Business trends

Intermediates

Intermediates revenues (€2,709 million) decreased by €341 million from 2012 (down by 11.2%) reflecting decreased volumes sold (down by 4.2%) and average unit prices (down by 1.9%), with different trends in each business: in the olefines sales volumes of ethylene decreased (down 4%) due to the planned standstill at the Priolo plant and lower consumption, with prices slightly decreasing compared to previous year, while butadiene volumes reported a sharp decrease (down by 38%) driven by the weakness of elastomers market and the reduced average prices by 23% reflecting the consumption crisis. In aromatics, benzene sales volumes registered a decline of 7.4%, while xylene volumes increased by 7.5%, with average prices in line with 2012. Revenues from derivatives declined mainly due to lower volumes of phenol/derivatives (down 3.6%) due to lower availability of product following planned downtime at the Mantova plant, partly offset by 1.4% increase in average sale prices.

Intermediates production (3,462 ktonnes) registered a decrease from the last year (down by 133 ktonnes or 3.7%) due to reductions in olefines (down 5.7%) and in derivatives (down 2.4%) driven by lower utilization of Priolo cracking plant and lower production of butadiene (down 10.3%) affected by the planned facility downtimes at the Brindisi and Ravenna plants. These reductions were partly offset by higher aromatics production (up by 3% compared to the previous year) due to higher xylene production.

Polymers

Polymers revenues (€2,933 million) decreased by €255 million from 2012, or by 8%, due to average unit prices decreasing by 19% and lower elastomers sale volumes (down by 9.7%) due to the significant decrease in demand from the tyre and automotive industry. This negative performance was partly offset by higher average prices of styrene (up 7.5%) and polyethylene (up 1%) mainly registered in the last part of 2013. Polymer production (2,356 ktonnes) decreased by 140 ktonnes from 2012 (down 5.6%), due mainly to a decline in production at the Ravenna plant and at English sites (Hythe and Grangemouth) reflecting market dynamics.