China’s imports of polymers fell by around 8% in the second quarter of 2014, in line with the second quarter drops recorded in three of the past four years since 2010, according to ChemOrbis.
In the second quarter of 2010, China’s polymer imports fell 13% compared to the first quarter of that year. In 2011, the second quarter imports dropped 17% from the first quarter. In 2012, the drop in the second quarter imports was at 12%. In 2013, second quarter imports recorded an increase, but at a relatively minor growth rate of just 1% from the first quarter. In 2014, the second quarter imports dropped 8% compared to the first quarter.
In each of the past four years, the second quarter drop in imports was followed by an increase in the third quarter. In 2010, imports in the third quarter compared to the second quarter were up 5%. In 2011, third quarter imports were up 24%, in 2012, they rose 33% and in 2013, they were up 17% compared to the second quarter of the same year, according to ChemOrbis Stats Wizard.
ChemOrbis members can create and run their own import graphs under the Analysis Tools – Stats Wizard. Graphs can be created on a yearly, quarterly or monthly basis, may include all products or individual products, and can include USD/ton, total volumes and total value.
In June of 2014, China’s total polymer imports decreased 3.6% month over month to reach 1,351,547 tons. When compared to the same month of 2013, total polymer imports were up 1.7%. For the first half of 2014, polymer imports climbed around 11% from 2013 to 8,628,798 tons, according to Chinese Customs.
On a month over month basis compared to May 2014, June imports of HDPE were down 1.8%, LDPE was down 7.2%, LLDPE was down 6.8%, PVC was down 15%, PS was down 14.6%, and homo-PP recorded an increase of 1%.
