Dow Announces Price Increase For Polyethylene Resins In North America

Houston - Raw material costs related to the production of polyethylene are beginning to trend upwards again, while resin demand continues to strengthen. Based on these conditions, The Dow Chemical Company announced a $0.07/lb. price increase across North America for all polyethylene resins, effective January 15, 2007.

"We continue to see month over month increases in demand since September," said Howard Ungerleider, Commercial Vice President of Dow's Base Plastics portfolio in North America. "In addition, the brief period of softening raw material prices appears to be over. Ethane and ethylene are starting to shift up again, continuing the prolonged period of volatility in polyethylene market dynamics."

Resins affected by the price increase include all grades of DOW Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Resins and DOW High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Resins, ASPUN Fiber Grade Resins, ATTANE Ultra Low Density Polyethylene (ULDPE) Copolymers, CONTINUUM Bimodal Polyethylene Resins, DOWLEX Polyethylene Resins, ELITE Enhanced Polyethylene Resins, FLEXOMER Very Low Density Polyethylene (VLDPE) Resins, TUFLIN Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) Resins, and UNIVAL High Density Polyethylene Resins.

SOURCE: The Dow Chemical Company