The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief

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  The Lone Wolf Increases — Resin Market Moves, Week of September 18, 2026 21.09.2026 5мин

  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
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  Crude Above $100: September Resin Buyer Game Plan (PE, PP, PS, ABS, PC, PVC, PA66, PA6, PET) 14.09.2026 12мин

  WTI crude jumped 13% in a single week, crossing above $100 per barrel for the first time since May. The trigger: rapidly escalating US-Iran military tensions and a surge in tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.But the crude spike doesn't affect every resin market the same way — and that distinction determines your entire September negotiating position.In this episode, Michael Workman covers all nine major resin markets and explains the one number that most buyers don't know they need right now: the September benzene contract settled at $4.56–4.57 per gallon, down two cents from August. That's the documented current data point. Benzene spot is at $4.83 — elevated with crude — and spot levels set October contracts. If you're buying any benzene-linked material and haven't closed your September pricing conversation, this episode is the one to act on today.What's covered:Polyethylene — Producers want 7–10¢/lb back after a 10-cent July decline. The Golden Triangle Polymers joint venture just started up a 1 million mt/yr HDPE unit in Orange, TX. New supply, unchanged ethylene feedstock. The case for the full increase isn't there.Polypropylene — No September increases. PGP below 40¢ and moving lower. LyondellBasell Lake Charles down 30 days. P66 Bayway offline. Both are real outages — neither has tightened the market enough to change the buyer's position.PVC — 2¢/lb push into ample inventory and a construction season that hasn't delivered the demand recovery producers needed. Hold firm.PET — No proposed increases. Post-bottle-season demand softening. Feedstocks ticking modestly higher. Gulf Coast hurricane exposure is the Q4 variable to watch.Polystyrene, ABS, PC, Nylon 66, Nylon 6 — The benzene contract is settled and in your favor for September. Act before October is negotiated at a different benzene level. For PA6 specifically: caprolactam fell more than $136 per metric ton this week while three producers are pushing 5–8¢ increases. Lead with that number.Links mentioned:Stack the Odds in Your Favor (MAPP)MAPP Pre-Conference — Resin Supplier PlaybookFull MAPP AgendaRequest your benchmark: [email protected] | 214-984-2977ResinSmart | Powered by RTi Global | Since 1998CHAPTER MARKERS0:00 — Crude Above $100: What Happened and Why It Matters2:35 — Two Markets, Two Action Plans4:15 — Polyethylene: 7–10¢ Push Faces New Supply5:40 — Polypropylene: No Increases, PGP Moving Lower6:45 — PVC: 2¢ Proposed Into a Market That Isn't There8:05 — PET: No Increases, Post-Season Softening, Hurricane Watch9:30 — The Benzene Split: Contract vs. Spot — The Number That Sets Q410:20 — Polystyrene: September Manageable, Q4 at Risk11:15 — ABS: Cost Floor Forming, Concession Window Still Open12:05 — Polycarbonate: One Producer, No Allies, Contest It13:00 — Nylon 66: BASF Alone at 8¢ — Use Producer Isolation13:55 — Nylon 6: Three Producers Pushing While Caprolactam Falls $136/mt14:50 — What September Decides for Q416:05 — MAPP September 29 — Come Find UsSHOW NOTESEpisode recorded week of September 11, 2026.Market data covered in this episode sourced from ResinSmart market intelligence. All domestic directional market calls confirmed by ResinSmart Senior Market Analyst prior to publication.The key distinction this episode:The September benzene contract ($4.56–4.57/gal) is already settled and governs your current pricing conversation. Benzene spot ($4.83) is what will govern October. These are two different numbers. Use the contract settlement now before the spot level becomes the most current data on the table.Resin markets and September buyer positions at a glance:Resin | Proposed | Increase | Buyer PositionPE | 7–10¢/lb | Push for concessionsPP | None | Lock in before outage narrative gains tractionPVC | 2¢/lb | Hold firmPET | None | Negotiate open volume nowPS | ~3¢/lb (soft) | Close September this weekABS | None | Capture concessions while demand is softPC | 10¢/lb (1 producer) | Contest — market structure is your defensePA66 | 8¢/lb (BASF only) | Challenge — no broader participationPA6 | 5–8¢/lb (3 producers) | Lead with caprolactam declineSubscribe and leave a review if this episode helped you prepare for a negotiation — it helps more resin buyers find the show.Meet ResinSmart at the MAPP Welcome Reception to test your strategy, win prizes and discover how better market intelligence improves resin procurement. 
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  The Long Weekend's Over. Check Your Inbox. | Week of September 7, 2026 08.09.2026 11мин

