Supply Chain Research

China’s Ministry of Commerce has increased duties on MMA (methyl methacrylate, a plexiglas precursor) from three countries including Japan. The tariffs, originally applied in 2015, appear to have been increased in response to rising imports rather than in retaliation for an earlier Japanese case against Chinese PET plastic exports. Panjiva data shows total imports of MMA climbed 32% in the fourth quarter of 2017, led by a 46% rise in shipments from Japan. That was only a partial recovery – volumes were still 57% below 4Q 2014 levels.