PET exports from Russia surged by 38%

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Exports of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from Russia increased in 2014 by 38% year on year, according to MRC DataScope report.

Over 28,000 tonnes of bottle grade PET were exported from Russia during the stated period. To date, Belarus is the main consumer of Russian material. Belarusian converters accounted for about 47% of the total exports. The five largest consumers also included the United Kingdom, Poland, Ukraine and Serbia.

Higher exports have been registered since early August and were caused by the devaluation of the Russian rouble.

According to MRC data, 2011 accounted for the peak exports of Russian PET. Alco-Naphtha shipped for export more than 70% of the produced material during its first year of PET production in Kaliningrad after the launch. In 2011, exports to foreign markets totalled over 72,000 tonnes. The plant was increasing its output from 2011 to 2013, reducing export shipments and strengthening its presence in the Russian market. In 2014, despite lower production, the plant raised shipments to foreign markets.

For more information on production of Russian producers, the overall market balance and the outlook of the industry, you can see in the Annual Report "PET in Russia in 2015".

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of unmixed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in Kazakhstan increased to 65,100 tonnes in 2014, up 46% compared with the same time a year earlier, according to MRC analysts.
The peak in unmixed PVC imports in the country occurred for September, and external supplies began decreasing since October. In December PVC imports in Kazakhstan decreased to 1,300 tonnes, compared with 2,600 tonnes in November. Total PVC imports in the country increased to 65,100 tonnes in January - December 2014, compared with 44,500 year on year. Such a serious increase in PVC imports in the country resulted from a further re-imports of the polymer in Russia.

According to the Statistics Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan exports of unmixed PVC from the country were about 11,000 tonnes in July-November 2014. The main suppliers of PVC in the local market were producers from China, with their share of more than 97% from the total PVC imports into the country.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Russia's production of finished products made from polymers grew by 11.8% in 2014. The leaders in the industry last year traditionally were producers of polymer films, according to MRC analysts.

December production of the finished products made from polymers seasonally decreased by 4.3%, compared with the November level, however the year end production volumes increased. According to the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, the December production of unreinforced and noncombined films decreased to 105,000 tonnes, compared to 110,000 tonnes in November 2014. Russia's output of noncombined and reinforced films 1.136 mln tonnes in 2014, up 33.1% year on year.

December production of plates and sheets in Russia totalled 19,200 tonnes, compared to 18,100 tonnes in November. Total production of plates and sheets in the country was 219,000 tonnes in Russia, up only 0.3% year on year.

December production of plastic pipes, hoses and fittings in the country fell to 52,600 tonnes, while in November it reached 54,200 tonnes. Russia's production of plastic pipes, hoses and fittings was about 609,000 tonnes in 2014, up 2.4% year on year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Fujian Southeast Electrochemical is likely to restart a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plant following maintenance turnaround, reported Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the plant is likely to be restarted before February 2015. It was shut in mid-January 2015 for maintenance turnaround.

Located in Fujian province of China, the plant has a production capacity of 100,000 mt/year.

We remind that, as MRC informed previously, on 9 September 2014, Formosa Plastics Corp (FPC) shut its PVC plant in China for a one-month maintenance turnaround. Located at Ningbo in Zhejiang province of China, the plant has a production capacity of 400,000 mt/year.

Besides, on 9 October 2014, Inner Mongolia Yili shut down its PVC plant in China for a one-month turnaround. A Polymerupdate source informed that the plant was shut on October 9, 2014. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.

Located at Erdos in Inner Mongolia, the plant has a production capacity of 500,000 mt/year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) has started a new ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) film plant, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Saudi Arabia informed that the plant started production on December 29, 2014.

Located at Hail in Saudi Arabia, the plant has a production capacity of 4,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported earlier, on 26 July 2014, Sipchem commenced trial runs at a new EVA/low density polyethylene (LDPE) swing plant in Saudi Arabia. Located in Jubail Saudi Arabia, the plant has a production capacity of 200,000 mt/year.

Established in 1999, Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) manufactures and markets methanol, butanediol, tetrahydrofuran, acetic acid, acetic anhydride, vinyl acetate monomer. Besides, it has launched several down-stream projects to manufacture ethylene vinyl acetate, low density polyethylene, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, cross linkable polyethylene, and semi conductive compound that are scheduled to start in 2013.
MRC