Kraiburg TPE boss mulls “unpredictable” market

Friedrichshafen, Germany – Despite having had a good year in 2018, Kraiburg TPE GmbH & Co. KG sees uncertainties in the market, according to the company's CEO Franz Hinterecker.

“This goes back to the trade war between the US and China and the new WLTP emissions regulations in Europe, Hinterecker said at the Fakuma expo, 16-20 Oct in Friedrichshafen.

Since September, vehicle makers in the EU have to undergo the worldwide harmonised light vehicle test procedure (WLTP) to measure fuel consumption and car emissions.

“It is difficult to speculate at the moment but our forecast for the year ahead will depend on how the next couple of months develop,” the CEO commented.

According to the CEO, butadiene prices have seen two spikes over the past 10 months. These were at the start of the year and more recently and both related to oil-price rises.

“This is really a big issue. And there is also market tightness for butadiene too,” added Hinterecker, putting this basically down to the increased demand in China.

“At the moment, the market is very unpredictable and we’re watching it closely,” the Kraiburg TPE boss concluded.