Russia SPVC imports up 19% in Q1

MOSCOW (MRC)–Russia’s SPVC (solution polyvinyl chloride) imports rose 19% in the January to March 2018 period year on year to 5,700 tonnes, according to MRC’s DataScope report on Friday. Russian producers managed to increase their SPVC exports by 50%, the data showed.

March SPVC imports grew to 1,900 tonnes from 1,200 tonnes a month earlier. Thus, overall imports of resin to Russia totalled 5,700 tonnes in January-March 2018, compared to 4,800 tonnes a year earlier. At the same time, Russian producers were forced to ship resin for export more actively this year, export sales increased 1.5 times.

Chinese producers have been the key foreign SPVC suppliers to Russia for the past several years. March imports of Chinese acetylene process resin grew to 1,900 tonnes from 800 tonnes a month earlier. Overall imports of resin from China were 5,100 tonnes in the first three months of 2018, compared to 3,900 tonnes a year earlier.

Imports of acetylene PVC is expected to increase further in April. Chinese producers reduced their export prices significantly in the second half of March, and Russian companies began actively purchasing resin for April shipments. This month’s overall imports might exceed 5,000 tonnes.

At the same time, Russian producers had to increase exports, although export sales decreased in March. About 5,000 tonnes were shipped to foreign markets last month (excluding deliveries to the countries of the Eurasian Customs Union) versus 17,000 tonnes in February. First quarter SPVC exports were 43,500 tonnes compared to 28,900 tonnes a year earlier.

MRC, a partner of ICIS, produces polymers news and pricing reports from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.