Author : PRM-TAIWAN

We have to say, it's a bit like asking whether an off-road vehicle or a sports car is better! There is no absolute winner, only the "perfect solution tailored to your end products and production line requirements." While both films originate from high-temperature melting of plastic pellets (the extrusion process), the subsequent "cooling and forming" magic gives them entirely distinct physical personalities.

Q1 2026 was anything but quiet. The Iran–U.S. conflict disrupted global oil supply, sending virgin resin prices through the roof. Distributors hoarded stock. Manufacturers scrambled for raw materials. And just like K-Show 2025 foreshadowed — when chaos hits the supply chain, the world turns back to recycling. This quarter proved it once again.

The global plastics market has entered a state of high-alert. As the conflict in the Middle East escalates, the paralysis of the Strait of Hormuz is no longer just a headline—it is a direct threat to the manufacturing floor. With crude oil breaching the $100 mark and freight surcharges soaring, the industry is witnessing a dramatic decoupling of supply and demand.

The global plastics and rubber industry has entered a period of profound volatility. What began as a series of isolated supply chain hiccups has coalesced into a systemic "Double Squeeze": a simultaneous surge in raw material costs driven by geopolitical instability and a structural shift in supply caused by aggressive environmental mandates. As of late March 2026, oil prices are not at an absolute all-time high in nominal terms, but are trading at intense, elevated levels above $100 a barrel following disruption in the Middle East, while some specific Asian benchmarks have hit records, reaching all-time highs above $150 per barrel.

As we move through early 2026, the global rubber industry is no longer merely experiencing a cyclical price hike; it has entered a period of "Structural Squeeze." While global GDP growth remains conservative, the demand for rubber—particularly high-performance natural grades—is decoupling from broader economic trends, driven by the relentless expansion of the electric vehicle (EV) sector and new, stringent environmental mandates.