Buy, plan and negotiate more effectively with 18-month price forecasts and analytics. Monitor cost pressures and identify early signs of production shifts.

We can measure the week-by-week progress of the PP industry towards full recovery by comparing spreads from January 2022 (when the downturn began) to the present with the long-term averages between 2003 and 2021.

But there were some sales winners as the next chart shows. They included Kazakhstan with its new PP plant that is supplying China via a new road link, the Russian Federation and Vietnam. As the links to the news articles on the slide below details, geopolitics is playing a role in this shift in trade flows.

When, how, what and why to automate — leading robotics suppliers and forward-thinking moldmakers will share their insights on automating manufacturing at collocated event.

In this collection of articles, two of the industry’s foremost authorities on screw design — Jim Frankand and Mark Spalding — offer their sage advice on screw design...what works, what doesn’t, and what to look for when things start going wrong.

On an annual basis, CFR China PP spreads so far this year are $1/tonne higher than their lowest level since our price assessments began in 2003 – which was in 2022.

How the above chart works is that I calculated average CFR China PP injection, block and random copolymer prices for January-August 2022 and January-August 2023.

Before then, PP and other petrochemical capacities will need to be shut down and new projects cancelled or postponed in order to bring markets back into balance. The shutdowns and cancellations will have to be big.

Join KraussMaffei for an insightful webinar designed for industry professionals, engineers and anyone interested in the manufacturing processes of PVC pipes. This session will provide a comprehensive understanding of the technology behind the production of high-quality PVC pipes: from raw material preparation to final product testing. Agenda: Introduction to PVC extrusion: overview of the basic principles of PVC pipe extrusion — including the process of melting and shaping PVC resin into pipe forms Equipment and machinery: detailed explanation of the key equipment involved — such as extruders, dies and cooling systems — and their roles in the extrusion process Process parameters: insight into the critical process parameters like temperature, pressure and cooling rates that influence the quality and consistency of the final PVC pipes Energy efficiency: examination of ways to save material and energy use when extruding PVC pipe products

Discover how artifical intelligence is revolutionizing plastics processing. Hear from industry experts on the future impact of AI on your operations and envision a fully interconnected plant.

September retail sales grew by a healthy 5.5% on a year-on-year basis. But several commentators pointed out that double-digit growth in retail sales had been expected after the zero-COVID lockdowns ended.

Say “manufacturing automation” and thoughts immediately go to the shop floor and specialized production equipment, robotics and material handling systems. But there is another realm of possible automation — the front office.

PP block copolymer grade spreads would need to rebound by 118% to return to their long-term average and injection grade spreads would need to be 123% higher.

Total losses among these exporters to China came to $769m tonnes in January-August 2023, again on a year-on-year basis, versus $755m in January-July.

Core Technology Molding turned to Mold-Masters E-Multi auxiliary injection unit to help it win a job and dramatically change its process.

Ultradent's entry of its Umbrella cheek retractor took home the awards for Technical Sophistication and Achievement in Economics and Efficiency at PTXPO.

Resin drying is a crucial, but often-misunderstood area. This collection includes details on why and what you need to dry, how to specify a dryer, and best practices.

In a time where sustainability is no longer just a buzzword, the food and beverage packaging industry is required to be at the forefront of this innovation. By adopting circular packaging processes and solutions, producers can meet regulatory requirements while also satisfying consumer demand and enhancing brand reputation. Join Husky to learn more about the broader implications of the circular economy — as well as how leading brands are leveraging this opportunity to reduce costs, increase design flexibility and boost product differentiation. Agenda: The cost and operational benefits of embracing circularity Key materials in circular packaging — including rPET and emerging bioplastics How to design a circular food and beverage package Strategies for selecting sustainable closures to future-proof packaging solutions Optimization and streamlining of production processes for enhanced efficiency How Husky Technologies can enable your sustainable success

Search for individual chemicals, energy or fertilizers commodities to learn more about the pricing, news and analysis we offer.

While prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter.

Additive technology creates air pockets in film during orientation, cutting down on the amount of resin needed while boosting opacity, mechanical properties and recyclability.

Plastics Technology’s Tech Days is back! Every Tuesday in October, a series of five online presentations will be given by industry supplier around the following topics:  Injection Molding — New Technologies, Efficiencies Film Extrusion — New Technologies, Efficiencies Upstream/Downstream Operations Injection Molding — Sustainability Extrusion — Compounding Coming out of NPE2024, PT identified a variety of topics, technologies and trends that are driving and shaping the evolution of plastic products manufacturing — from recycling/recyclability and energy optimization to AI-based process control and automation implementation. PT Tech Days is designed to provide a robust, curated, accessible platform through which plastics professionals can explore these trends, have direct access to subject-matter experts and develop strategies for applying solutions in their operations.

While the major correction in PP prices was finally underway, generally stable pricing was anticipated for the other four commodity resins.

How long will this process take? In my view, at least another two years, so we are at least two years away from recovery.

While prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter.

