August PS imports into Russian market up by 13% year on year

MOSCOW (MRC)–August imports of polystyrene (PS) to Russia rose by 13% year on year and reached their maximum year to date at 12,350 tonnes, up from 10,930 tonnes a year earlier, according to MRC’s DataScope report.

Compared with July (10,550 tonnes) this showed an increase of 17%.

PS imports to Russia grew in January-August 2019 by 11% year on year to 80,500 tonnes.

August imports to the Russian Federation by grades looked the following way:

Imports of general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) and high impact polystyrene (HIPS) rose over the stated month by 5% year on year, totalling 5,000 tonnes versus 4,700 tonnes in August 2018.

July imports of material were 4,000 tonnes. GPPS and HIPS imports into the country increased over the first eight months of 2019 by 15% year on year from 28,100 tonnes a year earlier to 32,400 tonnes.

European materials of Styrolution, Versalis and Trinseo accounted for over 90% of the total shipments.

August imports of expandable polystyrene (EPS) grew by 18% year on year to 2,200 tonnes from 1,900 tonnes a year earlier. July imports were 2,000 tonnes.

EPS imports to Russia rose in the first eight months of 2019 by 41% year on year to 13,800 tonnes from 9,800 tonnes a year earlier. Finnish material of Styrochem accounted for the bulk EPS imports.

Imports of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) to Russia increased over the stated month by 37% year on year to 3,600 tonnes from 2,600 tonnes in August 2018. Imports of material were 2,800 tonnes in July 2019.

ABS imports grew in January-August by 1% year on year to 21,900 tonnes from 21,800 tonnes in the first eight months of 2018. South Korean company LG Chem accounted for the bulk of ABS imports.

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