  Three nylon 6 producers sent increase letters as Labor Day weekend approached. The feedstock most directly tied to nylon 6 pricing moved in the opposite direction the same week.In this episode of Resin Market Moves, Michael Workman starts there — then works through every major resin market with a single question in mind: before you respond to anything in your inbox this week, what do you actually need to know?The cleaner calls first — polypropylene, polyethylene, PET, and PVC — where buyer leverage is intact and the action is clear. Then the benzene-linked materials — polystyrene, ABS, polycarbonate, and nylon 6/6 — where the crude move and September benzene settlement gave producers fresher arguments than they had before Labor Day. And finally nylon 6, where three producers coordinated simultaneously and only one piece of data holds up under scrutiny.Every major resin. Buyer-side only. The action priorities for the week.Episode Notes:Crude oil surged nearly 10% on the week on direct US-Iran military escalation and Strait of Hormuz disruption concerns, closing above $91 per barrel. That move hit benzene and butadiene heading into final September contract settlements — giving producers in five resin families fresher cost arguments than they had entering the holiday weekend.The central call of the episode: AdvanSix, BASF, and NYCOA all announced September nylon 6 increases citing upstream cost pressure — in the same week caprolactam dropped sharply in spot markets. Michael breaks down why those two facts don't reconcile on cost grounds, and what buyers should put in front of their supplier before responding to anything in their inbox.Chapter Markers:[00:00] The number nylon 6 producers don't want you to have — cold open, caprolactam contradiction teased[01:30] The setup — crude above $91, Strait of Hormuz, the week's feedstock context, the two-market split[04:00] The cleaner calls — polypropylene, polyethylene, PET, PVC: where leverage is intact and the action is clear[14:00] The more specific — polystyrene, ABS, polycarbonate, nylon 6/6: where the crude move changed the context[24:00] The payoff — nylon 6: the caprolactam data and what to do before September closes[29:00] What to do before Friday — action priorities by urgencyKey Line Per Resin — As Recorded:Polypropylene: "If you accept any September polypropylene increase, you are leaving money on the table."Polyethylene: "One month after a draw of a period of builds isn't going to restructure a market that's fairly well supplied."PET: "If you've been waiting for peak season to pass to negotiate open volume, that moment is now."PVC: "One of those is a talking point, one of them is a trend. Make sure your supplier knows which is which."Polystyrene: "Don't let benzene direction become your supplier's argument for what October's gonna do."ABS: "The ceiling is real — hold your position."Polycarbonate: "A headline is not a market. It's one company's pricing ambition."Nylon 6/6: "The settled contracts are the relevant benchmark here, not the most recent crude oil spike."Nylon 6: "It's not a cost argument. These are margin recovery arguments, rather than cost pass-through." Show Notes:ResinSmart is tracking this week's developments across polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, ABS, polycarbonate, PVC, nylon 6/6, nylon 6, and PET. All market data sourced from RTi market intelligence and approved sources.Key themes this episode: the nylon 6 caprolactam contradiction; the polyethylene inventory revision and why it doesn't change the structural supply picture; why polypropylene remains the cleanest buyer-leverage position in the market; the PVC construction spending story; and how US-Iran military escalation sent crude oil nearly 10% higher in a single week — hitting benzene-linked and commodity resins in completely different ways.For the full market summary table, ResinSmart benchmark context, or to see how your September pricing compares to what the market actually cleared: resinsmart.ai | [email protected] | 214-984-2977ResinSmart | Powered by RTi Global | Since 1998
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  September Nominations Are In — Here's What the Supply Data Actually Says | August 29, 2026 31.08.2026 9мин

