Sourcing for Vietnam · World → Vietnam
Importing Plastic Resins and Industrial Chemicals into Vietnam
Vietnam's plastics, packaging and manufacturing industries depend heavily on imported resins and chemicals. GLG helps buyers find and verify producers and distributors abroad, check Vietnamese chemical rules, and ship bagged, bulk and dangerous goods safely.
Key products
- Polyethylene (LLDPE, LDPE, HDPE) film, blow and injection grades
- Polypropylene (homo, copolymer, random) for injection, raffia and film
- PVC resin, PET bottle and fibre grade chips
- Engineering plastics: ABS, PC, PA, POM, PBT
- Masterbatches, fillers and plastic additives
- Basic chemicals: caustic soda, acids, solvents
- Pigments, coatings and printing ink raw materials
- Rubber chemicals and adhesives
Main supply sources
- Middle East (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar) – large-scale PE and PP producers
- South Korea and Taiwan – PE, PP, ABS and engineering plastics
- Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia – regional resin and chemical production hubs
- China – PVC, chemicals, additives and fast-growing resin capacity
- Japan – high-performance engineering plastics and specialty chemicals
- United States and Europe – specialty resins and chemicals
Common HS codes
| HS code | Description |
|---|---|
| 3901 | Polymers of ethylene, in primary forms |
| 3902 | Polymers of propylene, in primary forms |
| 3904 | Polymers of vinyl chloride (PVC) |
| 3907 | Polyesters, polycarbonates, PET |
| 2815 | Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) |
| 32 | Tanning or dyeing extracts, pigments, paints |
HS codes are indicative. Confirm the exact classification of your product before you declare it.
Certifications buyers ask for
- Chemical declaration for many industrial chemicals before or at import
- Import licences for restricted chemicals and controlled precursors
- Safety data sheets and Vietnamese labelling under GHS
- Dangerous goods rules for transport and storage of hazardous chemicals
- Strict conditions on importing plastic scrap as raw material, including environmental requirements
- Certificates of origin for FTA duty preferences
Logistics notes
- Resins usually ship in 25 kg bags on pallets or jumbo bags in 40-foot containers.
- Liquid chemicals ship in IBCs, drums, ISO tanks or flexitanks.
- Hazardous chemicals need correct DG classification, packaging and documentation.
- Main ports are Cát Lái and Cái Mép in the south and Hải Phòng in the north.
- Check storage conditions and shelf life for additives and chemicals.
Sourcing tips
- Ask for the producer grade name and technical data sheet for every resin.
- Buy from producers or authorised distributors, and be cautious with unknown traders.
- Check certificate of analysis for each lot.
- Plan purchases with price trends in mind, as resin prices follow oil and naphtha.
- Verify chemical compliance documents before shipment.
Vietnam's demand for resins and chemicals
Vietnam's plastics industry produces packaging, household goods, pipes and technical parts, but domestic resin production covers only part of demand. Most PE, PVC, PET and engineering plastics are imported, along with many industrial chemicals for textiles, coatings, electronics and food processing.
Buyers range from large packaging groups buying monthly contracts to small moulders buying spot lots. Price, grade consistency and supply reliability are the main concerns. Because resin is a commodity linked to oil, naphtha and regional supply balances, prices can move noticeably within a few weeks, and many buyers mix term contracts with spot purchases.
Grade matters as much as polymer type. Two LLDPE grades with similar melt index can behave very differently on a film line, so converters usually qualify a specific producer grade and switch only after trials. Chemicals buyers face a different challenge: matching purity and packaging to the process, and keeping every shipment compliant with Vietnamese chemical management rules.
Main origins and grades
| Material | Typical origins | What to specify |
|---|---|---|
| PE | Middle East, Korea, Singapore, Thailand | Grade, melt index, density, application |
| PP | Middle East, Korea, Taiwan, China | Homo or copolymer, MFI, additives |
| PVC | China, Taiwan, Japan | K value, suspension or paste |
| Engineering plastics | Korea, Taiwan, Japan, EU | Grade, flame rating, colour |
| Chemicals | China, Korea, Thailand, EU | Purity, packaging, SDS |
How GLG sources and verifies suppliers abroad
- Shortlist producers and authorised distributors that match the grade.
- Verify business registration, distribution authorisation and export records.
- Check technical data sheets, certificates of analysis and SDS.
- Arrange sampling and independent testing where needed.
- Plan dangerous goods shipping and storage.
Import procedures
Before importing chemicals, check whether they require declaration, licensing or are restricted. Many chemicals must be declared, and hazardous chemicals need SDS and labels in Vietnamese. Importing plastic scrap is strictly controlled and requires environmental conditions. Chemical management rules in Vietnam have been updated recently, so GLG customs brokers check the current lists for each CAS number before the order is placed rather than after arrival.
Virgin resins in primary forms generally clear as ordinary goods, but correct classification by polymer and form is important for duty and FTA treatment. Keep the technical data sheet, certificate of analysis and certificate of origin together with the commercial documents.
Buying process, payment and Incoterms
- Define the grade, quantity and delivery schedule.
- Receive shortlisted suppliers and quotations.
- Test samples and approve grades.
- Sign contracts directly with suppliers.
- Ship, clear customs and deliver.
Resins are commonly bought CFR or CIF Vietnamese port with payment by letter of credit or telegraphic transfer; established buyers often get deferred letters of credit from producers. For chemicals in dangerous goods classes, confirm early who books the freight, because not every carrier accepts every class on every route.
Risks to manage
- Off-grade, reprocessed or mislabelled resin from unreliable traders.
- Price volatility between order and arrival.
- Non-compliance with chemical declaration or licensing rules, causing delays or fines.
- Damage, leakage or contamination of liquid chemicals in transit.
- Bags torn by poor stuffing, leading to losses and moisture contamination.
GLG does not trade resins or chemicals and does not guarantee supplier performance. Contracts are between buyer and supplier.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to import chemicals?
It depends on the chemical. Many need declaration; restricted chemicals and precursors need licences.
Can GLG ship hazardous chemicals?
Yes, with correct classification, packaging and documents.
How can I avoid off-grade resin?
Buy from producers or authorised distributors, check certificates of analysis and test samples.
GLG connects, verifies and coordinates, but is not a party to the sales contract: the purchase agreement, price and performance obligations are between buyer and seller. Verification and inspection results reflect conditions at the time of the check and do not guarantee future performance.