ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Michael Workman runs the tally across nine resins this week and finds something worth every buyer's attention: exactly two producers are pushing a September price increase completely alone. BASF stands by itself on an 8-cent PA66 increase; one polycarbonate producer is alone on a 10-cent push. Four resins — PE, PS, PVC, and PA6 — have more than one producer testing an increase but nothing close to full-field support, and three resins — PP, ABS, and PET — have no initiative on the table at all. Michael breaks down why a solo increase is a test rather than a fact, why this week's benzene spike gives the two lone wolves a real (if early) cost argument, and what's working against the pack pushes and no-shows: new Gulf Coast HDPE capacity and hurricane-season timing for PE, weak underlying demand for PS, a caprolactam pullback undercutting PA6's own cost story, and aggressive offshore import pricing keeping ABS on the sidelines.
Chapter Markers:
00:00 — Cold open: two producers pricing alone this month
01:00 — The board: Lone Wolves, Pack Pushes, No-Shows
03:00 — The Lone Wolves: BASF's PA66 push and the solo PC increase
04:30 — The benzene wrinkle
06:30 — The Pack Pushes: PE, PVC, PS, PA6
09:30 — The No-Shows: PP, ABS, PET
11:00 — Buyer action items
12:00 — Close + upcoming: MAPP Conference, Indianapolis, September 29