  Six resins are carrying September price increase nominations simultaneously — the broadest coordination since early Q2. The supply and demand picture says something different than the letters in your inbox. This week, Michael Workman breaks down the two-track market that's running through the back half of 2026: commodity resins where buyer leverage is structural and real, and benzene-linked resins where the window is narrower and the mechanism for capturing relief is negotiation, not announcement. The most important story right now: ABS and PC give-back totaling 11–12 cents has happened over July and August without a single decrease announcement. Buyers who asked in writing with market data got it. Buyers who waited for an announcement didn't. The same pattern is still in play heading into September — and the accounts that act this week will finish the quarter in a materially different cost position than the ones that don't. Also this week: what crude oil's sharp reversal does and doesn't mean for September nominations, a resin-by-resin watch list through the end of the month, and a buyer action checklist by family. CHAPTER MARKERS 0:00   Open — September nomination overview: broadest activity since Q20:35   Polyethylene — 4 consecutive inventory builds, Golden Triangle capacity online, challenge both initiatives1:15   Polypropylene — zero resin-side initiatives, PGP down 1.5¢ to 45¢/lb, PP follows feedstock1:45   PVC — 3rd straight inventory build, India pull-forward confirmed not demand, one nomination ≠ a market2:15   PET — demand underperformed peak season, PX/PTA floor firming, hurricane season the only watch item2:50   Benzene-linked transition — why the approach is different in these categories3:05   Polystyrene — August BZ settled higher, inventories still building, 11¢ initiatives carry real cost support3:30   PA66 — BASF targeting 8¢ for September; benzene up but butadiene down limits the case3:45   PA6 — AdvanSix August initiative still open; CPL spot fell sharply this week4:00   ABS + PC — 11–12¢ out since July through negotiation, not announcement; PC give-back hiding in surcharges4:50   Crude oil — WTI pulled back from $88 on US-Iran ceasefire; benzene $4.58 → $4.40; what it means5:20   September watch items — PVC nomination breadth, PC support, PGP spot, Gulf Coast hurricane peak Sept 106:20   Buyer action checklist — what to do in commodity resins, ABS/PC, and benzene-linked this week7:00   Close — "Purchase wisely." — Kevin Mekaru SHOW NOTES • September is seeing the broadest coordinated producer nomination activity since early Q2, with PE, PS, PC, PA66, PA6, and PVC all carrying initiatives simultaneously. The supply and demand picture for most of these resins does not support the asks. • PE inventories have built for four consecutive months. New capacity from the Golden Triangle Polymers joint venture in Orange, Texas is entering the North American market. Producers are pushing August and September initiatives against a healthy supply backdrop. • The August PGP contract settled down 1.5 cents/lb to 45 cents/lb. There are no PP resin-side initiatives for August or September. Polypropylene pricing is tracking feedstock movement, not supplier strategy. Days of supply are near 38. • PVC saw its third consecutive inventory build in July. The export surge into India was a pull-forward ahead of India reinstating its minimum import price — not a demand recovery signal. Westlake filed a 2 cent/lb September nomination, the first in approximately three months. One producer filing is a negotiating position, not a market move. • PET demand underperformed expectations during peak bottle season. Paraxylene and PTA are expected to rebound modestly, providing a firmer cost floor. No September initiatives are on the table. The Gulf Coast hurricane season statistical peak falls on September 10 — near-term coverage should already be in place. • The August benzene contract settled materially higher, providing real feedstock cost support in polystyrene, ABS, polycarbonate, and both nylons. Not every September initiative in these categories is margin expansion — the cost case in some is legitimate. • Polystyrene producer initiatives of up to 11 cents/lb have cost support from the August benzene contract. Despite higher operating rates, inventories continued building. The INEOS Styrolution Bayport force majeure briefly tightened styrene availability. July benzene settlement data is the strongest negotiating data point available — use it before August becomes the current figure. • BASF is proposing an 8 cents/lb PA66 increase for September. Benzene has moved higher but butadiene has come down — the mixed feedstock environment limits the cost case for the full 8 cents. • AdvanSix's 12 cents/lb PA6 August initiative is still resolving. Caprolactam spot moved notably lower this week — that is a concrete data point to use in near-term conversations. No September PA6 initiatives have been announced. Benzene direction will determine the September setup. • ABS has declined 11 to 12 cents in aggregate across July and August. That movement has been broad — essentially every domestic ABS producer has provided some relief. It has not come through announced decrease letters. It came through buyers asking in writing with market data. Accounts that have not made the ask are not receiving the relief. • ABS is moving faster than polycarbonate because import competition pressures domestic producers every month, regardless of feedstock. PC softness is cost-driven, so it stalls when feedstock stalls. The PC give-back is often appearing through surcharge reductions rather than base price changes — track both columns separately or the relief will be invisible in cost reporting. • WTI moved from approximately $81/bbl to just under $88/bbl during the mid-to-late August period. Brent approached $94. Both pulled back sharply this week on reported US-Iran ceasefire progress, fresh Iran-Oman talks, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Benzene spot moved from $4.58/gallon to $4.40/gallon. • For commodity resins, crude geopolitics are largely background noise when supply fundamentals are this strong. For benzene-linked resins, the pullback may further limit the ability to push September nominations through. The September benzene contract has not yet settled. • Request your ResinSmart benchmark assessment at resinsmart.ai.
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  Buyer vs. Seller: Live Resin Negotiation — The $288K Call 28.08.2026 53мин

  What does the rep on the other side of your resin call actually know? Today you find out — because you get to hear both sides.We ran a live negotiation with 72 buyers watching simultaneously. Tyler Wheeler played the buyer. Michael Workman played the distributor rep. One fictional injection molder (Vandelay Plastics, yes — Seinfeld fans, you're welcome), real market structure, real numbers.THE FORMATThey negotiate. Then stop. One of them puts on headphones — the "cone of silence" — while the other turns to the audience and reveals exactly what they're thinking: their number, their floor, what they'd concede if pushed, what they were hoping the other side wouldn't ask. Then they pick the call back up.By the end: Tyler got PGP + 9 cents on 9 million pounds of polypropylene. He moved the ABS business from a competing supplier. He locked in a volume rebate structure. He extended payment terms to net 45. Total outcome: $288,000.His goal was $300,000. Close enough.THE FIVE BUYER MOVESKnow your number before you hear theirsAsk questions instead of making demandsPut something cheap on the table that costs you nothing and means something to themFind where the rep has flexibility they're not showing youNever say no — just keep asking (Michael's addition from the seller's side: "Frustratingly, you never told me no. Not once.")THE THING TYLER GAVE AWAYTyler had the polypropylene locked down. He knew his number before Michael said a word — and Michael couldn't move him because there was nothing to argue with.The nylon? Different story."If I just ask what's the best you can do, whatever you gave me, I was gonna take. Because I didn't have a good benchmark or anything to fight back with."He gave away a 6-cent gap on a line item he didn't prepare for. Michael had that locked in for 18 months before the call ended."You can't negotiate your way out of not knowing."WHERE THE NUMBER CAME FROMSomeone asked on the live call: "Where did the PGP + 8 target come from? Was it industry knowledge or a management goal?"Tyler's answer: "I was lucky enough to get that number from ResinSmart, so shameless plug on this one."The benchmark is built from what buyers at comparable volume, grade, and geography are actually clearing in the market — not what an index reports, not what a manager estimated. The methodology accounts for freight, rail car costs, distribution center proximity, additives, and grade-specific variables.When the rep challenged the number, Tyler had an answer that didn't require revealing his source.TIMESTAMPS0:00 — Introduction and format walkthrough2:20 — The scenario: Vandelay Plastics (PP, ABS, nylon, specialty grades)4:00 — Live negotiation begins13:00 — Cone of silence #1: Tyler briefs the audience on his strategy and floor18:30 — Negotiation resumes24:00 — Cone of silence #2: Michael reveals what he's willing to give28:00 — Final stretch: ABS, rebate structure, payment terms30:10 — Scene: negotiation closes30:30 — Joint debrief: the $288K tally35:00 — Tyler's five buyer moves37:20 — Michael's fifth: "You never told me no"39:00 — Q&A: where did the number come from, PGP vs. HPP index, live PVDF deal questionIF YOU WANT THE VIDEO VERSIONThe full recording with both faces on screen is at https://youtu.be/S54ZQPiGeQA. Chapters are clickable.ABOUT THE HOSTSMichael Workman is Executive Director, Commercial at ResinSmart — powered by RTi Global, which has operated in resin market intelligence since 1998. He led the session as the distributor rep.Tyler Wheeler is Director, Procurement — Engineered Resins at ResinSmart. He has spent nearly a decade in global resin procurement at Amcor and Cardinal Health. He was the buyer.WANT TO SEE WHERE YOUR PROGRAM STANDS?ResinSmart is tracking commodity and engineered resin markets weekly. RESIN8 — our benchmark — is built from real buyer-side transaction data, not index-reported prices.Request a benchmark assessment: resinsmart.ai/stack-the-odds-in-your-favorRunning the live version of this format at the MAPP Benchmarking Conference, Indianapolis, September 29 — you'd be in the room negotiating.Details: mappinc.com/conference/#agenda© 2026 ResinSmart / RTi Global. All rights reserved.
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  Crude at $88: Does It Really Mean Higher Resin Prices? 24.08.2026 4мин

