LyondellBasell Industries makes plastics, chemicals and refined petroleum products, one of the largest plastics and chemicals companies in the world. Its polyolefins business makes polyethylene and polypropylene plastics used in packaging, consumer products and countless other applications, representing some of the most widely used plastic materials in the global economy. As a commodity chemicals and plastics producer, LyondellBasell's profitability is closely tied to petrochemical pricing cycles, which fluctuate based on global manufacturing capacity, feedstock costs like oil and natural gas, and overall industrial and consumer demand for plastic products. The company's results tend to be cyclical, benefiting from periods of tight chemical and plastics supply relative to demand and facing margin pressure during periods when new manufacturing capacity comes online faster than demand grows.