Japan's production of styrene monomer fell 7% year on year to 2.733 million mt in 2011, the Japan Styrene Industry Association said Tuesday.
Output was lower on the back of weak exports, and lower demand in the domestic market. Exports tumbled 10% to 1.316 million mt in 2011, while shipments in the domestic market fell 5% to 1.443 million mt.
This illustrated the difficulties Japanese SM producers are facing in selling their products due to a strong yen amid increasing SM capacities in China and the Middle East.
At the end of last year, SM inventory in Japan stood at 68,461 mt, which was down 20% from the end of 2010.
For December 2011, SM output was at 223,141 mt, down 8% from the previous month and down 24% from the same month in 2010.
Exports in December 2011 were 122,960 mt, down 7% compared with November, and down 20% from the same month 2010.
Domestic shipments in December totaled 111,808 mt, which was up 3% from November, but down 16% year on year.
Japan's output of polystyrene, a major end-product of styrene, was 673,835 mt in 2011, down 4% from 2010.
Almost all PS produced in Japan is used domestically with 649,388 mt shipped in the domestic market in 2011, down 6% from the previous year.
