Trinseo Faces Pressure in Resin Markets but Sees Growth in Recycled Products

US materials company Trinseo reported Q3 results, highlighting pressure from weak global resin markets and trade tensions. The company posted a loss of $2.41 per share and negative free cash flow of $38 million.

In its Engineered Materials segment, sales remained essentially flat, with growth in automotive and construction acrylic resins offset by declines in medical applications. Global resin price declines continued to squeeze margins.

However, recycled plastics and high-value specialty resins emerged as bright spots, with PMMA sales up over 10% year-on-year. Trinseo’s projects for recycled ABS, acrylics, and polycarbonate are sold out, driving a 12% year-on-year increase in recycled content products.

The company is divesting high-cost production facilities in Italy and Germany to focus on higher-margin, growth-oriented recycled and specialty resins, aligning with global circular economy trends.