New towns and toilets spell boom time for Asia's plastic makers

Seoul

FROM India's plan to plumb in over 100 million toilets in six years to China's ambitious new Silk Road network and the continued movement of millions of people into cities across Asia, plastic makers face years of strong demand.

And, because they are closer to end-users and manufacturing hubs, Asian petrochemical makers are best placed to ride the boom. Their profits and share prices are rising and they're investing in new projects to expand their business.

Chinese futures prices for PVC (polyvinyl chloride), used in products from pipes to bank cards, have risen more than 80 per cent this year.

Petrochemicals, seen as a niche business in the oil industry, are used in 70 per cent of manufactured goods - from mobile phones and yoga pants to cars…