  Crude oil jumped nearly $7 this week, pushing WTI close to $88 per barrel.For resin buyers, the predictable question follows: Does higher crude mean higher plastic resin prices?This week, the answer depends heavily on what you're buying.Michael Workman breaks down the latest Resin Market Moves and explains why supply conditions continue to favor buyers in polyethylene, polypropylene, and PVC — even with crude making headlines.He also looks at the other side of the market, where higher benzene is creating legitimate cost pressure in polystyrene and Nylon 6. The pressure is real, but growing PS inventories, declining caprolactam spot values, and healthy Nylon 6 availability mean full supplier initiatives aren't necessarily automatic pass-throughs.And then there's ABS: despite higher benzene, aggressively priced imports continue pushing domestic pricing lower.Michael closes with three markets to watch heading into September — polycarbonate, Nylon 6.6, and PET — and the key signals buyers should be preparing for now.In this episode:Why $88 crude doesn't automatically mean higher resin pricesWhy supply still favors PE, PP and PVC buyersThe legitimate—but negotiable—cost pressure facing PS and Nylon 6Why ABS continues moving lower despite higher benzeneWhat to watch in PC, Nylon 6.6 and PET heading into SeptemberThe bottom line: Know which feedstock actually drives your resin pricing. Know where supply stands. Negotiate from the facts, not the headlines.Resin Market Moves Michael Workman | Executive Director, ResinSmart | Powered by RTi GlobalPurchase wisely.
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  Everyone Watched the Crude Spike. The Aftershock Already Hit Five Resins. 17.08.2026 6мин

  WTI crude surged over 5% last week, peaked just shy of $84 a barrel on Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions, then pulled back to $81 by Thursday. The reversal was real.But the August benzene contract had already settled before the relief came. For polystyrene, ABS, polycarbonate, PA66, and PA6 buyers, the aftershock landed mid-week and it doesn't go backwards because crude came off its highs.In this episode, Michael Workman walks through every major resin market — where supply is long and leverage is real, where the benzene settlement changed the cost picture, and the one active price increase in the market right now and why caprolactam is the data point every PA6 buyer needs before responding to anything.What's covered this episode:The crude oil and benzene story — WTI peaked just shy of $84/bbl on Strait of Hormuz disruptions before pulling back to $81 by Thursday on weak demand data and a large U.S. domestic stockpile build. Why the partial crude reversal didn't undo the August benzene settlement — and what that means for buyers in benzene-linked resins.The two-track market — PE, PP, PVC, and PET buyers remain in a supply-long environment with no August price increase initiatives. Benzene-linked resin buyers woke up to a different cost conversation mid-week.PE — ResinSmart is tracking a fourth consecutive monthly inventory build. Producers seeking 5 cents per pound for August to recover a portion of July's 10-cent decline. The supply data doesn't support it.PP — No August initiatives announced. August pricing will follow the PGP settlement. Brief PDH flaring at Invista resolved by week's end — noise, not a signal.PVC — Third consecutive monthly inventory build. No August initiatives. Construction demand still soft. Buyers hold the leverage.PET — No announced increases. PX and PTA costs expected to provide a firmer floor following July's 3-cent decline. Seasonal bottle demand below expectations. Gulf Coast weather remains the watch point through end of summer.PS — Where the aftershock hit hardest. Producers have a cost foundation for 5–11 cents per pound increase initiatives that they didn't have last month. Material availability remains comfortable, so full implementation isn't guaranteed — but the window to use July contract data as the primary reference is now, not later in August.ABS and PC — No announced initiatives despite higher benzene. Higher costs are creating a floor against additional downward movement. Activity expected in Q4.PA66 — Higher benzene partially offset by a lower August butadiene contract. No new initiatives. Mixed feedstock signals point toward status quo near-term.PA6 — The one active increase in the market. One supplier announced 12 cents per pound citing higher benzene and sulfur costs. Caprolactam — the direct PA6 precursor — moved lower this week while benzene moved higher. A producer citing benzene as the cost driver needs to explain the caprolactam direction. That divergence is the buyer's negotiating lever.Key market data referenced:WTI Crude: Peaked just shy of $84/bbl intraweek; settled near $81/bblAugust benzene contract: Settled substantially higher vs. JulyPE: Fourth consecutive monthly inventory build; producer ask of 5¢/lb for AugustPP: No August initiatives; PGP as primary contract driverPVC: Third consecutive monthly inventory build; no August initiativesPA6: One supplier announced 12¢/lb August increaseCaprolactam: Moved lower this week despite benzene gainsEpisode Chapters:[0:00] Open — the crude spike, the pullback, and why the aftershock already landed [0:47] What happened in crude and why the benzene settlement didn't reverse with it [1:11] Two markets running at the same time [1:36] PE, PP, PVC, PET — supply long, leverage real [2:52] PS — where the aftershock hit hardest and what to do this week [3:18] ABS, PC, PA66 — higher benzene creates a floor, not a ceiling [3:43] PA6 — the one active increase and the caprolactam complication [4:34] Bottom line and buyer action framework [5:00] Buyer vs. Seller webinar (August 26) and MAPP Conference (September 29)Upcoming: Buyer vs. Seller — Live Negotiation Session | August 26 | Free | ResinSmart.ai MAPP Benchmarking Conference | September 29 | Live buyer vs. seller sessionWhere to find ResinSmart: ResinSmart.ai | [email protected] | 214-984-2977
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  August 10, 2026 — Back to School: Two Markets, Two Playbooks, One Closing Window 10.08.2026 5мин

