The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief

If you’ve ever been blindsided by a last-minute board request, pushed to explain a spike in resin costs, or struggled to prove your value to leadership, this Resin Market Brief is for you.Host Brian Balboa sits down with Tyler Wheeler and Greg Eberhardt, senior procurement leaders at ResinSmart powered by RTi, to unpack how resin buyers can move from “cost negotiator” to true business partner in the eyes of the C-suite.They discuss:The difference between transactional and strategic buyersHow to speak the C-suite’s language: EBITDA, customers, and market share, not just cents per poundThe “three C’s” of executive communication: clear, concise, correctReal-world scenarios: last-minute board questions, “your competitor is paying 25¢/lb” claims, and mid-year budget challengesHow tools like ResinSmart turn market chaos into executive-ready stories and visualsWhether you manage $5 million or $500 million in resin spend, you’ll walk away with practical ideas to:Build credibility with finance and the boardDefend your savings even when the P&L doesn’t show itUse data and visuals to turn resin market moves into strategic decisions🔗 Learn more & start a 60-day free trial: ResinSmart.ai

Flat prices. Weak demand. Long inventories.Welcome to The Waiting Game — where resin buyers hold firm and producers keep testing price increases that the data doesn’t support.In this week’s Resin Market Moves, Michael breaks down what’s happening across North America’s resin markets and what it means for buyers planning year-end negotiations and 2026 budgets. Resin Market HighlightsPolyethylene (PE):Flat in October; producers testing another +3¢/lb for November, but fundamentals say “not likely.” Inventories remain long and exports soft.Polypropylene (PP):October contracts fell 4¢/lb as PGP hit three-year lows. Market near cycle bottom.Polystyrene (PS):Down 2¢/lb in October; weak benzene and BD keep downward pressure.ABS & Polycarbonate (PC):Still stable-to-soft. Proposed +10¢/lb increases for November lack support.PVC:Down 2¢ in October; no proposed hikes for November amid soft construction demand.Nylon (PA6 & PA66):Stable to lower. Feedstocks down again; automotive demand sluggish.PET:Up slightly in October from tariffs, but tariffs aside, fundamentals remain weak and prices should ease again in November.Key TakeawayThe market’s flat — but not quiet.Buyers with real data have leverage, while producers are left waiting for justification that isn’t there.ResinSmart helps processors, OEMs, and brand owners see what’s real — benchmarking contract and spot resin prices against actual market transactions so you can negotiate with confidence.Learn more at https://www.ResinSmart.ai

In this episode of Resin Market Brief – A Buyer’s Journey, hosts Michael Workman and Tyler Wheeler welcome Justin Riney, host of Redefining Plastics and former resin buyer, for an honest conversation about what it really takes to succeed in modern procurement.Together they explore:Why the best resin buyers build relationships instead of relying on RFPsHow trust, transparency, and negotiation psychology drive real savingsThe challenges of “data overload” — and how to know which signals actually matterHow sustainability and regulation (EPR, bioplastics, recycling) are reshaping resin strategyFrom supplier “PIA taxes” to benchmark data, this is a candid, funny, and insightful talk between three pros who’ve lived the resin market from multiple angles.Subscribe on Transistor, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to catch every new episode of Resin Market Brief – Powered by ResinSmart

History repeats. In the resin market — like every commodity cycle before it — price resistance without justification never lasts.This week, Michael breaks down why producers’ attempted increases across PE, PP, PS, PVC, ABS, PC, and PET don’t align with the data — and how buyers can use transparency to push back with confidence.Highlights: • PE: Proposed +3¢/lb for November lacks merit. • PP: Feedstock PGP lowest since 2022. • PS & ABS: Weak feedstocks, falling demand. • PVC: Still sliding amid soft housing. • PET: Tariff-driven bumps fading fast.Key Takeaway: History rewards those who push back with facts.

