(MRC) -- In August, Ukrainian companies increased PE import supplies to 27.6 KT which was 18% more compared to July. Imports growth referred to all PE types. Over the first eight months, overall PE supplies to the Ukrainian market made 202 KT, according to MRC DataScope. That was 3% more year on year.
Last month linear polyethylene demonstrated the biggest import increase. LLDPE supplies grew by 1.5 on the back of growing demand for film grades and exceeded 5 KT. HDPE imports was up by 20% to 13.2 KT. External LDPE supplies grew only by 6% and reached 8.6 KT.
Last year Karpatneftechem (Lukojl group) restarted HDPE production that allowed to reduce film PE imports to the Ukrainian market almost by twice. Last summer HDPE film imports in Ukraine made nearly 5 KT, while in July-August this year, itmports declined to 2.5 KT.
Over the two last months, import volumes of pipe HDPE (including uncoloured grades) have increased and made more than 4.5 KT. The supplies geography of pipe PE in the Ukrainian market has grown significantly, but main import supplies still fall at the following companies: Stavrolen, Sabic, Kazanorgsyntez, TVK and Unipetrol. Recently a share of coloured PE100 significantly reduced in total imports to the Ukrainian market.
In August, imports of blow molding HDPE grew. Last month PE supplies reached 2.5 KT, due to seasonal factors, as well as September-October maintenance stops of major suppliers to the Ukrainian market (Unipetrol, Kazanorgsyntez and TVK). IM HDPE supplies, on the contrary, decreased almost by half due to a seasonal drop in demand for PET bottles caps.