MOSCOW (MRC) – In August, Russian traders increased import volumes of HDPE to 37,800 tonnes, up 17% from July. Over the past eight months HDPE import to Russia rose almost by a quarter, report MRC analysts.
Last month, the total HDPE import by Russian traders expectedly grew by 17% from July and made 37,800 tonnes. The main growth of import volumes accounted for film and pipe HDPE.
Russian PE pipes producers significantly increased the purchasing volumes in the foreign markets on the back of a series of outages at local HDPE plants for maintenance. Also, quite a low price level of HDPE in Europe and Asia in July added to the growth of purchases in the foreign markets. In August, pipe PE import rose to the record levels and made about 14,200 tonnes. Shipments of the Middle-Eastern Sabic’s PE100 grew more than twofold. Korea Petrochemical and SCG Chemicals’ HDPE import also rose considerably.
Film HDPE import made about 8,300 tonnes in August, up 33% from July. In recent months shipments of South Korean PE have increased dramatically. Export shipments of blow moulding HDPE slashed almost by half last month to 2,400 tonnes. The main reason is the restriction of export quotas by Shurtansk GHK and European makers.
In general, in January-August, the total import of HDPE to the Russian market made about 248,000 tonnes, up 24% year-on-year. The largest increase in imports in over the first eight months accounts for the film and blow moulding HDPE. Export of PE to this sectors grew by 124% and 121%, respectively, year-on-year.
MRC