PVC
PVC resin prices seem to be stabilizing after dropping in the previous months. Demand appears to be soft with plenty of production. Although there may be some potential for a small decline in pricing, major moves in one direction or another continue to seem unlikely, at least for the time being. Any major disruptions in the price of oil and natural gas could continue to be a factor going forward.
HDPE
The HDPE piping market has been red-hot all year and pricing finally stabilized over the past two months. This doesn’t mean production has slowed because, in fact, production lines across the country remain full and running at 100% capacity 24 hours a day.
Lead times remain six-eight weeks for most standard sizes and SDRs. Any impact tonnage orders that have hit the lines in the last few weeks are pushing some extruders to 12-16 weeks. It goes without saying HDPE is becoming scarce and this has caused end users to search unorthodox avenues, such as searching for surplus or even used pipe leftover from the water-transfer contractors.
The effect of the current long lead times is almost certainly going to push pricing up again in August, likely anywhere between three to four cents per pound. If there is an increase, and it sticks, consumers should anticipate another price hike in September of at least three to four cents per pound. The current prevailing attitude is no one believes both price increases will hold until the end of this year. In fact, it seems distributors anticipate a price correction in 4Q17.
In the meantime, if the manufacturers know they are going to give back some value, then they’ll want to get the price value while they can.
The American Supply Association and its Industrial Piping Division is the national organization serving wholesale distributors and their suppliers in the industrial and mechanical pipe-valve-fitting industry. As a powerful alliance of channel partners, we provide a forum for your upstream trading partners to exchange critical information and address key issues.
In particular, ASA’s IPD members constantly check the pulse of the materials and commodities they proudly supply to you. ASA’s IPD members are knowledgeable industry leaders, and those who volunteer their service on the IPD Executive Council compile and prepare the IPD Commodity Reports. The reports contain some of the most current and qualified market data and information available from the industry’s leading manufacturers and distributors about emerging trends and other price-influencing actions and events.
This information is an example of how ASA’s IPD manufacturer and distributor members are constantly looking ahead to ensure you have information and resources you need to be successful. Learn more at www.AdvanceYourAbility.com.