Despite a September inventory draw, North American resin markets remain oversupplied and weak. Producers are testing increases, but fundamentals say otherwise.Highlights • Polyethylene draw of 336M lbs but still +400M YoY – demand soft. • Polypropylene contracts tracking –4 to –5¢ as PGP costs collapse. • Polystyrene, ABS, PC, PVC – stable to lower pricing. • PET still flat with weak demand and feedstock declines.Key Takeaway: Buyers remain in the driver’s seat as suppliers destock before year-end. Now’s the time to benchmark your pricing and capture margin back.Learn more and start your free trial at 👉 https://www.ResinSmart.ai

Even with the first real inventory draw in months, North American resin remains oversupplied — and buyers still have leverage heading into Q4. In this week’s Resin Market Moves, Michael breaks down what’s happening across PE, PP, PS, PVC, ABS, PC, and PET — and what it means for your negotiations.Resin Market Highlights:Polyethylene (PE): • Inventories down ~336M lbs in September — a meaningful draw, but the market is still long. • Producer price-increase attempts continue to face resistance.Polypropylene (PP): • Feedstock PGP hit its lowest level since 2022. • Weak fundamentals cap upside; buyers retain leverage.Polystyrene (PS): • Sliding again on softer benzene and styrene. • Contracts remain under pressure.PVC: • Soft housing and construction keep prices subdued. • High inventories limit any near-term rebound.ABS & Polycarbonate (PC): • Stable to slightly soft; demand pockets not enough to move pricing.PET: • Producers are testing +6–9¢/lb hikes, but current fundamentals don’t support them.Key Takeaway: Too much resin, not enough demand. With inventories still heavy and feedstocks easing, buyers are winning the Q4 market.If you’re pushing back on supplier pricing, ResinSmart helps you see through the noise and negotiate with confidence — real-time benchmarking, forecasting, and market transparency for processors who are tired of guessing.Learn more or request a benchmark demo: https://www.ResinSmart.aiFollow Michael Workman on LinkedIn for weekly Resin Market Moves updates. Travel safe, everyone — Chicago next!

Even multiple production hiccups couldn’t move this resin market.As we enter mid-Q4, the theme is clear across North America: flat pricing, weak demand, and oversupply.In this week’s Resin Market Moves, Michael breaks down what’s really happening across the major resin families — and what it means for buyers trying to hold the line on costs. Resin Market Highlights:Polyethylene (PE): Dow, ExxonMobil, and CP Chem reported short-lived production issues, but inventories remain near record highs. October’s proposed +3–5¢/lb increases? Still unlikely to stick.Polypropylene (PP): Feedstock propylene (PGP) crashed below $0.25/lb, the lowest since 2022. No margin increases announced — weak fundamentals continue.Polystyrene (PS): Feedstocks fell sharply, with benzene down nearly $0.50/gal, pushing PS contracts lower again.ABS & Polycarbonate (PC): Stable to slightly soft. Auto sector improving, but not enough to move pricing. Sabic’s +10¢ ABS increase for November faces buyer resistance.PVC: Still sluggish. Construction remains slow, with high inventories and no October increase nominations.PET: Flat for September and early October, though producers continue testing +6–9¢/lb increases. Market data doesn’t support it.Key Takeaway:Feedstocks are easing. Inventories are heavy. And producer price-increase letters are running on fumes.Now is the time for buyers to stay disciplined, benchmark their pricing, and push back with confidence.That’s what ResinSmart was built for — real-time resin benchmarking, forecasting, and market transparency for processors who are tired of guessing. Learn more or request a benchmark demo: https://www.ResinSmart.ai Follow Michael Workman on LinkedIn for weekly Resin Market Moves updates.

