# PVC: Relationships

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/links/

Every element and industry that PVC is linked to, and how. Each pair has its own card explaining the relationships between the two.

- [Thermal coal](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/pvc-and-thermal-coal/): Most Chinese PVC is made from coal through calcium carbide and acetylene, an electricity-hungry, mercury-dependent route, so Chinese coal and power costs shape the price of much of the PVC that India imports. *(researched)*
- [Ethylene](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ethylene-and-pvc/): Outside China, PVC is built on ethylene: ethylene and chlorine make ethylene dichloride, which is cracked to vinyl chloride and polymerised, a chain that takes about 15% of world ethylene. China makes most of its PVC from coal via calcium carbide instead, and in January to October 2025 it sent 42% of its PVC exports to India, the largest buyer on the world market. *(researched)*
- [Plasticisers](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/plasticisers-and-pvc/): Plasticisers exist mainly to make PVC flexible: over 90% of those used in Europe go into flexible PVC for cables, flooring and film, so health rules on phthalates and PVC demand set the plasticiser market. *(researched)*
- [Electrical equipment](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/electrical-equipment-and-pvc/): PVC is the standard insulation and sheath for low-voltage wire and cable because it is cheap, tough and flame-retardant, so cable makers are a steady PVC buyer; at higher temperatures and voltages and in low-smoke uses, polyethylene and XLPE take over, and in India cable makers buy into a resin market historically up to half supplied by imports. *(researched)*
- [Caustic soda](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/caustic-soda-and-pvc/): Their prices have moved together.
- [Chlorine](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/chlorine-and-pvc/): Their prices have moved together.
- [Construction and infrastructure](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/construction-and-infrastructure-and-pvc/): Construction and infrastructure depends on PVC.
- [Energy-intensive industry](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/energy-intensive-industry-and-pvc/): Their prices have moved together.
- [Finance: banking, insurance, markets](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/finance-banking-insurance-markets-and-pvc/): Finance: banking, insurance, markets depends on PVC.
- [Furniture](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/furniture-and-pvc/): Furniture depends on PVC.
- [Healthcare services](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/healthcare-services-and-pvc/): Healthcare services depends on PVC.
- [Media and entertainment](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/media-and-entertainment-and-pvc/): Media and entertainment depends on PVC.
- [Medical devices](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/medical-devices-and-pvc/): Medical devices depends on PVC.
- [Natural gas](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/natural-gas-and-pvc/): Natural gas is a raw material for PVC.
- [Pharmaceuticals](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/pharmaceuticals-and-pvc/): Pharmaceuticals depends on PVC.
- [Plastic and rubber products](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/plastic-and-rubber-products-and-pvc/): Plastic and rubber products depends on PVC.
- [Real estate](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/pvc-and-real-estate/): Real estate depends on PVC.
- [Salt](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/pvc-and-salt/): Salt is a raw material for PVC.
- [Tin](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/pvc-and-tin/): Their prices have moved together.
- [Vinyl chloride monomer](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/pvc-and-vinyl-chloride-monomer/): Their prices have moved together.
- [Water and sanitation](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/pvc-and-water-and-sanitation/): Water and sanitation depends on PVC.
- [Wholesale and retail trade](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/pvc-and-wholesale-and-retail-trade/): Wholesale and retail trade depends on PVC.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pvc/emissions/index.md)