EU polyethylene imports slip 4% in September; US-origin imports surge

The EU imported 279,148 mt of various grades of polyethylene in September down 4% from the 291,701 mt reported for the same month in 2017, latest data from Eurostat showed Wednesday.

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Sign Up While low density PE imports rose during the month, those for linear low density PE and high density PE fell, the data showed. The economic zone imported 123,111 mt of LDPE in September, up 37% year on year, but imports of HDPE were down 17% at 110,065 mt and LLDPE imports were 34% lower at 45,972 mt.
Imports of all PE grades from the US rose in September, however. EU imports of LDPE from across the Atlantic surged to 20,314 mt from just 3,993 mt in September 2017, while HDPE imports more than doubled to 11,999 mt and LLDPE imports were 50% higher year on year at 1,890 mt.

European petrochemical companies have been keeping a keen eye on PE grades imported from the US. It has built a high PE capacity over the past few years based on abundant shale gas feedstock and has been consistently looking for export opportunities.