There are contrasting supplies of feedstock for the two nylons

Raw material shortages may force the price of nylon 6 higher than that of nylon 66 in the next few months. Caprolactam, the key feedstock for nylon 6, has seen significant price increases in the past few months. The main feedstock for nylon 66, adipic acid, is in plentiful supply.

“I have never in all my time in the nylon industry seen anything quite like the last month,” says Carlo Banchero, managing director of Radici Plastics UK. “I can’t recall such price movements ever happening before in Europe.”

Banchero says that caprolactam supply in Europe has tightened as significant quantities of the feedstock are being sucked out of Europe into China.