  The resin market runs on a two-track system right now, and the two tracks are moving in different directions. Michael Workman breaks down where buyers stand on August 10 and exactly what to do about it before the week is over. Commodity resins - polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, PET, nylon 66 - are still operating in summer-favorable conditions. Increase initiatives are out there, but the fundamentals don't support them. The leverage is real and the window is still open, but August is here.Benzene-linked resins - polystyrene, ABS, polycarbonate, nylon 6 - are a different story. August benzene settled higher. Increase letters are live or arriving this week. The pre-announcement window on ABS and PC is the last opportunity to lock concessions before the landscape shifts.In this episode:PE: 5¢/lb increase initiative for August. Supply and demand say no. Contest it.PP: First upward tick since spring at 3¢/lb following PGP. Watch the contract settlement this month as your signal.PVC: No initiatives. Buyers still hold leverage.PET & Nylon 66: Flat to lower. Act on open volume before paraxylene and PTA feedstocks reenter the conversation.Polystyrene: 5–10¢+/lb increases. August benzene is the cost driver and it's real. But supply is still balanced. Contest the magnitude, not the direction. Bring your July settlement data.ABS & PC: No formal initiatives yet, but rumblings are building. The pre-announcement window closes this week. Concessions available today may not be there Monday.Nylon 6: One supplier up 12¢/lb. Caprolactam has been tracking lower week over week. The cost ask overstates actual feedstock movement.Bring the caprolactam data to that conversation.Crude oil wildcard — WTI dropped below $80 as geopolitical tension in the Iran region has calmed somewhat. August benzene has already settled — lower crude limits September's cost story, not August's. Cautious optimism for September is the read. That's not a reason to delay August conversations.The September advantage: Buyers who act now in August enter Q4 with a lower cost position. Feedstock volatility tied to crude oil and Middle East developments could reverse current commodity conditions quickly. The window has a ceiling.ResinSmart | Powered by RTi Global | Since 1998 resinsmart.ai
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  August's First Pitch 03.08.2026 12мин

  PE producers threw the first pitch of August this week — 5 cents per pound in price increase nominations against a market where inventories are above the three-year average, ethylene costs are flat, and July is still expected to settle lower. This episode breaks down where every major resin stands as the August count opens, which materials are sitting in hitter's counts, and why some of those at-bats need to close this week before the bullpen arrives.Topics covered:The first pitch framework: how to read a producer nomination before you respond to itPE: why the 5¢ August ask doesn't have the fundamentals — and what to put in your counterPP: the pitch that caught the corner — PGP settled +3¢/lb and buyers need to respect itThe benzene bullpen: PS, ABS, PC buyers are in hitter's counts right now, but August benzene is warmingPA6: the most urgent at-bat in the lineup — caprolactam fell sharply in July and the window closes when August BZ recoversPVC: days of supply climbed to nearly 20, no nominations, full-count leverage in buyers' handsPET: July lower, August feedstocks expected to firm, Gulf Coast hurricane season is the active supply riskThe discipline that separates Q3 outcomes: working the count versus swinging at the first pitchKey takeaway: Most of this market is still throwing batting practice. The buyers who work the count — who respond to August letters with data instead of acceptance — will achieve materially different outcomes than the ones who swung at the first pitch.
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  Plastics News Info Session | How Resin Buyers Can Regain Negotiating Leverage 30.07.2026 1ч 1мин

  The resin market has long favored suppliers, but it doesn't have to stay that way.In this Plastics News info session, Michael Workman, Bill Bowie and Tyler Wheeler explain why resin buyers often negotiate with incomplete information, how to separate true feedstock costs from supplier margin, and the practical strategies procurement teams are using to regain leverage.Listen to learn how leading buyers are shifting from reactive purchasing to proactive, data-driven negotiations that produce better outcomes.Subscribe to the Resin Market Moves newsletter for weekly market intelligence: https://resinsmart.ai/subscribeLearn more about ResinSmart: https://resinsmart.ai
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  The Flags Don't Lie | Resin Market Moves | July 24, 2026 27.07.2026 11мин

