The Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich., late in 1937 announced commercial production of clear, colorless polystyrene in several forms. Styron is the trade name for the resin from this source. In January 1938, the Bakelite Corporation announced Bakelite Polystyrene. The plants manufacturing polystyrene have a capacity in excess of 2,000,000 pounds a year, and the resin is currently offered at 72 cents per pound. At least one other domestic firm is doing research on the polystyrenes and expects to produce commercially in the near future. Imports into and exports from the United States. At least two commercial types of polystyrene resins are produced abroad. Both are made in Germany and marketed under the trade names Resoglas and Trolitul. Resoglas is a water-white, transparent thermoplastic resin softening at about 150° C. Its water absorption is low, it is nonoxidizing, and does not discolor on weathering and baking. Appreciable quantities are produced in Germany and the sales price there was reported to have been 40 cents per pound during 1936. [Illustration: MOLDED POLYSTYRENE RESINS. Source: Bakelite Corporation, 247 Park Avenue, New York, N. Y.] Small quantities of Resoglas and Trolitul have been imported from Germany in recent years. Table 9 shows the quantities imported in recent years. TABLE 9.—_Resoglas and Trolitul: United States imports for consumption, 1933-37_ --------+-----------------------------+--------------------------- | Resoglas (polystyrol) | Trolitul Year +----------+-------+----------+--------+-------+---------- | Quantity | Value |Unit value|Quantity| Value |Unit value --------+----------+-------+----------+--------+-------+---------- | _Pounds_ | | |_Pounds_| | 1933 | 771 | ([1]) | | 672 | ([1]) | 1934 | 991 | ([1]) | | 200 | ([1]) | 1935 | 110 | $97 | $0.88 | 4,608 |$3,782 | $0.82 1936 | 2,220 | 1,901 | .86 | 4,671 | 3,641 | .78 1937[2] | None | None | | 6,788 | 4,077 | .60 --------+----------+-------+----------+--------+-------+---------- [1] Not available. [2] Preliminary. Source: Analyses of invoices of paragraph 28, act of 1930—U. S. Tariff Commission.