South Korean exports of polyethylene and polypropylene to the Europe Union showed increases as high as 29.6% in January-November of 2015 when compared with the same period in 2014.
Polypropylene homo injection and copolymer grades exports to Europe totalled 81,911 mt and 52,079 mt respectively in the first 11 months of 2015, up 26.6% and 29.6% compared with the same period of 2014.
High density polyethylene exports to Europe from South Korea totaled 80,603 mt in January-November of 2015, rising 11.5% from 2014.
Linear low density polyethylene imports totalled 63,657 mt in the same period, rising 16.9% from 2014.
Low density polyethylene imports totaled 36,335 mt in the first 11 months of 2015, rising 4.7% from 2014.
With China decreasing its deficit of polyolefins due to an increase in coal-to-olefin production, surrounding countries have had to look to other regions for export markets.
Higher priced Europe sees competitive polyolefin offers from South Korea continue today.
"I can get [copolymer] prime material imported for the same price I pay for sub-prime material here in Europe," a converter source said, adding he had done so from South Korea last week.