  This week's episode covers all nine major resin markets under one organizing theme: what the flags are reading, and whether buyers trust them enough to act.The answer depends on which market you're in. PE, PP, PVC, and PET are flying green flags — leverage is clear, fundamentals are aligned, and the data is telling you to negotiate aggressively now. For PS, ABS, PC, PA66, and PA6, the flag has turned yellow. July conditions remain favorable — the July benzene contract settled lower and is working through pricing as we speak. But crude oil surged more than $13 per barrel on Middle East military conflict, benzene spot has been firming for three straight weeks, and Tropical Storm Bertha is tracking the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. If those conditions hold, August benzene reflects them — and five resin markets shift from Q3 tailwind to Q4 uncertainty.The July window is still open. The flags are telling you it won't stay this width for the rest of the quarter. Show NotesThis week's episode covers the resin market sweep for the week of July 24, 2026 — PE, PP, PS, ABS, PC, PVC, PA66, PA6, and PET.Market context this week:Crude oil: WTI surged to $92.19/bbl, Brent crossed $100, driven by escalating Middle East military conflict and serious threats to energy shipping lanes. The move is the primary driver behind firming benzene spot and the emerging August uncertainty in benzene-linked resins.Tropical Storm Bertha: Second named storm of the 2026 hurricane season, tracking toward the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. No supply disruptions have been reported, but market attention is on potential impacts to feedstock production assets. Hurricane season is typically most active August through October, with Gulf Coast PET and petrochemical assets the key watch point.Benzene spot: Firmed for the third consecutive week, reaching $4.93/gal. The July benzene contract has already settled — so this week's spot movement does not affect July pricing. It affects the August contract settlement, which is determined by where benzene spot is trading right now.Per-resin summary:PE: July contracts expected to settle down at least 10 cents per pound following June's 15-cent decline. One producer announced a 5-cent August price increase initiative. ResinSmart is tracking no supply-demand conditions that support the initiative materializing at current fundamentals.PP: PGP eased slightly to 44 cents per pound from the mid-40-cent range. No July price increase initiatives announced despite elevated feedstock costs — a demand signal. Heartland's Canadian PP facility resumed operations after an extended outage; Phillips 66 Bayway refinery turnaround ongoing.PS: July expected to decline at least 6 cents per pound on lower July benzene contract settlement. Benzene spot firming creates genuine August uncertainty. July discount is real — use it before the spot move becomes the supplier's opening argument next month.ABS: Fundamentals balanced, material available, no July initiatives. July feedstock settlements favorable and working through pricing. Same benzene spot exposure as PS for August. US retail sales +0.6% in June — modest demand encouragement, but manufacturing conditions broadly mixed.PC: Stable, balanced, no producer initiatives. Benzene spot firmed this week, but propylene held flat — suggesting market is pricing weather risk premium rather than a fundamental supply disruption. Europe and China both pointing lower in July — global context constructive.PVC: Supply outpacing demand. No July initiatives. Builder confidence registered at 34 in July, the fifteenth consecutive month below 40 — longest stretch since 2012. Housing starts rebounded in June, led by multifamily, but current supply positions remain more than sufficient to offset any pricing support from construction activity.PA66: Balanced, no initiatives, material availability healthy. Benzene elevated and butadiene flat at 47 cents. Buyers should contest any rolled-over pricing with July feedstock contract data.PA6: Caprolactam dropped sharply to $1,720.67/mt from $1,856.99 — a significant move driven by lower July benzene contract costs. The July cost structure for PA6 production has moved meaningfully in buyers' favor. Do not accept June-level pricing without contesting the feedstock math.PET: July PX contract settled 2 cents lower. Seasonal bottle demand supporting order activity but not reversing pricing direction. No August increase initiatives announced. Gulf Coast weather and crude oil trajectory are the primary Q3 risk variables. Subscribe to the Resin Market Moves newsletter at resinsmart.ai Contact: [email protected] | 214-984-2977ResinSmart | Powered by RTi Global | Since 1998
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  Two Summer Days for Resin Buyers — Clear Skies in Some Markets, Storm Warnings in Others | July 17, 2026 20.07.2026 8мин

  Resin buyers are entering the second half of July with two very different market conditions. Polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC and PET continue to favor buyers. Inventory remains elevated, no meaningful July price increases have emerged, and current supply-demand fundamentals continue to support aggressive negotiations. But another group of resins just received a weather advisory. Rising crude oil prices and strengthening benzene spot markets have created new uncertainty for polystyrene, ABS, polycarbonate, PA66 and PA6. While July contract settlements still provide opportunities for buyers, waiting until August could change the negotiation landscape if feedstock costs continue moving higher.In this episode, Michael Workman delivers the full resin market update for the week of July 17, covering every major material: PE, PP, PS, ABS, PC, PVC, PA66, PA6 and PET, along with practical buyer actions for each market.Topics covered:Why PE, PP, PVC and PET buyers still have leverageHow crude oil and benzene are changing the outlook for five engineering resinsWhy July contract settlements matter more than spot market headlinesProduction outages versus true demand recovery in polypropyleneThe impact of the INEOS Styrolution plant closure on polystyreneHurricane season risks for PET buyers with Gulf Coast exposureProcurement strategies buyers should use before market conditions shiftResin Market Moves publishes every week. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.Powered by ResinSmart | Since 1998
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  Buyers Are Winning Right Now — But a Geopolitical Wildcard Just Changed the Math | July 10, 2026 13.07.2026 9мин

