(ICIS) -- Iran's Petrochemical Commercial Co (PCC) is planning to more than halve its orthoxylene (OX) exports in 2012 on more attractive domestic prices, a company source said on Thursday.
⌠We are planning to export around 15,000-16,000 tonnes of OX next year, the source said, adding that the company has exported around 34,000 tonnes of material over the past 10 months.
⌠Domestic prices have been higher than exports so that is why we are planning to sell more within Iran, the source said, but decline further comments when asked for details on the domestic settlement method and price.
PCC has a long-term contract to supply OX to South Korea's Daewoo International Corporation and various Chinese and Indian phthalic anhydride (PA) makers in 2011. Supply of OX is expected to remain tight going into 2012 on the back of previous cutbacks in operating rates at regional facilities. Demand for shipments have also been poor over the last two quarters because of squeezed PA margins.
Perspectives of development of polymer markets, pricing issues and other important aspects will be discussed at The Polymers Summit-2011, which will be held in Moscow on November 30, 2011 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. The Summit will be organized by MRC with the support of ICIS. The main idea of the Summit is to find a "the golden mean" between producers and converters. When producers receive exactly such margin of production, which helps them to invest in production expansion in order to substitute polymers imports, and the converters receive such price of feedstock that helps them to compete imported finished products. The Summit site gives an access to the live video of the Summit, speakers" presentations, as well as opportunities to ask questions or make appointments to any Summit partcipant.