ABS Resin Trade Analysis 2015-2024 (Full Report)
This report offers clients a comprehensive analysis of the global and regional trade of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene Resin (ABS resin).ABS Resin is a polymer produced through the polymerization of acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene, typically through emulsion or mass polymerization. ABS is valued in various industries, including automotive, electronics, household appliances, and toys, due to its durability and attractive finish. The analysis in this report is based exclusively on statistical data and covers the period from 2015 to 2024.
The raw statistical data has been systematically transformed into clear and reliable insights, encompassing the net trade balance, trade flows, transaction prices, means of transportation, and transportation cost analyses. Furthermore, key transit hubs have been identified and highlighted under the trade flow analysis section. Given the consistency of data across years, trade flow and transportation analyses are limited to 2024 to best represent current conditions and reduce analytical complexity. However, the transportation cost analysis may incorporate up to five years of data if a single year does not provide adequate information.
The transformed trade data is provided separately in accompanying MS Excel file.
SUMMARY
DELIVERABLES
DATA IN EXCEL FILE
METHODOLOGY
Northeast Asia consistently dominated as the leading ABS net exporter throughout the period. In contrast, regions such as North America, Central & Eastern Europe, South America, and the Indian Subcontinent maintained their roles as major net importers across all years, with varying degrees of dependency on external ABS supply.
2024’s global ABS trade patterns were dominated by Northeast Asia as the central exporter, both in volume and reach, followed by significant but smaller flows from Southeast Asia and Western Europe. The flow of ABS resin was characterized by strong inter-regional linkages, with large volumes moving from surplus regions in Northeast Asia and Western Europe to deficit regions such as North America, Southeast Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, and the Indian Subcontinent. This structure underscored the enduring importance of Northeast Asian suppliers in balancing global ABS demand.
Malaysia’s function as a multi-regional redistribution hub, Hong Kong’s specialization in facilitating trade into China, and the United States’ bridging of multiple continents all contributed to the efficient movement of ABS across global markets.
Global ABS prices between 2015 and 2024 showed a pattern of moderate volatility, with a clear surge around 2021 and 2022 across most regions, followed by a downward correction and recent stabilization. All regions saw their lowest prices between 2016 and 2020, with a subsequent rebound to peak levels in 2021 or 2022 before prices moderated. The overall price range was broad, from one thousand three hundred ninety-five USD per metric ton to two thousand nine hundred ninety-seven USD per metric ton, but recent values indicate the market has returned to more stable territory, albeit still above the lows of the past decade in many regions.
Northeast Asia, Western Europe, Southeast Asia, North America, the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, and Central & Eastern Europe were among the key regions with significant trade volumes for ABS. A closer look at these regions revealed that sea transport played a dominant role across most of them.
The global transportation cost analysis for ABS during 2020-2024 showed a weighted average transportation cost of 101 USD per metric ton. The average cost was based on weighted average CIF-FOB price differences from bilateral trades between exporting and importing countries. Some data points may be missing due to unavailability or exclusion as outliers during data cleaning.