national emergencies, and that would trigger IEEPA. Once the president notifies Congress through a letter or a speech, the tariffs could be imposed. Imposing tariffs under IEEPA would be a first for the US, Jensen said. It could also be long term. The average duration of an IEEPA order is nine years. They can be terminated by a vote in Congress. The US can impose tariffs under other laws, but the ones that Trump proposed for Canada do not meet the parameters under those regulations. Tariffs under Section 301 address unfair trade practices and require investigations. The US has not started such an investigation on Canadian trade practices. Tariffs under Section 232 cover specific products and are not broad-based like the ones Trump proposed against Canada. Tariffs under Section 201 are intended to provide temporary relief for a group of products or an industry. They are not broad-based. Tariffs under Section 122 have a limit of 15%. Tariffs under Section 338 have no precedence and could face court challenges. OTHER POTENTIAL TARIFFSSince winning the election, Trump also proposed tariffs of 25% on imports from Mexico and 10% on imports from China. During his campaign, Trump proposed the following tariffs: Baseline tariffs of 10-20% on all imports. Tariffs of 60% on imports from China. A reciprocal trade act, under which the US would match tariffs that other countries impose on its exports. Insight by Al Greenwood

30-Jan-2025

Thailand’s SCG Chemicals Q4 net loss widens on LSP depreciation

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Thai conglomerate Siam Cement Group’s (SCG) chemicals operations incurred a wider Q4 net loss of baht (Bt) 3.40 billion ($101 million) on account of poor performance from its subsidiary Long Son Petrochemical (LSP) in Vietnam. in million Thai baht (Bt) Q4 2024 Q4 2023 % change 2024 2023 Yr-on-yr % change SCG Chemicals revenue 58,982 46,259 28% 210,298 191,482 10% SCG Chemicals EBITDA 1,436 2,449 -41% 7,363 13,696 -46% SCG Chemicals net profit -3,403 -2,560 33% -7,990 589 – Group Sales 130,512 120,618 8% 511,172 499,646 2% Group EBITDA   15,178 10,924 39% 53,946 54,143 0% Group profit for the period -512 -1,134 -55% 6,342 25,915 -76% LSP’s non-cash depreciation in Q4 was Bt3.27 billion, SCG said in a presentation to analysts on Thursday. Operations at its petrochemical complex in Ba Ria-Vung Tao province in southeastern Vietnam were halted indefinitely from mid-October 2024 amid poor production economics. Vietnam’s LSP is a wholly owned subsidiary of SCG Chemicals (SCGC), the petrochemicals arm of SCG. For 2025, SCG estimates LSP’s monthly total expenses to be about Bt1.20 billion, of which 40% is non-cash depreciation. SCG is working towards diversifying the feedstock of LSP’s cracker via an ethane enhancement project, whose estimated cost was reduced to $500 million, from $700 million previously, and will be funded internally. The project is expected to be completed in end-2027. It noted that ethane is about $250/tonne cheaper than naphtha, the main feedstock used in Asia for petrochemical production. LSP is a flexible cracker which can run on up to 70% gas – either propane or ethane – in its feedstock mix, SCG said. In line with the project, SCG has signed a 15-year deal with the US’ Enterprise Products Partners for supply of up to 1 million tonnes/year of ethane on a free-on-board basis. A time charter of the same duration was also signed with Japanese shipping firm Mitsui OSK Lines for the transport of the gas feedstock. LSP’s ethane enhancement project will include the building of two specialized tanks with specialized storage of minus 90 degree Celsius, SCG said. With the addition of ethane as feedstock, “SCGC’s total feedstock pool will be more balanced and competitive”, it said, noting that gas – ethane, propane, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) – will be for global competitiveness, while naphtha is for “operational ease and creation of HVA [high value-added] by-products”. In the first half of 2025, SCG said that capacity additions, margin pressure and weak demand in the olefins and vinyl sectors will continue to weigh on the petrochemical industry. ($1 = Bt33.78) Thumbnail image: Thailand Chonburi Laem Chabang Port – 24 January 2022 (Xinhua/Shutterstock)

30-Jan-2025

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