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has released final figures for NPE2024: The Plastics Show (May 6-10; Orlando) that officially make it the largest ever NPE in several key metrics.

Take a deep dive into all of the various aspects of part quoting to ensure you’ve got all the bases—as in costs—covered before preparing your customer’s quote for services.

And even the moderately good news represented by the Q3 data should be taken with a pinch of salt. As the Financial Times highlighted in this 18 October article, stronger-than-expected year-on-year growth in GDP partly reflected the fact that in the third quarter of 2022, China was marooned in the doldrums of the zero-COVID lockdowns.

In this three-part collection, veteran molder and moldmaker Jim Fattori brings to bear his 40+ years of on-the-job experience and provides molders his “from the trenches” perspective on on the why, where and how of venting injection molds. Take the trial-and-error out of the molding venting process.

This means that because our industry has got China so badly by overestimating the country’s growth, we have ended up with charts such as the one below.

Let’s imagine that the improved economic momentum continues until the end of the year and that final 2023 demand ends up growing by 3% – the top end of my range.

Modifications to the common core pin can be a simple solution, but don’t expect all resins to behave the same. Gas assist is also worth a try.

technotrans says climate protection, energy efficiency and customization will be key discussion topics at PTXPO as it displays its protemp flow 6 ultrasonic eco and the teco cs 90t 9.1 TCUs.

As I, for example, wrote, referencing The Economist: “The magazine quoted the economic research firm, CRIC, which estimated that 2023 Golden Week year-on-year property sales fell by 79% and 57% year on year in Shanghai and Shenzhen respectively.”

We also mustn’t forget the drag on growth from the end of the real-estate bubble, which I discussed in detail in my 17 October post.

MOST OF the commentary on China’s third quarter economic data, which was released earlier this week, was in my view spot on. It is at last being broadly recognised that while short-term growth has picked up slightly, the longer-term challenges make a return to the heady growth years of 2000-2021 pretty much impossible.

Plastics Technology covers technical and business Information for Plastics Processors in Injection Molding, Extrusion, Blow Molding, Plastic Additives, Compounding, Plastic Materials, and Resin Pricing. About Us

Get ready to revolutionize your manufacturing process with cutting-edge injection molding technologies that promise to streamline production and maximize output. See what our editors are noticing on the show floor.

Then I multiplied these two numbers by the tonnes of imports reported by China’s from its major trading partners for these two eight-month periods, I next took the 2022 totals away from the 2023 totals.

The chart below underlines the new direction of travel. The ICIS base case assumes 5% growth for this year whereas the annualised January-August data suggest that 1% is more likely.

The aim of this presentation is to guide you through the factors and the numbers that will help you determine if a robot is a smart investment for your application. Agenda:  Why are you considering automation? What problems are you trying to solve? How and why automation can help Crunch the numbers and determine the ROI

Thousands of people visit our Supplier Guide every day to source equipment and materials. Get in front of them with a free company profile.

Second quarter started with price hikes in PE and the four volume engineering resins, but relatively stable pricing was largely expected by the quarter’s end.

Mold maintenance is critical, and with this collection of content we’ve bundled some of the very best advice we’ve published on repairing, maintaining, evaluating and even hanging molds on injection molding machines.

Formnext Chicago is an industrial additive manufacturing expo taking place April 8-10, 2025 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Formnext Chicago is the second in a series of Formnext events in the U.S. being produced by Mesago Messe Frankfurt, AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, and Gardner Business Media (our publisher).

Support your strategic planning with expert insight on the wider trends impacting markets, from the circular economy and the energy transition to global macroeconomics and chemical overcapacity in China.

After successfully introducing a combined conference for moldmakers and injection molders in 2022, Plastics Technology and MoldMaking Technology are once again joining forces for a tooling/molding two-for-one.

Sustainability continues to dominate new additives technology, but upping performance is also evident. Most of the new additives have been targeted to commodity resins and particularly polyolefins.

Despite price increase nominations going into second quarter, it appeared there was potential for generally flat pricing with the exception of a major downward correction for PP.

In this collection of content, we provide expert advice on welding from some of the leading authorities in the field, with tips on such matters as controls, as well as insights on how to solve common problems in welding.

Join this webinar to explore the transformative benefits of retrofitting your existing injection molding machines (IMMs). Engel will guide you through upgrading your equipment to enhance monitoring, control and adaptability — all while integrating digital technologies. You'll learn about the latest trends in IMM retrofitting (including Euromap interfaces and plasticizing retrofits) and discover how to future-proof your machines for a competitive edge. With insights from industry experts, it'll walk you through the decision-making process, ensuring you make informed choices that drive your business forward. Agenda: Maximize the value of your current IMMs through strategic retrofitting Learn how to integrate digital technologies to enhance monitoring and control Explore the benefits of Euromap interfaces and plasticizing retrofits Understand how retrofitting can help meet new product demands and improve adaptability Discover how Engel can support your retrofitting needs, from free consultations to execution

Successfully starting or restarting an injection molding machine is less about ticking boxes on a rote checklist and more about individually assessing each processing scenario and its unique variables.

