BASF has announced plans to increase prices for its Lupranate brand TDI base material by $100/t in the Middle East and Africa region (MEAF). The German group, world’s largest chemical producer and one of the TDI market leaders, said the hike is needed “to restore prices to a sustainable level.”

In Europe, prices for the polyurethane feedstock have shown weakness in recent months as prices for starting material benzene dipped, but the downward curve most recently has flattened. TDI producers have complained about insufficient margins.