  PE settled down 15 cents for June. PP settled down 8.5 cents. No proposed price increases in either market for July. Resin buyers are holding the leverage across most major commodity materials.But a mid-week geopolitical shock just changed the math for a significant portion of the market.The collapse of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire framework pushed crude back above $70 per barrel and sent benzene spot prices sharply higher, landing directly in the August contract trading window. For buyers of ABS, polycarbonate, PA66, PA6, and polystyrene, that development tightens the cost relief window — and shifts the urgency from August to July.In this episode, Michael Workman delivers the full resin market sweep for the week of July 10. Every major material covered: PE, PP, PS, ABS, PC, PVC, PA66, PA6, and PET — with specific buyer actions for each.Topics covered:PE and PP: what's driving the buyer advantage and how to use itThe benzene wildcard: what happened mid-week and why it matters for five resin categoriesINEOS Styrolution's permanent closure of a major North American PS facilityWhy ABS and PC buyers need to act in July, not AugustPVC demand conditions and the housing market dragPET and the hurricane season risk for Q3 Gulf Coast supplyResin Market Moves publishes every week. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.Powered by ResinSmart | Since 1998
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  Halftime: What Resin Buyers Should Know About H1 2026 06.07.2026 4мин

  H1 2026 was one of the most active nomination environments in recent memory — north of 90 proposed increases across commodity and engineering resins in a single quarter. The justification was consistent: feedstock costs, supply disruptions, force majeure. Some of that was real. A lot of the ask on top of it wasn't.In this episode, we break down what H1 actually looked like from the buyer's side — what was proposed, what settled, and the gap between them where buyers who had data won. Then we walk through the mid-year review framework that separates the programs entering H2 with leverage from the ones running blind.Topics covered:The H1 nomination wave: scope, patterns, and justification languageCost pressure vs. pricing power — why the distinction matters in every conversationWhere buyers pushed back and won — and why the data made the differenceThe four-question mid-year review frameworkH2 outlook: feedstocks, forward exposure, what Q3 nominations likely look likeWhat to do before the next wave arrivesGuest: Michael Workman, Executive Director, ResinSmart | Powered by RTi GlobalRegister: "Stop Negotiating Blind" — Plastics News Webinar, July 22, 12:30 PM CT https://event.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1768507&tp_key=3e20608168
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  The World Cup, Summer Plastics, and Why Resin Buyers Have the Leverage Right Now | Resin Market Moves | Week of June 29, 2026 01.07.2026 9мин

  PE inventories are at 46 days of supply. PP exports collapsed 17.6% in May. INEOS is permanently closing 400,000 metric tons per year of PS capacity in Illinois. Caprolactam dropped over $136/mt in a week. Crude oil fell nearly $5/bbl.And somewhere in all of this, the World Cup is selling out bars.This week's episode connects the dots between the summer plastics demand story — beverages, pool season, construction, stadium packaging — and the supply overhang that's making this one of the most buyer-favorable resin markets in recent memory.Michael Workman walks through all nine resin markets covered in this week's driver reports and lands on the three things buyers should do before the July 4th slowdown erases four days of negotiating calendar.
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  The BIG PE Inventory Problem: What This Week's Resin Data Actually Means 23.06.2026 1ч

  Three signals converged in the resin market this week — and they all point in the same direction for buyers.  WTI crude dropped 9%+ on the U.S.-Iran peace agreement. Polyethylene posted its biggest inventory build in 11 years. And benzene, the key feedstock for PA6, PA66, ABS, and PC, settled at a multi-year high for June — but spot has already reverted to the $3s, setting up a July inflection point.  In this live AMA session, ResinSmart's Michael Workman is joined by Directors of Procurement Tyler Wheeler (engineered resins) and Kevin Mekaru (commodity resins) for an unscripted, data-first breakdown of what moved and what to do about it.  What they covered: PE inventory up HUGE — the biggest 11-year build. Producer asks have no data support. PP: PGP softening into the mid-30s. 3-cent June ask is not legitimate. PS: The one commodity resin where modest increases ARE warranted. Here's the benzene math. PVC: 4-cent ask vs. an 8-month low in housing starts. How to use construction data in negotiations. Engineered resins: How to read the benzene-to-resin price lag — and when July settlement triggers the rollback conversation. POM/Acetal: Why this market is producer-channel-managed, and what that means for your pricing. Live Q&A: PA66 supply risk from Celanese capacity cuts. Fuel surcharge timing. EPR legislation and PET. Additive market outlook.  Kevin's closing note: "The signals are on the downward side. Understand what's signal and what's noise." Tyler's closing: "Relief is on the way. If you've been keeping score, you're about to have a healthy procurement pipeline." Topics + Timestamps0:00 Intro — Welcome to the first live Resin Market Moves AMA 0:44 Macro: Crude oil, PE inventory build, and demand signals 2:37 Polyethylene: 791M lbs — the June negotiation argument 6:39 Polypropylene: PGP in the mid-30s, Dow PDH turnaround watch 8:11 Polystyrene: Why benzene actually justifies modest PS increases 8:47 PVC: Housing data as your pushback tool 9:53 PET: Seasonal balance + hurricane season coverage 11:14 Engineered resins: Benzene $4.91 → reversion to $3s → July trigger 18:00 Q&A: When do engineered resin prices actually come back down? 23:10 Q&A: EPR legislation — real cost impact on PET/rPET? 25:10 Q&A: How to time fuel surcharge rollbacks 26:40 Q&A: Celanese PA66 capacity — supply risk or noise? 28:20 Q&A: PVC, Chinese carbide exports, and domestic margin defense 29:50 Q&A: Additive pricing — TiO2, colorants, next month 31:30 Q&A: POM/Acetal — producer-managed market dynamics 34:00 Closing: Signal vs. noise. Relief is coming. Subscribe to Resin Market Moves for weekly resin market updates. Get your RESIN8 Benchmark Assessment at resinsmart.ai. Contact Michael directly: [email protected] | 214-984-2977  ResinSmart | Powered by RTi Global | Since 1998 
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  Resin Market Moves — Week of June 13, 2026: Producers Want Increases. The Data Says Otherwise. 15.06.2026 6мин

