International News Digest:
Raw Material News - Shell Completes Sale of Refining and Chemical Assets in Singapore
Korean KG Mobility Teams Up with Chery Automobile to Develop Mid-to-Large-Sized SUV
Packaging News - 9 million tons of plastic pressure, Vietnam's 870 trillion beverage market faces green packaging transformation!
Exhibition Highlights - The RePlast Eurasia Expo will be held in Turkey in May, gathering pioneering forces in the plastic recycling industry.
Equipment News - Swiss Auto Injector Manufacturer Invests $220 Million to Build Factory, Entering the U.S. Auto Injection Equipment Market
Market News - Brazilian Congress Plans to Draft Legislation to Counter Unilateral Trade Actions
Market Price News - Ethylene Asia: CFR Northeast Asia $855/ton; CFR Southeast Asia $920/ton
Here is the translated content:
The following is an overview of international news:
Shell completes sale of Singapore refining and petrochemical assets
On April 1, Shell announced that it had completed the sale of its Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park to a joint venture formed by Glencore and Indonesian chemical manufacturer PT Chandra Asri Pacific. Specific financial details were not disclosed. Shell announced the transaction on May 8, 2024. The Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park includes refining and chemical assets located on Pulau Bukom and Jurong Island. The assets on Pulau Bukom include a refinery with a capacity of 237,000 barrels per day, which was established in 1961, and an ethylene cracker with an annual capacity of 1.1 million tons.
2. BASF Launches New High-Temperature Nylon Product!
Recently, BASF has further expanded its Ultramid® Advanced T1000 series products for durable components requiring special thermal management. This product series is developed based on polyamide 6T/6I resins, and the latest additions include optimized products with high hydrolysis resistance (HR) and high purity (EQ, or electronic grade). The newly developed HR and EQ grades exhibit excellent high strength and high rigidity at elevated temperatures, while also demonstrating outstanding creep resistance and good compatibility with coolants. Their overall performance significantly surpasses that of standard polyamide grades and many other PPA products available on the market.
3. In May, the RePlast Eurasia Exhibition will land in Turkey, bringing together pioneering forces in the plastic recycling industry.
RePlast Eurasia, as Turkey's first and only exhibition focused on the plastic recycling industry, holds a unique position in the industry. From May 8 to 10, 2025, the exhibition will once again gather leading brands and authoritative experts from the global recycling field. The event is jointly organized by Tuyap and the PAGCEV Association, dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge technological innovations in every aspect of the plastic recycling process. During the exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to explore hundreds of products and service types, including raw materials, equipment (including advanced waste sorting equipment), recycling technologies, collaboration resources from waste collection and sorting companies, professional design agencies, and consulting services.
4. The United States has made a final ruling on the anti-dumping and countervailing duties for epoxy resin, with the dumping margin for Chinese producers/exporters at 354.99%.
On March 31, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued an announcement, making the final ruling on anti-dumping duties for epoxy resins imported from China, India, South Korea, Thailand, and Taiwan, China. Due to the lack of participation in the response from Chinese enterprises, the dumping margin for producers/exporters from China was determined to be 354.99%, while for producers/exporters from India it was 12.69%-15.68%, for those from South Korea it was 5.62%-7.59%, for those from Thailand it was 5.25%, and for those from Taiwan, China it was 10.93%-26.98%.
5. Korea's KG Mobility Collaborates with Chery Automobile to Develop Mid-to-Large SUVs
On April 2nd, it was reported that South Korean automaker KG Mobility announced today that it held a joint development signing ceremony for mid-to-large SUV models with Chery Automobile in Wuhu, Anhui yesterday. The two parties will strengthen technical cooperation to promote future development. This signing ceremony follows the strategic partnership and platform licensing agreement signed with Chery in October last year, marking a concrete plan for substantive collaboration. Both sides will jointly develop mid-to-large SUVs for domestic and international markets and enhance cooperation in areas such as autonomous driving and software-defined vehicle E/E architecture (electrical/electronic hardware and software, etc.).
