Braskem sets plastic sales record for Brazil in September

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Braskem sold more than 365,000 tonnes of plastic into the Brazilian market in September, breaking the previous sales record of 355,000 tonnes that the company set in August, the polyolefins producer said on Wednesday.

The company’s renewable polyethylene (PE), marketed as Green PE, also reached a new high, Braskem said.

In the US, demand for polypropylene (PP) remains elevated, with more than 140,000 tonnes sold in September.

The increased sales mark a recovery from the sharp declines in plastic demand that hit the country in April and May, the result of the coronavirus. As a result of that recovery, Braskem brought the operating rates at its Brazilian plants back to normal. During the worst of the pandemic, they fell to 65%.

In the US, the company’s PP plants also returned to normal operating rates.

Among Braskem’s products, the company sold 188,000 tonnes of PE in September, up from 173,000 tonnes in August.

The figure refers to domestic sales in Brazil.

For Green PE, September sales exceeded 17,000 tonnes, the first time they reached such a high level during the month.

Braskem’s Green PE is made from renewable ethylene, which is produced by dehydrating ethanol. The ethanol is made by fermenting sugar.

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