Global polyethylene demand to grow at 4.6% for next five years

摘要

GLOBAL polyethylene demand is set to grow for next five years. Annual growth of 4.6% in that five-year span will have global demand at just over 216 bin lbs by 2017. "That growth exceeds the current level of North American demand. That's like growing another North America in the next five years. The market has mass and momentum". That's the outlook of market veteran Nick Vafiadis, who spoke at the IHS World Petrochemical Conference. Vafiadis serves as senior director of global polyolefins and plastics for Houston-based IHS Chemical. In North America, that momentum is coming from newfound supplies of natural gas, mainly from shale rock formations. These new supplies can be used to make ethane and then ethylene feedstock.