6. Plastic Parts manufacturer Pittsfield Plastics installs a 1600-ton injection molding machine to produce PE parts.
Injection molder Pittsfield Plastics Engineering (PPE) has announced the installation of a new 1,600-ton Jupiter 14000 injection molding machine from Absolute Haitian Corp. for large-part molding. The press, along with associated robotics and auxiliary equipment, will allow PPE to meet the needs of its latest customer, a manufacturer of septic products and services for the residential and commercial sanitation waste industry.
7. Swiss automatic injector manufacturer invests $220 million to build a factory, entering the U.S. automatic injection molding equipment market.
SHL Medical, a syringe manufacturer based in Switzerland, officially opened its most advanced new manufacturing plant in North Charleston, South Carolina. SHL Medical stated that the expansion, first announced in summer 2022 with an investment of $220 million, contributed to the local economy and created hundreds of new jobs in the area.
8. 9 million tons of plastic pressure, Vietnam's 870 trillion beverage market faces green packaging transformation!
The Vietnam Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Association (VBA) highlights that packaging plays a pivotal role in the modern economy by safeguarding products throughout the complex supply chain from production to consumption. It serves as a vital medium for brand communication and is crucial to the efficiency of the entire production and consumption system. Particularly for an economy like Vietnam, which boasts robust exports and strong domestic demand, the healthy development of the packaging industry holds strategic significance. Data from Nguyen Thanh Giang, General Director of Tetra Pak Vietnam, indicates the packaging industry's immense growth potential: Vietnam's food and beverage sector is projected to achieve a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3% by 2027, with the market size reaching 872.9 trillion Vietnamese dong. This powerful market momentum not only demands expanded production capacity in the packaging industry but also raises higher expectations for innovation, functionality (such as aseptic preservation), design, and sustainability.
Overseas macro market information:
【Brazilian Congress Proposes Bill to Counter Unilateral Trade Actions】 On April 1 local time, the Economic Affairs Committee of the Brazilian Senate unanimously passed a proposal titled the "Economic Reciprocity Bill," aimed at authorizing the Brazilian government to take countermeasures when its foreign trade interests are harmed. Since this bill adopts a fast-track mechanism, it will bypass a full Senate vote and be directly submitted to the House of Representatives for deliberation.
【Tesla European Sales Plunge】 Tesla electric vehicles have seen a sharp decline in sales in several European markets due to dissatisfaction with CEO Elon Musk and a boycott of his company's products, as well as reduced appeal after being on the market for many years. According to a report by Agence France-Presse on April 1, data from the French automotive manufacturer and sales platform showed that in March, Tesla's sales in France fell by 36.8% year-on-year amidst a slight dip in the overall French electric vehicle market. Swedish data indicated that Tesla's sales in March dropped by 63.9% year-on-year, and by 55.2% in the first quarter. In Denmark, Tesla's sales in the first quarter declined by 56% year-on-year.
Goldman Sachs: Downgrades forecast for 10-year Japanese government bond yield by the end of 2025 to reflect U.S. recession risks; yen is the preferred tool to hedge against U.S. recession and tariff risks. Goldman Sachs' research team stated in a report that it has lowered its forecast for the 10-year Japanese government bond yield by the end of 2025 from the previous 1.60% to 1.50% to reflect the increased risk of a U.S. economic recession. Goldman Sachs noted that the rising risk of such an outcome may affect market pricing of the Bank of Japan's continued tightening policy. Goldman Sachs stated: "The downward trend in the stock market and relatively low U.S. economic growth also tilt the risks towards a stronger yen."
Goldman Sachs expects the yen to strengthen to the lower end of the 140 zone against the dollar this year, as concerns around US growth and trade tariffs will boost demand for the yen. It believes that if the risk of a US economic recession increases, the yen will be the best hedge for investors.
On April 1st local time, the Mexican government issued a statement saying that President Sheinbaum held his first telephone conversation with new Canadian Prime Minister Carney on the same day, during which both sides reached a consensus on the importance of maintaining economic competitiveness in North America. The statement noted that the leaders of the two countries agreed to continue dialogue to promote the process of regional economic integration while respecting the sovereign rights of member states. The Canadian government's statement described the leaders' call as productive, stating that Canada and Mexico are committed to deepening trade relations and jointly building a stronger economy.
