May ethylene output in Japan drops by 1.4% y-o-y

13-Jun-11

Ethylene production in Japan has fallen by 1.4% in May from the same month a year earlier, as perReuters. Ethylene output totalled 553,000 tons last month, compared with 560,900 tons a year ago, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said. May output was up 9.9% from 503,000 tons in April. Japan had three maintenance-related plant shutdowns in May 2011, the same as in May 2010. One plant was shut in April for maintenance. The export volume of ethylene fell 31.4% from a year earlier to 152,500 tons in April, down from 208,700 tons in March. The May export figures have not yet been released.