Ukraine PVC imports down 8% in January-April year on year

MOSCOW (MRC)–Imports of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) into Ukraine fell by 8% in the first four months of this year compared to the same period in 2017 to reach around 25,800 tonnes, according to MRC DataScope.

Last month’s SPVC imports to the Ukrainian market fell to 5,300 tonnes from 6,800 tonnes in March.

Bad weather and low demand for finished PVC products caused local companies to reduce raw materials purchases.

Overall, SPVC imports totalled 25,800 tonnes in January-April compared to 28,000 tonnes a year earlier. Shipments of resin from the US increased significantly.

The structure of PVC imports into Ukraine over the reported period was as follows:

Last month’s imports of US SPVC shrank to 3,900 tonnes from 5,500 tonnes in March.

Export prices reached their top in the USA in January-April, and Ukrainian companies reduced their purchasing of North American resin.

Imports of North American resin totalled 18,100 tonnes in the first four months of 2018 versus 6,800 tonnes a year earlier.

April shipments of European PVC to the Ukrainian market remained around the level of March at 1,300 tonnes.

Such a low level of imports was a result of the high level of export prices in Europe and low demand from Ukrainian converters.

Total imports of European PVC into Ukraine were about 6,400 tonnes in the first four months of the year, compared with 15,400 tonnes year on year.

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