Fundamentals of the Polymers Business

1 hour : Understanding Petrochemicals and Polymers

• What are petrochemicals and where do they come from
• An overview of polymer chemistry explaining what are
  monomers/polymers, thermosets vs thermoplastics

30 minutes : Polymer feedstock Part 1

• What are the key polymer feedstocks
• The main routes to making ethylene, propylene and butadiene and
  their value chains explaine

15 minutes : Break

1 hour : Polymer feedstock Part 2

• The other raw materials – benzene and xylenes
• The main routes to making benzene, toluene and xylenes and
  their value chains explained

15 minutes : Interactive discussion

1 hour : Polyethylene (PE)

• Brief history and early days of development
• Different types of polyethylene and key applications
• LDPE, LLDPE and HDPE – properties, production process,
  technologies and grades/applications
• Latest developments
• Overview of global and regional demand/supply, major producers
• Key end-use segments
• Major demand drivers

15 minutes : Break

1 hour : Polypropylene (PP)

• Brief history and early days of development
• Production process, catalysts, technologies, types of PP,
  grades/applications
• Latest product developments
• Overview of global and regional demand/supply, major producers
• Key end-use segments
• Major demand drivers

15 minutes : Interactive discussion

30 minutes : Plastic processing fundamentals

• The different polymer properties (MFI, etc) and their role in processing
• Introduction to major processing techniques and their applications (injection moulding, extrusion, blow moulding, thermoforming)
• Role of additives

30 minutes Plastic processing fundamentals part 2

45 minutes Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

• PET and polyester
• Early days of development
• Production process
• Grades and applications
• Overview of global and regional demand/supply, major producers
• Key end-use segments and demand drivers
• Recycling and its importance in the PET business

15 minutes : Break

45 minutes : Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

• Brief history and early days of development
• Production process – ethylene and carbide routes to making PVC
• Different grades of PVC and their applications
• Overview of global and regional demand/supply, major producers
• Key end-use segments and demand drivers

45 minutes : Styrenics

• Brief history and early days of development
• Production process and technologies
• Different grades and their applications
• Overview of global and regional demand/supply, major producers
• Key end-use segments and demand drivers
• Major shifts in the Styrenics business

1 hour : Pricing and markets

• Key price drivers
• Cost structure, influence of feedstock costs and margin analysis
• How pricing is assessed
• Differences in markets and price mechanisms across Asia, Europe and Americas
• China and its influence on markets
• The role of futures markets in China and its influence on the physical market

15 minutes : Break

1 hour & 15 mins. : Industry trends and company strategies

• Key business drivers
• Major shifts in company strategies
• Investment trends and changes to trade flows
• Growth opportunities and challenges
• Environmental issues
• The impact of Covid-19 on the polymers marke
• Examining the effects of Ukraine/Russia conflict

15 minutes : Interactive discussion

15 minutes : Summary and conclusion