PVC imports to Ukraine drop 2% in Q1

MOSCOW (MRC)–Imports of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) into Ukraine decreased in the first three months of 2018 by 2% year on year, totaling 20,500 tonnes, according to MRC’s DataScope report.

Last month’s SPVC imports to the Ukrainian market fell to 6,800 tonnes from 8,000 tonnes in February. Local producers of profile-moulded products decreased their purchasing. Overall SPVC imports totalled 20,500 tonnes in January-March 2018, compared to 20,900 tonnes a year earlier, shipments of resin from the USA increased significantly.

Last month’s imports of US SPVC shrank to 5,500 tonnes from 6,000 tonnes in February. Export prices reached their top in the USA in January-February, and Ukrainian companies reduced their purchasing of North American resin. Imports of North American resin totaled 14,200 tonnes in the first three months of 2018 versus 3,500 tonnes a year earlier.

March imports of European PVC into the Ukrainian market were 1,300 tonnes, compared to 1,200 tonnes a month earlier. Such a low level of imports was caused by high export prices in Europe. Overall imports of European PVC to Ukraine totalled 5,100 tonnes over the stated period, compared to 12,300 tonnes a year earlier.

Since 1 March, the Cabinet of Ministers has introduced a temporary ban on  purchasing of resin in Russia, and ban is valid until 31 December 2018. Imports of Russian resin were 1,200 tonnes in the first quarter of 2018 versus 5,000 tonnes a year earlier.

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