【Japanese Rice Prices Hit 12th Straight Week of Record Highs, Average Price per Bag Exceeds 200 Yuan】Latest statistics from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries show that the average price of a 5-kilogram bag of regular rice in Japan is 4,197 yen (approximately 204 yuan RMB), which is about twice the price of the same period last year, marking 12 consecutive weeks of record highs. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated on April 1st that if necessary, the government will release more reserve rice into the market to stabilize prices.
【Canada to Avoid Tariff Retaliation That Could Affect Domestic Jobs and Drive Up Prices】 Canada will refrain from implementing tariff countermeasures that could impact domestic employment and increase prices, according to two federal trade advisors. The country will not impose retaliatory tariffs on most U.S. food products and other essential goods.
Finland has announced that it will completely shut down coal-fired power plants this spring. On April 1, the Finnish government stated that as two energy companies gradually close all coal-fired power plants, Finland will fully stop using coal in energy production this year. The Finnish government indicated that in the future, energy companies will rely on electric boilers, heat pumps, energy storage, biomass energy, and waste heat recovery to produce thermal energy, while the focus of electricity generation will shift to wind, nuclear, hydro, and solar energy.
【MOFCOM Extends Anti-Dumping Investigation on Imported Brandy from EU to July 5】 In accordance with the provisions of the "Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Anti-Dumping," on January 5, 2024, MOFCOM issued Announcement No. 1 of 2024, deciding to initiate an anti-dumping investigation into imported brandy originating from the EU. On December 25, 2024, MOFCOM issued Announcement No. 59 of 2024, deciding to extend the investigation period to April 5, 2025. Given the complexity of this case, in accordance with Article 26 of the "Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Anti-Dumping," MOFCOM has decided to further extend the investigation period to July 5, 2025.
Price information:
【The central parity rate of the renminbi against the US dollar was下调18 basis points.】
Note: It seems there is a missing word in the original Chinese sentence. The correct sentence should be "【人民币兑美元中间价下调18个基点】". The translation provided is the closest accurate representation given the context, but typically it would be phrased as "The central parity rate of the renminbi against the US dollar was下调18 basis points." or more naturally, "The central parity rate of the renminbi against the US dollar was adjusted down by 18 basis points."
The central parity rate of the yuan against the US dollar was set at 7.1793, down by 18 basis points. The previous trading day's central parity rate was 7.1775, the official closing rate was 7.2687, and the overnight rate closed at 7.2706.
Upstream raw material USD market price
Ethylene Asia: CFR Northeast Asia $855/ton; CFR Southeast Asia $920/ton.
Propylene Northeast Asia: FOB Korea average price 800 USD/ton; CFR China average price 820 USD/ton, down 5 USD/ton.
North Asia frozen cargo CIF price, propane $627-629 per ton; butane $617-619 per ton.
The onshore price for South China frozen goods in April is as follows: propane 627-629 USD/ton; butane 617-619 USD/ton.
The landed price of frozen goods in the Taiwan region: propane $627-629 per ton; butane $617-619 per ton.
【LLDPE U.S. Dollar Market Price】
Film: $955/ton (CFR Huangpu);
Injection molding: 1010 USD/ton (spot in Dongguan bonded area);
【HDPE US Dollar Market Price】
Film: $940-950 per ton (CFR Huangpu).
Hollow: $890-965/ton (CFR Huangpu)
Injection molding: $825/ton (CFR Huangpu).
LDPE USD Market Price
Film: $1120/ton (CFR Huangpu), down $15/ton;
Coating: $1360 per ton (CFR Huangpu).
PP USD Market Price
Average concentration: 935-990 USD/ton (spot), down 5 USD/ton;
Co-polymer: $995-$1060/ton (CFR Huangpu spot)
Film material: 1030-1105 USD/ton (CFR Huangpu);
Transparent: $1020-$1050 per ton (CFR Huangpu spot);
Tubing: $1,160 per ton (CFR Shanghai).
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