POE Polyolefin Elastomer (Ethylene-Octene)

Metallocene ethylene-octene and ethylene-butene elastomers for PV film, TPO and impact modification

POE, polyolefin elastomer, is a metallocene copolymer of ethylene with octene or butene at densities of about 0.857 to 0.885 g/cm³, which makes it a rubber-like pellet that blends into polypropylene and polyethylene without vulcanisation. It is classified under HS 3901.90 with other ethylene copolymers, so customs data does not isolate it. Three uses take almost all of it: impact modification of polypropylene for automotive bumpers and TPO compounds, which is the oldest market; wire, cable, footwear and film applications; and, since the early 2020s, encapsulant film for photovoltaic modules, where POE and POE-EVA co-extruded films replaced EVA on bifacial and TOPCon cells because POE does not generate acetic acid and resists potential-induced degradation. The PV market is centred on China, which imports most of its POE, and it is the reason the grade became scarce and expensive in 2022 and 2023 and the reason Chinese producers raced to commercialise domestic POE in 2025.

The producers are a short list: Dow (Engage), ExxonMobil (Exact and the Vistamaxx propylene-based elastomers), Mitsui Chemicals (Tafmer), LG Chem (Lucene, made at Daesan from its own metallocene catalyst), SABIC (Fortify), Borealis (Queo) and the new Chinese units at Wanhua, Sinopec and others. Each sells through appointed distributors and its own regional offices, and the PV film makers buy under annual allocations, so a spot offer of a named POE grade is read first for the distributor's authorisation or the producer's allocation confirmation. Grades are specified by density, melt index at 190 °C under 2.16 kg (from under 1 to 30 g/10 min), comonomer (octene for the best elasticity and low-temperature impact, butene for cost) and, for PV film, the producer's PV-grade designation. CBIL brokers POE from producer distributors against that authorisation, the certificate of analysis and SGS or Intertek inspection at stuffing where the buyer wants it, in 25 kg bags or 750 kg bulk bags, about 17 tonnes in a 20 ft container, on FOB, CFR and CIF terms. Send the grade or the density and melt index window, the end use and the monthly volume; PV-film grades are quoted against the film maker's qualification list.

See also: EVA copolymer: the other PV encapsulant resin · Polypropylene

Need the ship as well? Our chartering desk prices part cargo and parcel space on LaycanDesk.

Excluded origins are not offered, including product re-exported, blended or re-processed through a third country. Every lot moves with a certificate of origin naming the producing plant, mine or grower country, and nothing is quoted before the seller and loading point are known.