MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of suspended PVC (PVC-S) to Russia remains still high and exceeds demand. In July, the total import made around 50 KT, according to MRC analysts. This year the peak of PVC-S imports was in May, when the total import exceeded 55.4 KT.
June and July demonstrated a slight decline in imports on the back of prices hike for American PVC and delay in resin supply from China. However, import figures are still far exceed the demand.
US suppliers still prevail in the market: imports of American resin made more than 20KT. Then go the producers of acetylene resins from China.
Karpatneftechem (Lukoil group) keeps enhancing its position in PVC-S market in Russia. Over July, about 2 KT of its resin were delivered to the Russian market, with the first volume appearing in the Southern region of Russia.
Despite the excess of resin in the Russian market, local companies don't want to decrease purchases of PVC from foreign markets. Besides, Russian companies have not received yet a considerable amount of resin, contracted yet in May - June in China and the U.S. In August a significant reduction of PVC-S imports to the Russian market is not expected.