x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief

If you buy plastic resin for a living, this podcast is your edge. Hosted by the experts behind ResinSmart, The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief gives you fast, focused updates on the market forces moving resin prices—and the strategies that smart buyers are using to save money, reduce risk, and make better decisions. No fluff. No filler. Just the information you actually need—delivered by sourcing pros who’ve managed billions in resin spend. Subscribe now to stay ahead of the curve in polyethylene,

business business news

All Episodes

4:15

9 Plastic Resins. 9 Upward Signals. What Buyers Need...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/04/07

Host: Michael Workman, Commercial Director, ResinSmartRuntime: 4:14Episode SummaryThe April feedstock contracts settled sharply higher across the board — and producers across every major resin category are pushing price increases into Q2. In this short episode, Michael Workman gives plastic manufacturers and procurement teams a fast, buyer-side read on what's driving the market and where there's still room to negotiate. Covered: PE, PP, PVC, PS, ABS, PC, PA6, PA66, and PET — with a clear

en

5:28

Resin Market Moves | March 28, 2026 — Producers Are...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/03/30

This week on Resin Market Moves, Michael Workman covers the full Q2 resin market picture from the prior week.The headline: producers are moving beyond cost recovery and into margin expansion — layering increases across March, April, and now May in PE and PP. The Hormuz situation is real supply risk and it's providing strategic cover for moves that were coming regardless.This episode covers PE, PP, ABS, PS, PC, Nylon 6, PA66, PVC, and PET — with a specific buyer action for each.The two

en

7:17

9 Resins Under Pressure: The Middle East Conflict,...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/03/23

This week on Resin Market Moves, Michael Workman covers the most consequential week in resin pricing in recent memory — and breaks down exactly what buyers should do about it.The conflict in the Middle East has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to meaningful trade flow. Over 20% of global crude and more than 5% of global PP moves through that channel. It is not moving right now. The result: feedstock costs spiking across the board, producers pushing increases in every major resin

en

44:04

The Odds Are Stacked Against Resin Buyers — Here's...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/03/23

If you're a plastic processor, resin is your single largest variable cost — and the market has been engineered to keep you at a disadvantage. Supplier reps walk into every negotiation with hundreds of live transaction prices across their entire book of business. Most buyers walk in with an index and instinct. That gap is real. And it's costing your company money every quarter. In this episode, ResinSmart Commercial Director Michael Workman sits down with two of the sharpest minds in resin

en

7:19

War Premium in Your Resin Bill: Separating Fact from...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/03/16

This week, crude oil spiked to a 4-year high near $120/barrel following military action in the Middle East and threats to the Strait of Hormuz. Resin producers across PE, PP, PS, PVC, PET, and engineering resins are pushing price increases — but what does the supply/demand data actually say?In this episode, Michael Workman breaks down data across nine major resin families, explaining where the upward pressure is real, where it's narrative, and what procurement teams should be doing right

en

5:36

Resin Market Moves - Oil Spikes, Producers Push...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/03/09

Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have begun to ripple through energy and petrochemical markets.Crude oil has moved above $70 per barrel, propylene prices have surged, and polyethylene producers are already pushing price increases.But are these signals pointing to a real tightening of the resin market—or simply a shift in supplier narrative?In this episode of Resin Market Moves, we break down:• The connection between energy markets and resin pricing• Why polypropylene is currently a

en

4:54

Geopolitics Meets Polyolefins: Epic Fury Creates 16MM...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/03/02

Military escalation in the Middle East has introduced significant uncertainty into global polyethylene and polypropylene markets.In 2024, the Middle East accounted for: • 37% of globally traded PE exports • 28% of globally traded PP exportsWith approximately 16 million metric tons of polyethylene exports potentially exposed to disruption, the implications extend far beyond the region.In this episode of Resin Market Moves, we analyze: • The scale of global polyolefins trade exposure • Why

en

3:14

Tariff Reset & Structural Risk in North American...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/02/23

The Supreme Court just reshaped U.S. tariff authority, eliminating IEEPA as a tool for broad-based tariffs. What does that mean for polyethylene, polypropylene, and PVC buyers?In this episode, we examine:PE inventory build of 289M lbs Elevated PGP and its impact on PPTurnaround-driven PVC supportFeedstock inflation risksHow structural pricing drift builds in opaque marketsFor executives responsible for resin spend and EBITDA protection in 2026 - subscribe to stay tuned.

en

40:41

Resin Reset 2026: The Procurement Power Shift

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/02/20

Recorded live from Fort Worth, the ResinSmart by RTI team kicks off 2026 with a candid roundtable discussion on the forces shaping resin markets this year.With resin prices near multi-year lows, procurement teams face a new challenge: proving value when the market did most of the work in 2025.In this episode, Michael Workman, Brian Balboa, Kevin Mekaru, and Tyler Wheeler discuss:What polyethylene overcapacity means for buyersHow Non-Market Adjustments reset pricing baselinesWhy tariff

en

9:08

Resin Market Brief – Another NMA Reset…The $0.25/LB...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/02/17

A major North American pricing index just announced a non-market adjustment (NMA) for polyethylene. Depending on the grade, the impact is between 25cpp-35cpp.On paper, it looks like a massive correction.In reality?It’s creating confusion across procurement, finance, and executive leadership teams.A non-market adjustment corrects index history — it does not automatically change your invoice.It is not driven by supply/demand or feedstock collapse.Once accepted, elevated baselines can persist

en

2:26

Resin Market Moves 2/14/2026 - Inventory Up, Prices...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/02/16

