Linear Low-Density Polyethylene: grades, applications, and European suppliers
Copolymer of ethylene with butene, hexene or octene. Higher tensile and tear strength than LDPE; dominant in stretch and food film.
Technical overview
| Property | Value | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Density | 0.915–0.935 g/cm³ | |
| MFI range | 0.5–50 g/10 min | |
| Melting point | 120–130 °C | |
| Formula | (C₂H₄)ₙ + comonomer | |
| Recyclable | Yes |
European market context
European LLDPE capacity is approximately 2.5 million tonnes per year. ExxonMobil, Dow, SABIC, and Borealis lead production, supplemented by significant imports from US Gulf gas-cracker producers (Dow, ExxonMobil, Formosa). End-use demand splits across stretch film (~40%), food packaging film (~30%), and liners, agricultural film, and rotomolding (~30%).
Comonomer choice drives mechanical performance and pricing. Butene LLDPE is the commodity baseline; hexene grades dominate premium stretch and lamination; octene LLDPE — produced via metallocene catalysis — sits at the top of the food-contact and high-stretch market. Octene grades carry a structural €150–300/t premium over butene.
Major grades
Common applications
Major European producers
Producers listed for technical context. Polymer Platform is independent and does not accept payment for editorial placement.
What drives LLDPE pricing
LLDPE tracks the European Ethylene Contract Price (ECP) plus a comonomer adjustment. ICIS publishes butene LLDPE and hexene/octene LLDPE separately — watch both indices, as they decouple during specialty demand surges.
Spot from US Gulf imports (gas-cracked, structurally lower-cost) lands €80–120/t below European contract during arbitrage windows. The arbitrage opens episodically — when freight rates ease and Asian markets soften, US producers redirect cargoes to Antwerp and Rotterdam.
Regulatory landscape
EU 10/2011 governs food-contact LLDPE — clarified hexene and octene grades dominate cling and barrier film. Mulch and silage film follow EN 13655 and EN 13207.
PPWR's design-for-recycling rule increases LLDPE use as the structural layer in fully-PE laminate constructions targeting recyclability. The shift away from PE-PET and PE-PA multi-layer film is the biggest structural demand driver through 2030.
Sourcing options
Producer-direct contracts are typically reserved for high-tonnage buyers (1,000+ t/year minimum) negotiating monthly against monomer indices.
Distributors (e.g. Resinex, Ravago Distribution, Vinmar Polymers Europe) break bulk, hold local stock, and offer credit. Lead times 1–3 days for stock items.
Traders work the spot market for prime, near-prime and off-grade lots, typically 5–20% above or below contract reflecting near-term tightness. Polymer Platform routes RFQs to verified traders and distributors with the right grade and region match.
Frequently asked questions
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