  The ACC's preliminary May data hit this week and it's decisively buyer-friendly — but only if you're paying attention.In this episode of Resin Market Moves, Michael Workman walks through the week's key market developments across nine major resin families:PE's MASSIVE build one of the largest single-month gains in years — and why it undermines this month's $0.10/lb increase initiativePP at 1.97 billion lbs of inventory as demand softens, exports fall 22%, and PGP continues decliningWhy the second half of June is the better time to negotiate PPPA6 caprolactam's $136/mt single-week decline and what it means for BASF's askCelanese's PA66 capacity reductions and the H2 supply storyPET's unique position: seasonal demand support vs. softening feedstock forecastsA practical buyer action framework for the weekResin Market Moves is a weekly market intelligence briefing for plastics processors and resin buyers. Powered by RTi Global, since 1998.New episodes every week. Subscribe and never negotiate blind.
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  Resin Market Moves — June 7, 2026 "The Show Went On. But Nationals Are Ahead." 08.06.2026 5мин

  It was dance recital week in the Workman household — and the chaos behind the scenes at the studio is a perfect metaphor for where the resin market sits right now. May settled cleanly on the surface. But TotalEnergies is still under force majeure in PP. A Phillips 66 turnaround is coming in June. Celanese is rationalizing PA66 capacity ahead of a Singapore unit closure in July. And inventory numbers settle up.Michael Workman breaks down what buyers need to know before committing to June pricing — and why producers are counting on buyers who aren't looking too closely at what's happening backstage.In this episode: Polypropylene supply disruptions PA66 Celanese capacity rationalization  Trinseo Chapter 11 PE inventory revision How to separate cost-justified increases from margin recovery asksResinSmart | Powered by RTi Global | Since 1998 | resinsmart.ai
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  Cost Story vs. Margin Story: Reading the May Settlements | Resin Market Moves 01.06.2026 6мин

  May settlement week just drew the clearest line in months between markets where cost drives pricing and markets where producers are simply testing what buyers will accept.PP's PGP contract settled down 7 cents per pound. The resin market is expected to follow. That's a legitimate cost decline — buyers who document it and push back in writing capture it. PE settled flat for May, but a 10-cent-per-pound June increase initiative is already circulating — even as ethylene spot declines, crude falls more than $5 a barrel, and global supply continues building. That's not a cost story. That's a margin play.Michael Workman, Executive Director at ResinSmart, breaks down the full commodity board — PP, PE, ABS, PC, PA6, PA66, PVC, PS, and PET — and gives buyers a clear action framework for the week ahead.In this episode: why PP buyers should be pushing back in writing this week and not waiting for June. The feedstock reality behind the PE June increase initiative and why it doesn't hold up. What the absence of June nominations in PA6 and PA66 is telling you. PET — the one market where cost support is real and why you should treat it differently. And how crude's five-dollar drop this week changes the benzene equation heading into summer.ResinSmart publishes Resin Market Moves weekly. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.Contact Michael: [email protected] | (214) 984-2977 | resinsmart.aiPowered by RTi Global | Since 1998
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  Price Increase Letters and Negotiation Leverage | May 2026 Procurement Intelligence Session 29.05.2026 51мин

  A supplier price increase letter hits your inbox. The clock starts immediately.Most buyers have two weeks to respond. Their suppliers are already working with current market intelligence, while many procurement teams are validating claims with data that's 30 to 60 days old.In this episode, Michael Workman and Brian Balboa break down what happens when a resin supplier announces a price increase — and why the outcome is often decided before the first negotiation.They explore four common failure modes that weaken a buyer's position:Timing: negotiating with delayed market informationTrust: relying on data that wasn't built for buyersPrecision: benchmarking the wrong gradeAccess: having data but not being able to act on it quicklyMichael and Brian also review a real-world HDPE example where two buyers received the same $0.30/lb increase letter but achieved very different results based on their preparation.The difference wasn't negotiation skill. It was validation, benchmarking, and independent market intelligence.TOPICS COVEREDWhy published resin indices can leave buyers negotiating with outdated informationThe four procurement failure modes: timing, trust, precision, and accessWhy supplier justification requests often fail to create leverageHow grade-level benchmarking improves negotiation outcomesThe difference between cost recovery and margin expansionWhat prepared buyers do after receiving a price increase letterRequest your free RESIN8 Benchmark Assessment at resinsmart.ai.Connect with Michael Workman on LinkedIn.