The Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) hosted its 14th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 21 May 2026, bringing together key stakeholders from across the PVC value chain to reflect on the past year’s achievements, discuss global market developments and chart the future direction of the local PVC industry.

Global PVC market faces growing uncertainty

A highlight of the AGM was a keynote presentation by Jonathan Davies, Head of Global PVC Sales and Sourcing at Vinmar International, who provided delegates with an in-depth overview of the current global PVC market and the far-reaching impact of recent geopolitical developments, particularly the conflict involving Iran, on global PVC supply, demand and pricing dynamics.

Jonathan explained that the PVC market had already been under pressure before the escalation of tensions in the Middle East. Following the sharp increase in PVC prices during the COVID-19 pandemic, global demand weakened significantly as inflation-driven interest rate hikes negatively affected construction activity worldwide — a major demand driver for PVC products.

At the same time, global oversupply, particularly from Asia and China, continued to place downward pressure on prices. According to Jonathan, China’s slowing population growth and weakening domestic construction sector are expected to reinforce the country’s export-driven PVC strategy for the foreseeable future.

“China entered the current crisis with exceptionally high inventory levels, which meant that despite major disruptions in ethylene supply and rising energy costs, global PVC prices did not remain elevated for long,” he explained.

Middle East tensions reshape global trade flows

Jonathan highlighted how the post-February geopolitical developments dramatically disrupted petrochemical markets, with Brent crude oil reportedly increasing by 83%, naphtha by 64% and European gas prices also climbing sharply. However, coal prices increased far less, significantly improving the economics of China’s coal-based PVC production relative to ethylene-based production elsewhere in the world.

“This divergence has strengthened China’s competitiveness and intensified pressure on higher-cost regions such as Europe, where producers are increasingly struggling with profitability”, he said. He also referenced several major industry developments, including plant closures, restructuring initiatives and insolvencies among European PVC producers, as well as growing calls for anti-dumping duties to protect domestic markets.

“The Middle East is of growing strategic importance as a future PVC supply hub. Large-scale new PVC capacities in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are expected to significantly influence future global trade flows, particularly into Africa and Europe. For South Africa, the key takeaway is that Middle Eastern participation in global PVC trade will continue to grow. This will reshape sourcing patterns and create both opportunities and challenges for local industry participants,” he predicted.

SAVA reports strong year of growth and industry engagement

The AGM also provided SAVA with an opportunity to reflect on its own achievements over the past financial year and outline its strategic priorities for the year ahead.

Among the organisation’s highlights were continued growth in membership, the successful hosting of its PVC industry conference under the theme “PVC Transformation: Driving Progress in a Changing World”, and ongoing engagement with government and industry stakeholders regarding the impact of cheap imports entering the South African market.

SAVA also reported progress in its engagement around so-called “problematic plastics”, as well as the successful completion of its Product Stewardship Commitment (PSC) survey among members.

“We have just concluded our 2025/2026 Product Stewardship Commitment audits for SAVA members, and we are again proud to announce that none of the PVC products manufactured or sold locally by our members contain lead, cadmium, or other toxic additives often referenced in international campaigns,” announced Monique Hinds, CEO of SAVA.

Recycling and skills development remain key priorities

SAVA’s various PVC collection and recycling initiatives also continued to gain momentum, including its growing vinyl flooring off-cut recovery programme and several post-consumer PVC packaging collection and recycling projects as part of its PRO objectives.

Looking ahead, the association plans to expand these initiatives while introducing a range of technical, application-focused training courses aimed specifically at the PVC industry. These programmes will focus on extrusion, thermoforming, injection moulding, blow moulding, material handling, troubleshooting, quality control, recycling considerations and production optimisation

SAVA confirmed that it is still awaiting feedback from government regarding the potential phasing out of Medium-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (MCCPs) in accordance with the Stockholm Convention and will continue representing members’ interests throughout these discussions.

New leadership appointment strengthens SAVA MANCO

During the AGM, SAVA announced the appointment of Meloshnie Daniel to its Management Committee (MANCO). She joins Richard Black (Elco Plastics), Alistair Calder (Sun Ace), Michael Dickens (Isegen), Kyle Lovell (Arengo Plastics) and Sanet Cilliers (Omya-Idwala) as the association's leadership.

Positive outlook for the future of PVC in South Africa

Concluding the AGM, Monique expressed confidence in the long-term future of PVC in South Africa. “Despite global uncertainty and increasing market pressures, the South African PVC industry remains resilient, innovative and committed to sustainable growth. PVC continues to play a vital role in modern infrastructure, packaging, healthcare, agriculture and construction. Through collaboration, responsible product stewardship, recycling innovation and skills development, we are confident that the local PVC industry will continue to evolve and create value for South Africa for many years to come.”