In this special Thanksgiving episode of Resin Market Moves, Michael Workman sits down with a true industry icon — Lowell Huovinen, who brings more than 40 years of polypropylene purchasing expertise, including roles at Spectrum Polymers, Poly-America, and nearly three decades with the ResinSmart powered by RTi Global team.

Lowell breaks down the current state of the North American polypropylene market, why pricing is sitting at multi-year lows, and why the industry is heading toward what he calls a “perfect storm” in Q1 of 2026.

You’ll learn:
 🟦 Why PP has been unusually stable for almost two years
 🟦 Why processors pulling back on purchases are masking true demand
 🟦 How producer run rates have dropped from the mid-80s down to 75% (and may hit 70%)
🟦 Why inventories at ~35 days signal a weak but volatile setup
🟦 How PDH outages, cracker turnarounds, and refinery blend changes will collide in Q1
🟦 Why a Gulf Coast freeze could accelerate PGP and PP price spikes
🟦 What ResinSmart data tells us about 3–5¢/lb increases — or more — once Q1 hits
🟦 Why prices may not fall back after those increases
🟦 How processors should prepare now for 2026 negotiations

One of Lowell’s most important messages:

“This is the bottom of the polypropylene cycle. Prices will rebound, and history tells us the rebound is almost always significant.”  

Michael and Lowell close the episode with actionable advice for processors planning their 2026 resin strategy — including whether to pre-buy PP in Q4, how to position contracts for the coming cycle, and how ResinSmart can help buyers benchmark and validate pricing in real time.

From all of us at ResinSmart and RTi Global — Happy Thanksgiving.

Enjoy the holiday, your favorite side dish, and the buyer’s advantage while it lasts. Learn more or request a pricing benchmark at: https://www.resinsmart.ai