Polyetherimide Price Trend and Forecast 2026-2027

Germany paid the most for polyetherimide in Q2 2026: USD 19.80/KG, up 4.2% from USD 19.00 in Q1. Polyetherimide, widely known by the trade name Ultem, is a high-performance amorphous thermoplastic polymerised from bisphenol-A dianhydride and m-phenylenediamine, prized for combining high heat resistance, flame resistance, and dimensional stability with the processability of a standard thermoplastic rather than a thermoset.

Unfilled resin serves applications needing optical clarity or the highest ductility, glass-filled grades add stiffness and dimensional stability for structural aerospace and electrical components, and extrusion grade is tuned for continuous profile and film production rather than injection moulding. Aerospace interior components, where its inherent flame resistance meets stringent aviation safety standards without added flame-retardant chemicals, represent a significant and high-value share of demand, alongside electrical connectors, medical device components, and semiconductor processing equipment parts.

The United States has historically dominated global production given the material's origins at GE Plastics, now part of SABIC, and that legacy production base keeps American and European pricing at a premium over China's more recently built, smaller-scale capacity. Because polyetherimide competes at the high end of the engineering plastics market against materials like PEEK and certain specialty polyamides, its pricing reflects the specific performance requirements of aerospace and electronics customers rather than bulk commodity petrochemical cost swings alone.

Comparing the four markets side by side, Germany sat about 23% above China as Q2 closed. That kind of gap is common where import exposure and domestic production costs diverge as sharply as they do here.

Polyetherimide Price Forecast for 2026

Expect steady gains across all four markets through H2 2026 as aerospace interior and electronics component demand continues its gradual recovery. China should retain its cost advantage given its more recently built, lower-cost production capacity. The United States and Germany should retain their premium given the legacy production base and stringent aerospace-grade quality certification requirements concentrated there. Commercial aircraft production rates remain the key variable to watch, given aerospace interiors' outsized share of high-value polyetherimide demand specifically.

On balance, the first half of 2026 brought a 4.3% increase average move across the 4 markets covered here, a trend that should persist through year end absent a material change in the underlying drivers.

For the Quarter Ending June 2026

Polyetherimide Prices Q2 2026:

• United States: USD 18.60/KG
• Germany: USD 19.80/KG
• China: USD 16.10/KG
• Japan: USD 17.95/KG

Polyetherimide Prices in United States

In Q2 2026, United States priced at USD 18.60/KG, up 4.2% from USD 17.85/KG the previous quarter, putting it the 2nd most expensive of the 4 markets tracked this quarter.

Why did the price of Polyetherimide change in Q2 2026 in United States?

Firm aerospace interior component demand kept US pricing climbing, supported by the region's legacy production base, with United States now sitting about 2.7% above the 4-region average this quarter.

United States has averaged 2.1% a quarter over the six quarters this report tracks; this move came in faster than that longer-run pace.

Polyetherimide Prices in Germany

Germany reached USD 19.80/KG in Q2 2026, strong demand from the region's aerospace and electronics manufacturing base kept Germany at the top of this group, making it the priciest of the 4 markets tracked here this quarter.

Why did the price of Polyetherimide change in Q2 2026 in Germany?

Strong demand from the region's aerospace and electronics manufacturing base kept Germany at the top of this group, which puts Germany roughly 9.3% above the average across the 4 regions this report tracks.

Set against a 2.0% average quarterly pace over the six quarters this report tracks, Germany's move this quarter landed faster than that trend.

Polyetherimide Prices in China

China rose 4.4% to USD 16.10/KG in Q2 2026, growing domestic electronics manufacturing demand supported a firm quarter, ranking it the most affordable among the 4 markets this report follows.

Why did the price of Polyetherimide change in Q2 2026 in China?

Growing domestic electronics manufacturing demand supported a firm quarter, even as China remained the most competitively priced of the four markets, working out to China trading about 11.1% below this quarter's 4-region average.

Measured against China's own average pace of 2.1% a quarter across the six quarters this report tracks, this move came in faster than that pace.

Polyetherimide Prices in Japan

USD 17.95/KG. That is where Japan landed in Q2 2026, up 4.4% from USD 17.20/KG in Q1 2026, placing it the 3rd most expensive across the 4 regions covered in this report.

Why did the price of Polyetherimide change in Q2 2026 in Japan?

Steady electronics and precision component demand supported a firm increase, leaving Japan running roughly 0.9% below the 4-region average for the quarter.

