PCI Says Polyester Prices in US Back to Normal

Published: December 11, 2012, By Debbie Donberg

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, UK | According to PCI Films Consulting, US buyers are relieved to see a recent return to a degree of “normality” after the supply shortages and rapid increases in commodity BOPET (bioriented polyester) film prices in 2010/11.

Prices for polyester raw materials are hardly moving, and with US demand for flexible packaging only now returning to historic levels, it is the increasing volume of commodity BOPET film that is being made available that is driving current prices. New thin film extrusion capacity has been commissioned by Flex Americas S.A. de C.V. in Mexico, and there are two new thin film lines to be added in the US by the end of the year. As a result, 50% more volume should be available to film buyers in 2013, which should increase competition and help keep film costs more stable, good news for buyers of film, says PCI.

There has been virtually no upward price movement in the US over the past three quarters in any of the five flexible packaging substrate materials monitored by PCI. Their subscription-based global quarterly price series includes reviews of 80-ga BOPP film, 48-ga BOPET film, 60-ga BOPA film, 28-ga aluminium foil, and 60-gsm coated papers.

Trends over the past year to eighteen months have also been influenced by buyers at both the converter and packer level purchasing only what they immediately require in order to cut costs and reduce working capital, PCI adds.

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