US spot EVOH markets firmed through January as feedstock inflation, upstream outages and steady converter demand tightened available volumes. Early replenishment gave way to mid-month disruptions, including force majeure and weather outages, which constrained feedstock and limited fresh Gulf-Coast offers. Export allocations to neighboring regions absorbed prompt tonnage, while holiday- and weather-driven port congestion extended carrier wait times. The confluence of these factors left the market firmer heading into February. Demand from multilayer film producers for food and beverage packaging underpinned most of the uptick, with meat, cheese and fresh-produce packaging continuing throughput in line with schedules and supporting baseline liftings. Medical and pharmaceutical packaging call-offs remained steady, as converters position for spring production. The market saw a modest monthly gain, with upside expected to persist as upstream costs and EVA supply tighten margins. Disruptions to VAM/EVA supply and weather-driven logistics risk constrained spot availability and encouraged prompt replenishment, while export demand could sustain tightness into March–July.