As we head into Q4, the resin markets across North America tell one story: flat pricing, weak demand and oversupply.In this short video, Michael breaks down what’s happening across key resin families — and what buyers need to know heading into year-end negotiations:🔹 Polyethylene (PE): Flat in September, inventories up +243 million lbs. Producers pushing +3–5¢ for October, but demand won’t support it. 🔹 Polypropylene (PP): Rolled flat. Propylene feedstock below 30¢/lb — lowest since 2022. 🔹 Polystyrene (PS): Down ~2¢/lb as benzene and butadiene soften. 🔹 ABS & Polycarbonate (PC): Stable to slightly soft — auto improving, but not enough to lift demand. 🔹 PVC: Down another 2¢/lb, with housing starts and construction demand lagging. 🔹 PET: Flat for September — producers testing +6–9¢ increases on tariff and logistics pressure.The big picture:Feedstocks are weaker, inventories are high, and producers’ increase letters lack market justification.What this means for buyers: Stay disciplined. Benchmark your resin costs. Push back where pricing doesn’t align with the data.That’s exactly what ResinSmart was built for — to give resin buyers clarity, confidence, and control.Learn more at https://www.ResinSmart.ai and subscribe for weekly Resin Market Moves updates.

Suppliers are nominating increases across PE, PP, PVC, PET, and more — but the data says otherwise.In this week’s Resin Market Moves (Sept 26, 2025), Michael Workman of ResinSmart breaks down the latest market drivers:Key Insights:PE: Inventories +1.2B lbs YoY; +5¢/+3–5¢ nominations lack supportPP: Flat as PGP rolled at 35.5¢; 40 days of supply on handPS: Lower after September benzene contractABS & PC: Flat; long supply and weaker RMCPVC: Inventories at 1B lbs; one producer still chasing +3¢Nylon & PET: Flat; PET producers push +6–9¢ in October despite lower PX/PTATakeaway: Fundamentals remain weak-to-flat. Buyers should benchmark every ask, reject unsupported hikes, and use data to negotiate better terms.Resin Market Moves breaks down the latest shifts in PE, PP, and engineered resin markets—covering price movement, supply/demand trends, inventory levels, and what it all means for your next buy. Get fast, actionable insights to help you negotiate smarter and stay ahead of volatility.Benchmark your portfolio against 3B+ lbs of verified resin data with ResinSmart: www.resinsmart.aiFollow us on LinkedInWatch episodes on YouTube

PE, PP, PS, PVC, PET, ABS, PC, and Nylon all point flat-to-down. Suppliers are nominating increases for September — but the data across PE, PP, PS, PVC, PET, ABS, PC, and Nylon tells a different story. Inventories are high, demand is soft, and feedstocks are easing.***Resin Market Moves breaks down the latest shifts in PE, PP, and engineered resin markets—covering price movement, supply/demand trends, inventory levels, and what it all means for your next buy. Get fast, actionable insights to help you negotiate smarter and stay ahead of volatility.Learn more at www.resinsmart.aiFollow us on LinkedInWatch episodes on YouTube

Suppliers are nominating increases for September, but the fundamentals across PE, PP, PS, PVC, PET, ABS, PC, and Nylon remain weak-to-flat.***Resin Market Moves breaks down the latest shifts in PE, PP, and engineered resin markets—covering price movement, supply/demand trends, inventory levels, and what it all means for your next buy. Get fast, actionable insights to help you negotiate smarter and stay ahead of volatility.Learn more at www.resinsmart.aiFollow us on LinkedInWatch episodes on YouTube

Suppliers are pushing resin price hikes — but the fundamentals across PE, PP, PS, PVC, PET, ABS, PC, and Nylon tell a different story. In this week’s update, Michael Workman, Growth Director at ResinSmart, breaks down the latest RTi Drivers data and what it means for buyers heading into contract season.Learn more at www.resinsmart.aiFollow us on LinkedInWatch episodes on YouTube

Resin Market Moves breaks down the latest shifts in PE, PP, and engineered resin markets—covering price movement, supply/demand trends, inventory levels, and what it all means for your next buy. Get fast, actionable insights to help you negotiate smarter and stay ahead of volatility.Learn more at www.resinsmart.aiFollow us on LinkedInWatch episodes on YouTube