BLOG: Asian polyethylene: the butadiene ‘war chest’

LONDON (ICIS)–Click here to see the latest blog post on Asian Chemical Connections. The surge in butadiene prices since November last year has delivered a tremendous further boost to the profitability of the Asian polyethylene (PE) industry – on an integrated basis, when co-product credits from selling butadiene are taken into account. This has bolstered the industry’s “war chest” as it prepares to confront increased competition from new US and Middle East supply due on stream in 2017.

Editor’s note: This blog post is an opinion piece. The views expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of ICIS.