London-based consultancy services to the caustic soda, chlorine, PVC, salt, bleaching chemicals and related industries firm Harriman Chemsult and market information provider CBI Shanghai have released a new report entitled ‘PVC in China 2006-2010’ which explores the future of the PVC market and the impact of China's growing self-sufficiency in the PVC business worldwide.

It focuses on PVC technology, capacity and supply, international trade, demand, pricing and production costs and margins. In also examines Chinese market balances and major issues specific to China including a directory of Chinese PVC producers.

China has grown rapidly in recent years to become the most significant country in the global PVC market, with the largest capacity, output, imports and consumption of any country in the world. It also has the highest rate of growth in PVC supply and demand.

The report highlights the major issue of China's ongoing drive to self-sufficiency in PVC, a process that should be virtually complete by 2010.

In 2001, Chinese net PVC imports were over 2.4 million metric tons; by 2010, they will be just 0.1 million metric tons. This huge drop in demand from China has potentially massive ramifications for PVC trade patterns and markets on a global basis.