Polyurethanes
Overview
Polyurethanes are a feature of everyday life. They’re present in our furniture, bedding, clothes, shoes, buildings, and cars. The journey from base chemicals such as propylene or benzene to end-use polyurethanes involves multiple steps and chemical products. Argus can help you to navigate this complex and volatile value chain and make better commercial decisions around sales, marketing, distribution and procurement.
Argus’ polyurethanes services give you in-depth global and regional pricing insight, including feedstock analysis, in single, concise and integrated reports. In addition to pricing, you get access to global industry news and analysis of key economic drivers on a weekly basis. We cover isocyanates, propylene oxide, propylene glycols and polyols.
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Latest polyurethanes news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global polyurethanes industry.
Turkey’s appliance sales drop in 2023 on lower exports
Turkey’s appliance sales drop in 2023 on lower exports
London, 1 February (Argus) — Sales of white goods produced by major production base Turkey fell in 2023, Turkish white goods manufacturers association (Turkbesd) said. Total sales were around 33mn units, down by 4.1pc year on year, while production fell by 1.4pc to 32.4mn units. Within that, exports fell to 23.2mn units, down by 10pc in 2023 compared with a year earlier. This drop was partially offset by a 14.4pc year on year increase in domestic sales to 9.5mn units. The white goods sector is a key demand channel for isocyanates into rigid foams for the manufacture of appliances. Turkbesd's sales figures include the six main product categories of refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers and ovens. By Laura Tovey-Fall Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Lower prices weigh on Dow’s 4Q23 polyurethanes sales
Lower prices weigh on Dow’s 4Q23 polyurethanes sales
London, 25 January (Argus) — US firm Dow said its polyurethanes and construction chemicals business delivered lower sales revenue in the fourth quarter 2023 compared with a year earlier, driven by a fall in prices. Sales from the company's industrial intermediates and infrastructure segment, which includes Dow's polyurethanes business, dropped by 2pc on the year to $2.9bn in October-December 2023. Full-year sales from the segment were down by 9pc compared to 2022 at $12.5bn. For polyurethanes and construction chemicals, prices were lower in all regions in the fourth quarter. "We continue to monitor China, where we see improving conditions, which could provide a source of demand recovery following the lunar new year," Dow's chief financial officer Jeff Tate said. But in Europe, "while inflation has moderated, consumer demand remains weak", Tate said. A seasonal increase in demand from the de-icing sector was more than offset by lower volumes sold into the building and construction sector in the fourth quarter, Dow said. Looking forward, "increased seasonal demand for de-icing fluid is expected to provide a $25mn tailwind despite being partly offset by continued weakness in consumer durables demand", Tate said. In addition, "we expect margin expansion on higher MDI and MEG spreads as well as lower European energy costs," he added. Dow also anticipates higher seasonal demand in the building and construction end-markets to support financial results this quarter. The construction industry is most active in the summer, and demand for chemicals such as MDI, which are used in construction materials such as insulation boards, typically starts to increase towards the end of the first quarter. Global overcapacity in the propylene oxide (PO) market remains a challenge, said Dow's chief executive Jim Fitterling. In "polyurethanes and propylene oxide […] we've seen capacity come on in China. We've got to see the durable goods market and the housing market come back to tighten up PO," he said. "We're watching carefully on construction chemicals demand and durable goods to see if we see an uptick there. We saw some good movement in consumer electronics and that's got me a bit optimistic," Fitterling said. By Laura Tovey-Fall Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Repsol’s Tarragona PO turnaround to start 15 Jan
Repsol’s Tarragona PO turnaround to start 15 Jan
London, 11 January (Argus) — Spain's Repsol will begin a 52-day planned maintenance programme at its Tarragona chemicals complex on 15 January. The firm will shut down its POSM unit, which has 200,000 t/yr of propylene oxide (PO) capacity, and its PO derivatives units, including its 75,000 t/yr propylene glycol production line and its 150,000 t/yr polyether polyols production line. The Tarragona complex also supplies PO to Repsol's site at Puertollano, where the firm has 70,000 t/yr of polyether polyols capacity and 22,000 t/yr of propylene glycol capacity. Output at Puertollano will probably be affected during the Tarragona shutdown. Unplanned production constraints in the fourth quarter of 2023 may have hampered Repsol's ability to build stocks ahead of the scheduled maintenance, with the supply of propylene glycol and polyols from Tarragona limited in December. The turnaround will include €50mn ($54.8mn) of maintenance work and €100mn investment in safety and efficiency improvements, Tarragona's Chemical Industry Association (AEQT) said today. The investments should improve competitiveness, energy efficiency, and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 104,000t. By Laura Tovey-Fall Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Austria’s Neveon completes sale of automotive arm
Austria’s Neveon completes sale of automotive arm
London, 11 January (Argus) — Austrian foam producer Neveon has sold its automotive equipment business to focus on its vertically integrated foam business. The automotive equipment business was sold to France's Treves Group. Antitrust approval was granted on 31 December, Neveon said today, after the sales process began in August 2023. Neveon, a subsidiary of Austrian firm Greiner, is a major consumer of isocyanates, including TDI and MDI, and of polyols. The firm produces foam for mattresses, upholstered furniture and healthcare as well as for aviation, railway and specialty applications. Neveon's sales were €732mn ($801.6mn) in 2022, the latest available figures. By Laura Tovey-Fall Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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