Russia’s Jan-April PE imports increase by 3% year on year

MOSCOW (MRC)–Overall imports of polyethylene (PE) into the Russian market increased in the first four months of 2017 by 3% year on year to 160,000 tonnes, with shipments of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and ethylene-vinyl-acetate (EVA) growing significantly, according to MRC’s DataScope Report.

Last month’s PE imports to the Russian market remained almost flat with March, totalling 45,200 tonnes.

Overall PE imports reached 160,000 tonnes in January-April 2017, compared to 155,400 tonnes a year earlier. The HDPE and EVA segments accounted for the increase in imports, whereas other PE grades accounted for the decrease in import shipments.

The structure of PE imports by grades looked the following way over the stated period:

Last month’s HDPE imports rose to 18,400 tonnes from 17,900 tonnes in March, with local companies continuing to gradually increase HDPE purchasing in Uzbekistan. Overall HDPE imports reached 61,000 tonnes in the first four months of 2017 versus 40,000 tonnes a year earlier.

April imports of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) were 12,200 tonnes, compared to 12,500 tonnes a month earlier. Shipments of film grade PE decreased, whereas demand for rotational moulding PE increased significantly.

LLDPE imports totalled 45,600 tonnes in the first four months of the year, compared to 62,500 tonnes a year earlier. An increase in the domestic output, particularly, by Nizhnekamskneftekhim, helped to reduce imports.

Last month’s imports of low density polyethylene (LDPE) fell to 6,900 tonnes from 9,300 tonnes in March. Shipments of PE for lamination from Europe were reduced. Overall LDPE imports decreased to 29,400 tonnes in January-April 2017 from 34,900 tonnes a year earlier.

April EVA imports rose to 3,500 tonnes from 3,000 tonnes a month earlier because of the improved supply from Russian producers of injection moulding products. Imports of this ethylene copolymer grade grew by 55% over the stated period to 12,000 tonnes.

Imports of other ethylene polymers totalled 12,100 tonnes in the first four months of the year.

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