International News Digest:

Raw Material NewsGlobal PLA producer TotalEnergies Corbion collaborates with a French modified materials company to launch automotive-grade PLA composites.

Mechanical News- Canadian polyolefin giant Nova Chemicals cancels chemical recycling plant plan.

Packaging News- Policy support, Khabarovsk, Russia builds a benchmark for the recycling packaging industry.

Automotive NewsSouth Korea has established standards for the recycling and utilization of plastic materials in exported automobile parts.

Electronic News- Apple's plastic version of the Watch SE faces development challenges.

The following are details of international news:

1. This year's largest earthquake in the world! A 7.9 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, causing local supply chain disruptions.

On March 28 at 14:20, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake occurred in Myanmar, with a depth of 30 kilometers. This earthquake is the 17th earthquake of magnitude 6 or above globally this year and is also the largest earthquake of the year. The potential impact of the Myanmar earthquake on the global plastic market can be analyzed in various dimensions. Although Myanmar is not a core node in the global plastic industry chain, local supply chain disruptions and regional economic fluctuations may still produce ripple effects.

A major workplace injury accident occurred at an automotive parts injection molding factory in the United States.

According to the Zanesville Times Recorder, on the morning of March 25, an industrial accident occurred at DK Manufacturing's plant in Fraserburg, Ohio, resulting in one death. The incident reportedly took place around 5 a.m. Tuesday at the injection molding plant, which primarily manufactures custom parts for the automotive industry.

3. Canadian polyolefin giant Nova Chemicals cancels plans for a chemical recycling plant and focuses on mechanical recycling.

Recently, North America's leading polyolefin company NOVA Chemicals announced the cancellation of its planned chemical recycling plant in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. NOVA had announced plans to develop a large-scale chemical recycling facility, but less than two years later, the company decided to focus on mechanical recycling, resulting in various projects being put on hold.

4. Apple Watch SE plastic version development encounters difficulties.

Recently, well-known Apple analyst Mark Gurman disclosed in his "PowerOn" newsletter that Apple's plan to launch a plastic version of the Apple Watch SE is currently facing significant challenges. This news sharply contrasts with Gurman's prediction last July, when he stated that Apple was actively developing a more affordable Apple Watch SE with a colorful plastic casing, and he expected the product to be released this year. According to Gurman, Apple's design team is not satisfied with the appearance of the plastic version of the Apple Watch SE, believing it does not meet Apple's usual aesthetic standards. Meanwhile, the operations team found that the cost control advantages of a plastic casing are not as significant as anticipated, raising questions about the economic viability of the project.

5. South Korea establishes standards for the recycling and utilization of plastic materials in exported auto parts.

The Korea Industrial Technology Standards Institute recently announced that in order to vigorously promote plastic recycling, it will begin formulating and publishing recycling standards for polypropylene (PP). Since 2021, the South Korean government has been working on comprehensive measures for plastic recycling, believing that ensuring recycled plastics meet certain standards and quality is key to expanding the use of recycled materials. According to the Color Masterbatch Industry Network, Jeon Yeong-gil, Director of the Unified Policy Bureau of the Korea Standards Institute, stated that moving forward, they will rely on recycled plastic materials and enhance the competitiveness of South Korea's recycling industry through the standardization of high-quality recycled products, contributing to the development of a circular economy in South Korea and revitalizing product exports.

6. Degradation speed increased by 8 times! NatureWorks launches new PLA products.

Recently, NatureWorks, a leading company in the field of biomaterials manufacturing, announced the launch of the Ingeo™ Extend platform and the Ingeo Extend 4950D product, bringing innovative changes to the production of biaxially oriented polylactic acid (BOPLA) films, showcasing tremendous application potential in areas such as food packaging. The Ingeo Extend 4950D is developed based on a new Ingeo™ PLA polymer platform and demonstrates outstanding advantages in the production process of BOPLA films. After using Ingeo Extend 4950D on machinery originally designed for producing other polymers like polypropylene, biaxially stretched film manufacturers can achieve up to 7 times the lateral stretching. This feature not only significantly enhances production efficiency but also greatly reduces production costs. In production scenarios such as coffee capsules, candy packaging, and single-serve food packaging bags, this product holds important value in optimizing production processes and controlling costs.

7. Policy support, Khabarovsk, Russia builds a benchmark for the recycling packaging industry.

The Khabarovsk ASEZ in Russia is about to welcome a new member. A company named "Effective Technological Solutions" will settle in the Khabarovsk Advanced Special Economic Zone (ASEZ). In 2026, the company plans to open a workshop dedicated to producing non-food plastic bags and packaging films using recycled materials, with an annual capacity of up to 600 tons, based on pellets made from secondary raw materials. As part of the agreement with the Far Eastern and Arctic Development Corporation (FEDC), this project will involve an investment of 7.15 million rubles.

Overseas macro market information:

The EU will limit fines on Apple and Meta.

According to the Financial Times, the EU will limit fines against Apple and Meta to avoid tensions with Trump.

"U.S. Congressional Budget Office: Debt levels will reach a record high in 2029."

The U.S. Congressional Budget Office stated on the 27th that the ratio of publicly held federal government debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will rise from 100% in 2025 to 107% in 2029, reaching a historical high. According to the latest data from the U.S. Treasury, the scale of U.S. national debt has exceeded $36.2 trillion, of which publicly held debt exceeds $28.9 trillion.

"Indian electric vehicle stocks fell due to reports that BYD will build a factory locally."

Stocks of Indian electric vehicle manufacturers have fallen. Reports indicate that Chinese giant BYD is in discussions to establish a factory in Hyderabad. Mahindra & Mahindra's stock dropped as much as 3.6%, while Maruti Suzuki India fell 1.2%.

French official: Raising tariffs on the US is the only solution.

French Economy and Finance Minister Eric Lombard stated on the 27th that the United States' imposition of tariffs on imported cars demonstrates an escalation of provocation against Europe, and the EU will also raise import tariffs on American products, which is the "only solution for the EU."

Price information:

Renminbi to US Dollar middle rate

The central parity rate of the Renminbi against the US dollar is reported at 7.1752, an increase of 11 points; the previous trading day's central parity rate was 7.1763, the official closing price of the previous trading day was 7.2655, and the night session of the previous day closed at 7.2620.

Upstream raw material USD market prices

Ethylene Asia: CFR Northeast Asia $855/ton; CFR Southeast Asia $920/ton.

Acrylic Northeast Asia: FOB South Korea average price $800/ton; CFR China average price $825/ton.

North Asia CIF price for propane is $616-618/ton; for butane it is $602-604/ton.

South China frozen goods arrived on the price in April: propane 628-630 USD/ton; butane 618-620 USD/ton.

The CIF price of frozen goods in Taiwan is propane at 616-618 USD/ton and butane at 602-604 USD/ton.

LLDPE USD market price

Film: $960/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Injection molding: $1010/ton (spot in Dongguan bonded area);

HDPE USD market price

Film: $935-950/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Hollow: 900-965 USD/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Injection molding: $830/ton (CFR Huangpu).

LDPE USD market price

Film: 1130-1135 USD/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Coating: $1360/ton (CFR Huangpu).

PP USD Market Price

Average concentration: 935-970 USD/ton (spot)

Co-polymerization: 995-1060 USD/ton (CFR Huangpu spot)

Membrane material: 1105 USD/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Transparent: $1,040/ton (CFR Huangpu spot)

Piping material: $1160/ton (CFR Shanghai).