The Urethane Blog

Everchem Updates

VOLUME XXI

September 14, 2023

Everchem’s Closers Only Club

Everchem’s exclusive Closers Only Club is reserved for only the highest caliber brass-baller salesmen in the chemical industry. Watch the hype video and be introduced to the top of the league: — read more

November 12, 2019

US November benzene contracts decrease amid lengthy supply, low demand

Author: Tarun Raizada

2019/11/01

HOUSTON (ICIS)–US November benzene contracts settled lower, as bearish supply and demand fundamentals pushed spot prices lower in October.

Contracts decreased 37 cents/gal ($111/tonne) from October to $2.23/gal FOB (free on board) in the US Gulf.

Spot prices decreased in October due to length in supply and slow downstream demand, despite volatility in crude values.

Although the spot arbitrage window from Asia to the US has closed, imports continue to play a role as increased supply weighs on the region and drives exports to the US.

US benzene contracts typically settle on the last working day of the prior month and are largely determined by the average spot price over the last 10 days of the month.

Benzene is used to produce a number of intermediates that are used to create polymers, solvents and detergents.

Major producers of US benzene include ExxonMobil, Marathon Petroleum, Shell, Flint Hills Resources, Chevron, CITGO, LyondellBasell, Valero and Total.

https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/news/2019/11/01/10439073/us-november-benzene-contracts-decrease-amid-lengthy-supply-low-demand

November 12, 2019

US November benzene contracts decrease amid lengthy supply, low demand

Author: Tarun Raizada

2019/11/01

HOUSTON (ICIS)–US November benzene contracts settled lower, as bearish supply and demand fundamentals pushed spot prices lower in October.

Contracts decreased 37 cents/gal ($111/tonne) from October to $2.23/gal FOB (free on board) in the US Gulf.

Spot prices decreased in October due to length in supply and slow downstream demand, despite volatility in crude values.

Although the spot arbitrage window from Asia to the US has closed, imports continue to play a role as increased supply weighs on the region and drives exports to the US.

US benzene contracts typically settle on the last working day of the prior month and are largely determined by the average spot price over the last 10 days of the month.

Benzene is used to produce a number of intermediates that are used to create polymers, solvents and detergents.

Major producers of US benzene include ExxonMobil, Marathon Petroleum, Shell, Flint Hills Resources, Chevron, CITGO, LyondellBasell, Valero and Total.

https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/news/2019/11/01/10439073/us-november-benzene-contracts-decrease-amid-lengthy-supply-low-demand

November 12, 2019

Mattress Imports

US mattress imports fell for 4th month in September

Washington, DC – US mattress imports fell for the fourth straight month in September to 1.37m units, compared with 1.47m units in the same month last year.

But the fall appears to be slowing. In June imports at 907,000 units were down 29.2% on the same month in 2018. In July the fall was 241,000 units or 17.5% to 1.13m. In this August, the US imported 1.25m units down 8.4% on August 2018.

Vietnam was the largest exporting nation in September. A total of 286,000 units were exported. Indonesia at 235,000 units was second and Malaysia at 156,000 units was third.

This is a marked shift in the rankings. Last year China’s 1.2m units put them in the first place of exporters to the US, with Mexico’s 130,000 units much further behind. Mexico was followed in third place by Poland with 26,000 units.

In the first nine months of 2019 the US imported 10.3m mattresses. This is down by 1.2% on the 10.4 m imported in the same period in 2018. Despite the fall, the US has already imported more mattresses than it did in the whole of 2015 (7.7m) and 2017 (9.4m).

Over the first nine months of 2019, China imported a shade under 4m mattresses into the US, followed by Vietnam with 1.4 m and Mexico with 1.2m. In the first nine months of 2018, Chinese companies imported 7.7m mattresses. Mexico was responsible for imports of 1.3 m and Canada 264,000.

https://www.utech-polyurethane.com/news/us-mattress-imports-fell-4th-month-september?utm_source=utech-north-america&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20191112&utm_content=idio-headline1

November 12, 2019

Mattress Imports

US mattress imports fell for 4th month in September

Washington, DC – US mattress imports fell for the fourth straight month in September to 1.37m units, compared with 1.47m units in the same month last year.

But the fall appears to be slowing. In June imports at 907,000 units were down 29.2% on the same month in 2018. In July the fall was 241,000 units or 17.5% to 1.13m. In this August, the US imported 1.25m units down 8.4% on August 2018.

Vietnam was the largest exporting nation in September. A total of 286,000 units were exported. Indonesia at 235,000 units was second and Malaysia at 156,000 units was third.

This is a marked shift in the rankings. Last year China’s 1.2m units put them in the first place of exporters to the US, with Mexico’s 130,000 units much further behind. Mexico was followed in third place by Poland with 26,000 units.

In the first nine months of 2019 the US imported 10.3m mattresses. This is down by 1.2% on the 10.4 m imported in the same period in 2018. Despite the fall, the US has already imported more mattresses than it did in the whole of 2015 (7.7m) and 2017 (9.4m).

Over the first nine months of 2019, China imported a shade under 4m mattresses into the US, followed by Vietnam with 1.4 m and Mexico with 1.2m. In the first nine months of 2018, Chinese companies imported 7.7m mattresses. Mexico was responsible for imports of 1.3 m and Canada 264,000.

https://www.utech-polyurethane.com/news/us-mattress-imports-fell-4th-month-september?utm_source=utech-north-america&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20191112&utm_content=idio-headline1

November 9, 2019

Dow EO Force Majeure