- Buyers stock up ahead of peak bottling season- China's polyester plant run
rates rising





Sources reported significant stocking
activity for US polyethylene Terephthalate during the week to Feb. This
was ahead of peak spring and summer bottling seasons. 15. One sellers turned to Latin American
material when their domestic inventory was exhausted. 15. Domestic
resin inventories made from higher-cost materials keep domestic prices around
15 cents/lb lower than imports. Asian sources expect that Chinese polyester
plant rates will rise to 80%-85% in March, up from 68% in January. Polyester
plants adjust rates more smically than chemical plants to adapt to market
conditions . Mohawk Industries, a major US buyer, stated in an earnings call
that it will not raise production rates until Q2, when the flooring manufacturer
anticipates seasonal demand to increase. Mohawk
raises run rates in Q1 to...