Scarcity of Titanium Dioxide imports restricting EU polymers market

Plastics processing in Europe is under threat from scarcity of Titanium Dioxide, according to the Polymers for Europe Alliance.

The alliance, which was set up in 2015 by the European Plastics Converters association (EuPC) to tackle polymer shortages in Europe, has an objective to build good communications between suppliers and customers of polymers and additives in Europe following the situation during the first semester 2015.

The issue that is threatening large parts of the plastics conversion industry in Europe today is the supply of Titanium Dioxide, where unplanned maintenance shutdowns are limiting production, thereby restricting output and driving up additives prices to uncompetitive levels. No extra volumes seem to be made available for Europe by the producers from outside the EU to support the growth in the plastics industry markets, especially for some PVC building applications and polymer masterbatches.

"We call upon all the Titanium Dioxide producers to help our plastics converting industry to create a global level playing field to secure the development of our business in Europe," said Ron Marsh, Chairman of the Polymers for Europe Alliance.

Some polymer supplies are reaching their limit and plastics converters are having difficulty, passing higher prices onto their customers. The margin of the converters sandwiched between polymer suppliers and users of plastics is being squeezed in growing markets, and this is damaging business prospects in the first quarter of 2017.

In this context, the Best Polymer Producers Awards for Europe 2017, an initiative by the Polymers for Europe Alliance, become even more interesting. The Awards give a clear indication of which polymer suppliers will have won the trust of the European converters when it comes to material delivery reliability. The Awards voting is open for all users of polymers in Europe until 15 May 2017. The final Awards Ceremony will take place during the Gala Dinner of the European Plastics Converters Annual Meeting on 1 June 2017 in Madrid.