Russia polymer processing investments fall 26% in 2015

MOSCOW (MRC)–Russia’s investments in the processing capacity of polymers reduced to $531m in 2015, down 26% year on year, according to an annual report of MRC on Wednesday.

The figure is almost two times lower than in 2008, when it exceeded the level of $1bn, it added.

Russian purchases of equipment for processing of bulk polymers reached its highest level in in 2013, when investments totalled $850m. In 2014, the level of investments decreased by 16% (to $717m).

meanwhile, purchases of injection moulding equipment decreased by 39% – to $169m against $277m in 2014. Among the companies that purchased the injection equipment were Tetra Pak, ZPI Alternative, Bericap, Politek pipe, Perint, Neoplatek Rus, Automotive Lighting and Russian Footwear.

Investments in equipment for the production of building products from polymers, such as plastic pipes, PVC profiles and panels declined in 2015 to $23m and $19m respectively, compared with $34.8m and $40m a year earlier.

In addition, investments in extrusion blow moulding segment (EBM) in the past year declined to $28m against $59m a year earlier.

However, investments in the production of film products reached $146m in 2015, compared with $124m a year earlier (up 18%). The positive trend is due to Voterfoll Pro, a subsidiary of Megapolis Group, installing two lines for the production of 3 and 5-layer biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) films with 60,000 tonnes/year capacity in Shahty, Rostov region.

Also of note is the investments in the sector of polymeric compositions which grew to $42m in 2015, reaching record high for the last eight years. This follows investments from IP Kamskie Polyany (production of stretch film – equipment from SML Maschinengesellschaft), Polymer (Desnogorsk)(expansion of multilayer films production), Atlantis-Pak, Pucketti group, Klarity and Deltapak.

A new line, ZSK Megacompounder, for the production of black polyethylene pipe from Coperion was also launched by Kazanorgsintez. Meanwhile, a line from KraussMaffei for production of polyethylene compositions for anti-corrosion coating of steel pipes of large diameter was installed by Metaclay.

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