Early 2026 is not behaving like a typical resin cycle.Polyethylene inventories surged nearly 289MM pounds — yet producers are pushing price increases.Polypropylene is seeing feedstock pressure.Polystyrene is reacting to benzene spikes.PVC is tightening due to turnaround season.PET remains weak — for now.So what’s real?In this episode of Resin Market Brief, Michael Workman explains:Why inventory builds don’t automatically mean price reliefHow feedstock reliability is quietly driving

en

49:31

Why Resin Forecasts Break & How Buyers Defend Them...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/02/12

There are two types of resin buyers: those who’ve been wrong on a forecast—and those who will be.In this special edition of Resin Market Brief, Michael Workman and Tyler Wheeler discuss why resin forecasts break and what top procurement teams do differently to defend them.Key topics:why forecasts aren’t predictions—they’re decision tools for finance and operationsthe 9 levers that drive resin forecasting (petrochemical chain, supply, demand, margin strategy, freight, tax/tariff/trade,

en

3:51

Early 2026 Resin Risk: Why Structure Matters More...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/02/09

In this episode of Resin Market Moves, Michael Workman, Executive Director of ResinSmart, walks through the key risks shaping the North American plastic resin market in early 2026.Rather than a demand-led recovery, markets are being driven by:supply discipline in polyethylenefeedstock volatility in polypropylenecost push without demand support in polystyrenerising raw material costs beneath stable pricing in ABS and polycarbonateearly supplier initiatives in nylonsand continued buyer

en

4:32

Resin Market Moves | February 2026 – Discipline Over...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/02/02

January set the tone for 2026: selective tightening, feedstock volatility, and supplier initiatives moving faster than demand.This week’s Resin Market Moves covers:PE increases driven by supply disciplinePP feedstock pressure from PDH outagesPS cost push without demand supportEngineering resins stable, but RMC risingNylon supplier initiatives ahead of fundamentalsPET rollover and what to watch in Q2Learn more at resinsmart.ai.

en

2:56

Resin Market Moves – January 2026: Supply Events...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/01/26

In this episode, Michael Workman reviews the key signals shaping resin procurement through late January 2026: cautious macro conditions, energy/feedstock volatility, and supply disruptions that are tightening select resin chains.Key topics:PE: winter storm disruption risk + Ineos FM tightening HD pipe/filmPP: PDH outages lifting PGP and pushing contracts higherPS: benzene-driven cost pressure vs. sluggish demandPVC: capacity reductions vs. weak construction demandEngineering resins: stable

en

2:26

Resin Market Moves | January 19, 2026 – Supply...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/01/19

This week’s Resin Market Moves breaks down how supply-side events and feedstock pressure are shaping resin pricing early in 2026.We cover:PE force majeure and rising January nominationsPP feedstock-driven pricing pressurePVC capacity closures and pricing riskPS increases tied to benzeneWhat rising RMC means for engineering resinsThis is not a uniform upcycle—it’s a selective, volatility-driven market. Buyers who focus on inventories, operating rates, and feedstocks will retain

en

2:39

Resin Market Moves – Early January 2026: Selective...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/01/12

In this episode of Resin Market Moves, Michael Workman walks through how North American resin markets are beginning 2026—and why buyers should expect uneven pricing behavior by resin family, not a clean January reset.Soft demand carryover from 2025 continues to weigh on PE and PP, while supply discipline is already pushing PVC prices higher. Meanwhile, rising benzene and styrene costs are giving PS suppliers new leverage heading into Q1. Topics CoveredSoft demand vs. supply discipline in

en

4:13

Resin Market Moves – January 2026 | Venezuela, Energy...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2026/01/06

Welcome to the first Resin Market Moves of 2026.In this episode, Michael Workman breaks down one of the year’s first major Black Swan events — the U.S. move to effectively control Venezuelan oil production — and explains what it does and does not mean for North American plastic resin pricing.This is not a headline-driven take. It’s a practical, buyer-focused analysis of how energy markets, refinery economics, and volatility may influence resin costs — and how procurement teams should think

en

30:04

Resin Market Brief – 2026 Forecast Outlook - 12/29/25

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2025/12/29

As the plastics industry closes out 2025, resin buyers are entering a critical planning window for 2026. In this episode of Resin Market Brief, Michael Workman and Kevin Mekaru break down what the data actually says about where resin markets are headed — and how buyers should be preparing.This is not a headline-driven forecast. It’s a practical, buyer-focused discussion on signals vs. noise, why most resin forecasts miss, and how to use forward-looking intelligence to reduce risk and

en

4:20

Resin Market Moves – Christmas Edition: What Resin...

The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief ·

2025/12/22

In this Christmas Edition of Resin Market Moves, Michael Workman recaps the latest resin market fundamentals and explains how buyers should be thinking about 2026 strategy as supplier behavior begins to shift.Despite producer attempts to push price increases, most resin markets are still characterized by soft demand, ample supply, and strong buyer leverage.What’s Covered in This Episode:• Why PE price increases aren’t supported by demand fundamentals • Why PP is near the bottom of the cycle

en

39 results

Similar Podcasts

TaxTalent.com The Golden Rule Podcast

Adam Golden

TaxTalent.com Podcast

Tony Santiago

Handelsblatt Crime - spannende Streitfälle der deutschen Wirtschaft

Ina Karabasz, Solveig Gode, Sönke Iwersen

Deffner und Zschäpitz – Der Wirtschafts-Talk von WELT

WELT

Black Box - La scatola nera della finanza

Guido Brera e Gian Luca Comandini -...