That is faster than the 2.1% average quarterly move Japan has posted across the six quarters this report tracks.

For the Quarter Ending March 2026

Polyetherimide Prices Q1 2026:

• United States: USD 17.85/KG
• Germany: USD 19.00/KG
• China: USD 15.42/KG
• Japan: USD 17.20/KG

Polyetherimide Prices in United States

In Q1 2026, United States priced at USD 17.85/KG, up 1.5% from USD 17.58/KG the previous quarter, putting it the 2nd most expensive of the 4 markets tracked this quarter.

Why did the price of Polyetherimide change in Q1 2026 in United States?

Early-year aerospace sector restocking supported a firm start to 2026, with United States now sitting about 2.8% above the 4-region average this quarter.

United States has averaged 2.1% a quarter over the six quarters this report tracks; this move came in slower than that longer-run pace.

Polyetherimide Prices in Germany

Germany reached USD 19.00/KG in Q1 2026, consistent demand from the region's established aerospace and electronics industry carried prices higher, making it the priciest of the 4 markets tracked here this quarter.

Why did the price of Polyetherimide change in Q1 2026 in Germany?

Consistent demand from the region's established aerospace and electronics industry carried prices higher, which puts Germany roughly 9.4% above the average across the 4 regions this report tracks.

Set against a 2.0% average quarterly pace over the six quarters this report tracks, Germany's move this quarter landed slower than that trend.

Polyetherimide Prices in China

China rose 1.5% to USD 15.42/KG in Q1 2026, growing domestic capacity utilisation supported a modest early-year gain, ranking it the most affordable among the 4 markets this report follows.

Why did the price of Polyetherimide change in Q1 2026 in China?

Growing domestic capacity utilisation supported a modest early-year gain, working out to China trading about 11.2% below this quarter's 4-region average.

Measured against China's own average pace of 2.1% a quarter across the six quarters this report tracks, this move came in slower than that pace.

Polyetherimide Prices in Japan

USD 17.20/KG. That is where Japan landed in Q1 2026, up 1.5% from USD 16.94/KG in Q4 2025, placing it the 3rd most expensive across the 4 regions covered in this report.

Why did the price of Polyetherimide change in Q1 2026 in Japan?

Steady precision component demand carried prices higher as the new year began, leaving Japan running roughly 1.0% below the 4-region average for the quarter.

That is slower than the 2.1% average quarterly move Japan has posted across the six quarters this report tracks.

Quarterly Polyetherimide Price Trends

The global average climbed steadily across the window, from USD 16.35/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 18.11 by Q2 2026, a gain of 10.8% over six quarters.

What was Polyetherimide Price in 2025?

The global polyetherimide average moved steadily through 2025, opening near USD 16.35/KG in Q1 and closing the year at USD 17.11, a 4.6% increase.

Polyetherimide Prices in United States in 2025

United States prices moved from about USD 16.80/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 17.58 by Q4, up roughly 4.7%. That left United States ranked 2 of 4 tracked markets heading into 2026.

Polyetherimide Prices in Germany in 2025

Germany prices moved from about USD 17.90/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 18.72 by Q4, up roughly 4.6%, placing Germany 1 of 4 tracked markets as 2025 closed out.

Polyetherimide Prices in China in 2025

China prices moved from about USD 14.50/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 15.18 by Q4, up roughly 4.7%. China closed the year ranked 4 of the 4 markets this report tracks.

Polyetherimide Prices in Japan in 2025

Japan prices moved from about USD 16.20/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 16.94 by Q4, up roughly 4.6%, leaving Japan in 3 place among the 4 tracked markets heading into the new year.

How We Can Help

Expert Market Research: Your Source for Real-Time Polyetherimide Price Intelligence

We monitor polyetherimide markets across every region with meaningful production or consumption, connecting the price you see to the bisphenol-A dianhydride (BPADA) and m-phenylenediamine costs and demand conditions behind it. The result is a regularly updated view built from the ground up rather than a single static figure.

Our forecasts combine production capacity data with feedstock cost trends and regional demand signals, giving sourcing teams a defensible basis for budgeting and supplier negotiations beyond a single point estimate.

Get in touch with our analysts if you need a more detailed regional view, historical pricing beyond the six quarters shown here, or a sourcing analysis built specifically around your procurement footprint.

We track unfilled, glass-filled, and extrusion grade pricing separately, since aerospace, electronics, and industrial buyers each tend to concentrate on a specific grade suited to their application.