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Asia caprolactam to extend gains on better demand [ 01 Sep, 2010]
Asian spot caprolactam prices may continue to increase on the back of stronger demand, as China goes into its peak manufacturing season, while supply may tighten, industry sources said on Wednesday.
Spot capro prices edged up $20-40/tonne week on week to $2,570-2,600/tonne (€2,030-2,054/tonne) CFR (cost and freight) northeast (NE Asia)/China/Taiwan on Wednesday, based on ICIS data.
The expected lifting of government restriction on energy use by industries in Zhejiang province – the seat of China’s textile industry – should help boost production of nylon yarn, which is the downstream market for caprolactam, industry sources said.
This energy restriction would last longer than initially expected and would only be lifted in late September or early October, they said. Current nylon yarn production in the province averaged just about 60% of capacity, market sources said.
Caprolactam sellers had raised their September contract offers by $80-100/tonne from August levels to $2,600-2,610/tonne CFR NE Asia, market sources said. In August, contract prices were at $2,500-$2,530/tonne CFR NE Asia, according to ICIS.
Most players in the nylon industry, however, were only hoping for a marginal increase to not more than $2,550/tonne CFR NE Asia, industry sources said.
But price pressures were expected to build up from October, when a number of major caprolactam plants would undergo turnarounds, tightening the supply available in the market, market sources said.
Capro Corp, South Korea’s only producer of the material, plans to shut its 270,000 tonne/year plant for two weeks of maintenance in October, a company source said.
In Japan, Sumitomo Chemical would shut its 180,000 tonne/year capro unit in Ehime prefecture for a month of maintenance in November, according to a company source.
Meanwhile, China Petrochemical Development Corporation (CPDC) intends to shut its 180,000 tonne/year unit in Kaohsiung, Taiwan in end December for 45 days of scheduled maintenance, said a company source. CDPC is the only producer of capro in Taiwan.
Caprolactam is an intermediate primarily used in the production of nylon 6 fibres, plastics and other polymeric materials. Nylon 6 is widely used in the manufacture of hosiery, knitted garments, threads, ropes, filaments, nets and tyre cords.
Source: ICIS
Nylon Chain: Benzene price spurts [ 23 Aug, 2010]
The nylon markets saw benzene prices rebounding significantly in Asia and European markets although the movement in crude oil prices was discouraging. The concern over the future outlook had a negative influence upon the markets but the low inventories brought buyers back into the market. Supply too was a bit tight supporting prices to move upward.
Downstream, Asian caprolactum market stabilized on modest demand although feedstock benzene prices rebounded. However, buyers were cautious over taking any offers as the drop in crude oil futures limited the support to caprolactum market. Global supplies were reportedly healthy as operating rates were high.
Asian nylon chips market on firm caprolactum values which formed a stronger cost support. Producers and traders intended to raise their offers but were largely unsuccessful. In nylon filament market, FDYs in China were on the uptrend in line with modest buying interest from textile market and high feedstock values coupled with declining inventory while POYs and DTYs producers were cautious of raising price due to modest buy-rise replenishments of textile mills.
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