Middle Eastern polymer producers eye Africa for exports

Polymer producers from the Middle East are looking to boost export to Africa on the back of decreased demand from Europe and Asia.

The region's polymer capacity is expected to grow 16.5% over two years to 29.6m tonnes in 2016, according to information supplied on the ICIS Supply and Demand database.

The analyst said on its news feed that the African continent was a “new frontier” for most Middle East polymer players, noting that by 2020 polymer exports to Africa from the Middle East were projected to increase by 800 000 tonnes from 2m tonnes/year in 2014.

ICIS quoted a Dubai-based polymer trader as saying: “Africa cannot absorb everything. But Middle East producers are pushing hard to sell more to converters there due to a combination of weak demand and ample supply.”