PE imports into Ukraine down by 5% in Q1 year on year

MOSCOW (MRC)–Ukraine’s imports of polyethylene (PE) decreased to 59,300 tonne in first three months of 2017, down 5% year on year, driven by fewer deliveries of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE), according to MRC DataScope.

March PE imports decreased to 19,500 tonnes compared to 21,500 tonnes a month earlier. Local companies decreased purchases of LDPE and low density polyethylene (LDPE).

In general, January-March imports into Ukraine totalled 59,300 tonnes compared with 62,600 tonnes year on year; supply of LLDPE and ethylene-vinyl-acetate (EVA) increased.

The structure of PE imports over the reported period was as follows:

Imports of HDPE into Ukraine increased in March, despite the low demand in some processing segments, the final figure was about 9,000 tonnes against 6,800 tonnes in February.

Local companies increased their purchasing of film and pipe grade HDPE. Overall HDPE imports of HDPE exceeded 24,000 tonnes in the first quarter of 2017 versus 30,000 tonnes a year earlier, shipments of film grade HDPE fell by almost a third, deliveries of injection moulding PE decreased by 20%.

March imports of LDPE decreased to 4,500 tonnes against 6,600 tonnes, resulting from a significant reduction of export quotas from Russian and Middle Eastern producers. Overall LDPE imports exceeded 16,300 tonnes over the stated period, down by 8% year on year.

Last month’s LLDPE imports were 4,100 tonnes, compared to 6,700 tonnes in February. Shipments of film grade PE almost halved.

Overall LLDPE imports grew to 14,900 tonnes in January-March 2017 from 12,800 tonnes a year earlier. The main increase in demand was provided by producers of film products and cable-conductor products.

Imports of other PE grades, including ethylene-vinyl-acetate (EVA), totalled 4,100 tonnes over the stated period, compared to 2,000 tonnes a year earlier.

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