WHAT IS IT?
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is the third most produced plastic globally after PE and PP. Made from vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), which is produced from ethylene and chlorine. PVC is unusual among plastics in that it contains 57% chlorine by weight — derived from salt, not petroleum.
TYPES
Rigid PVC (uPVC — unplasticised):
Pipes and fittings (largest use globally)
Window and door profiles
Guttering
Credit cards and blister packaging
Flexible PVC (with plasticiser — typically DOP/DEHP):
Cables and wire insulation
Flooring and artificial leather
Medical tubing and blood bags
Hoses
K-VALUE — KEY QUALITY PARAMETER
K-value (or Fikentscher K-value) measures molecular weight/chain length:
K57–K67: Low to medium — calendering, rigid applications
K65–K67: Most common pipe grade
K68–K72: Higher MW — flexible applications, cables
Higher K-value = higher viscosity = more processing energy needed
KEY USES
Pipes and fittings (water, drainage, irrigation)
Building profiles (windows, doors, cladding)
Wire and cable insulation
Flooring
Packaging (blister packs, bottles)
TRADE CORRIDORS
Major producers: China (dominant, 45%+ of global), Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, USA
Major buyers: Southeast Asia, India, Middle East, Africa
Tetra relevance: China and Taiwan → SEA/East Africa. PVC pipe demand growing with infrastructure development.
SPECIFICATIONS
K-value: Grade-specific
Volatile matter: max 0.4%
Bulk density: 0.40–0.55 g/cm³ (powder form)
Whiteness: min 80 (Hunter)
Particle size distribution: controlled