Ukraine’s SPVC imports fall 20% in Jan-May

MOSCOW (MRC)–Imports of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) into Ukraine decreased in the first five months of  2017 by 20% year on year, totalling 39,400 tonnes, according to MRC’s DataScope report.

Last month’s SPVC imports to Ukraine grew to 11,400 tonnes from 7,100 tonnes in April.

Local companies partially offset a shortage of resin from European producers by higher shipments from the US.

Overall SPVC imports were about 39,400 tonnes in January-May 2017, compared to 49,200 tonnes a year earlier.

Demand for suspension from local pipes and window profile producers subsided significantly.

Last month’s SPVC imports from the US rose to 6,400 tonnes from 3 tonnes in April, local companies were forced to increase their purchasing of North American resin because of the restrictions of European producers in the past three months.

Imports of North American resin totalled 13,100 tonnes in January-May of 2017 versus 31,200 tonnes a year earlier.

May shipments of European PVC to the Ukrainian market remained at the level of April and were 3,100 tonnes.

Overall imports of European PVC to Ukraine totalled 18,500 tonnes over the stated period, compared to 13,900 tonnes a year earlier.

Last month’s imports of Russian SPVC grew to 1,900 tonnes from 761 tonnes in April.

Despite the introduction of a ban on shipments of resin from two producers, other manufacturers still managed to increase their presence in the local market.

Shipments of Russian resin were 7,600 tonnes in the first five months of 2017, compared to 3,800 tonnes a year earlier.

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