This tells us that South Korea’s sales to China were down by no less than $326m in January-August this year versus the same period in 2022. Singapore’s sales were down by $157m and even the feedstock-advantaged United Arab Emirates saw its sales slip by $119m on lower pricing and lower imports.

Across the show, sustainability ruled in new materials technology, from polyolefins and engineering resins to biobased materials.

Gifted with extraordinary technical know how and an authoritative yet plain English writing style, in this collection of articles Fattori offers his insights on a variety of molding-related topics that are bound to make your days on the production floor go a little bit better.

Just about everyone is now talking about the impact on long-term growth of demographics, debt, geopolitics and the relocation of export-focused manufacturing away from China.

This would still leave the market 1.9m tonnes smaller than if growth were 8%, which was the top end of the range of earlier assumptions.

Processors with sustainability goals or mandates have a number of ways to reach their goals. Biopolymers are among them.

The same FT article on the Q3 economic statistics said: “Property investment in the first nine months of the year was down by 9.1%, reflecting sector-wide debt defaults by developers and weak apartment sales. New housing starts have fallen by more than 20% so far this year compared with 2022.”

This month’s resin pricing report includes PT’s quarterly check-in on select engineering resins, including nylon 6 and 66.

Mixed in among thought leaders from leading suppliers to injection molders and mold makers at the 2023 Molding and MoldMaking conferences will be molders and toolmakers themselves.

How will we know if improved economic growth momentum has worked its way through to delivering better profitability for PP producers in China and those who export to China? It will be through spreads – the gap between resin prices and feedstock costs.

Exhibitors and presenters at the plastics show emphasized 3D printing as a complement and aid to more traditional production processes.

Mike Sepe has authored more than 25 ANTEC papers and more than 250 articles illustrating the importance of this interdisciplanary approach. In this collection, we present some of his best work during the years he has been contributing for Plastics Technology Magazine.

This Knowledge Center provides an overview of the considerations needed to understand the purchase, operation, and maintenance of a process cooling system.

Join Wittmann for an engaging webinar on the transformative impact of manufacturing execution systems (MES) in the plastic injection molding industry. Discover how MES enhances production efficiency, quality control and real-time monitoring while also reducing downtime. It will explore the integration of MES with existing systems, emphasizing compliance and traceability for automotive and medical sectors. Learn about the latest advancements in IoT and AI technologies and how they drive innovation and continuous improvement in MES. Agenda: Overview of MES benefits What is MES? Definition, role and brief history Historical perspective and evolution Longevity and analytics Connectivity: importance, standards and integration Advantages of MES: efficiency, real-time data, traceability and cost savings Emerging technologies: IoT and AI in MES

In this collection, which is part one of a series representing some of John’s finest work, we present you with five articles that we think you will refer to time and again as you look to solve problems, cut cycle times and improve the quality of the parts you mold.

Multiple speakers at Molding 2023 will address the ways simulation can impact material substitution decisions, process profitability and simplification of mold design.

August 29-30 in Minneapolis all things injection molding and moldmaking will be happening at the Hyatt Regency — check out who’s speaking on what topics today.

To help navigate so much new technology, our editors have highlighted a handful of products based on your process. Take a look at our list of injection molding technologies.

There’s the rub for PP and other petrochemical products. Every year that growth disappoints in this fashion, the cumulative gap between earlier forecasts and today’s patterns will build.

Introduced by Zeiger and Spark Industries at the PTXPO, the nozzle is designed for maximum heat transfer and uniformity with a continuous taper for self cleaning.

While the melting process does not provide perfect mixing, this study shows that mixing is indeed initiated during melting.

Join Engel in exploring the future of battery molding technology. Discover advancements in thermoplastic composites for battery housings, innovative automation solutions and the latest in large-tonnage equipment designed for e-mobility — all with a focus on cost-efficient solutions. Agenda: Learn about cutting-edge thermoplastic composites for durable, sustainable and cost-efficient battery housings Explore advanced automation concepts for efficient and scalable production See the latest large-tonnage equipment and technology innovations for e-mobility solutions

Learn about sustainable scrap reprocessing—this resource offers a deep dive into everything from granulator types and options, to service tips, videos and technical articles.

The average spread between 7 July and 13 October 2023 was $231/tonne. This compares with $279/tonne between 6 January and 23 June.

With over 2,000 exhibiting companies, NPE: The Plastics Show is the biggest plastics trade show in the Americas. With so many exhibitors, it’s no surprise the NPE show floor is the place to find the latest in plastic processing technology.

Across all process types, sustainability was a big theme at NPE2024. But there was plenty to see in automation and artificial intelligence as well.

When new polypropylene (PP) projects were being planned, the proponents of the projects assumed that China’s demand would expand by 6-8% per year for the next 20 years are more. Instead, growth at 1-3% seems to me more likely.

On an annual basis, as the next chart details, CFR China PP spreads so far this year are $1/tonne higher than their lowest level since our price assessments began in 2003 – which was in 2022.