Japanese chemical company Shin-Etsu Chemical has reduced domestic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production and decided to raise domestic sales prices, because of limited supplies of feedstock ethylene.
Shin-Etsu will raise domestic sales prices for PVC by more than ¥30/kg ($0.18/kg) starting with deliveries on 1 April, the company said on 16 March. This equates to an increase of approximately 20pc in sales prices, it added.
Shin-Etsu has a production capacity of 550,000 t/yr for PVC at its Kashima plant in Ibaraki prefecture, where it receives supplies of feedstock ethylene from petrochemical producer Mitsubishi Chemical's Ibaraki plant.
Mitsubishi Chemical has already cut operating rates at its 485,000 t/yr naphtha-fed cracker at the Ibaraki plant because of concerns over naphtha supplies due to the US-Israel war with Iran.
Ethylene prices have spiked, and Mitsubishi Chemical has started limiting supply volumes of ethylene, which has forced Shin-Etsu to reduce its PVC production, review sales prices and limit supply volumes, Shin-Etsu said. The company's other products have not been affected by the limited ethylene deliveries, it added.

