Swedish plastics manufacturers pressured by high oil prices.

(From Chemical Business NewsBase - Dagens Industri)

Plastics manufacturers in Sweden are being hard hit by high oil prices and few companies are able to pass on the costs to customers. Borealis at Stenungsund, Sweden, which produces plastic raw materials and purchases $2 bn worth of oil raw materials per year, has been forced to increase its sales prices twice in 2004. To compensate for high oil prices the company is also reviewing its costs. Borealis' plants need to operate more efficiently and work is also being carried to develop new products as raising the prices of existing products …