MOSCOW (MRC) - Russia's market of polycarbonate (PC) reached 74,100 tonnes in the first ten months of the year, down 4% year on year, as per MRC ScanPlast.
PC market has gradually approached the last year's level of consumption, demonstrating a steady downward trend in negative figures. In the first three quarters of 2015 the demand dropped by 8%, while summing up the first ten months, a decline made 4%. Market players said they expect market to show a positive growth in 2016. However, this will not happen before the end of the first quarter, when seasonal demand will grow.
Russia's calculated consumption of extrusion PC granules decreased tot 62,000 tonnes in the first ten months of the year, down 7% year on year. The share of the supply into the domestic market made 47,900 tonnes (77% from the total consumption). Compared with last year, domestic supply increased by 8%.
Kazanorgsintez, the only PC maker in the CIS, more than a year has a policy of import substitution because of the rouble devaluation and decline in imports. Russia's imports of PC granules for sheet extrusion fell by 36% in the reporting period and amounted to 14,100 tonnes. Market players expect a further reduction in imports.
Calculated consumption of injection moulding polycarbonate increased to 10,900 tonnes in January-October, up 30% year on year. However, the figure is rather overestimated because of the large stocks of injection moulding goods in the producers' warehouses and traders. In fact, the monthly consumption of injection moulding PC in Russia is at the level of 700-800 tonnes. The segment is relatively stable.
In the segment of bottle grade PC granules demand fell more than twofold to 1,200 tonnes. If previously Asian material dominated the market, then now the market has shifted towards the European material. November and December in PC market are traditionally calm on the back of poor demand. However, most players believe that there will not be a sharp decline in demand this year: it will gradually decline until February and then also gradually recover in the spring.
MRC