MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of polypropylene (PP) to the Belarusian market decreased by 1.4% year on year, totalling slightly over 83,100 tonnes. At the same time, the propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) market showed positive results, reported MRC analysts.
According to the National Statistics Committee of Belarus, December PP imports into Belarus virtually remained at the level of November and were about 7,600 tonnes. Local companies increased their purchasing of propylene copolymers, while reducing their purchasing of homopolymer PP. Overall PP imports to the local market exceeded 83,100 tonnes from January to December 2015 versus 84,300 tonnes a year earlier. Demand for propylene copolymers subsided greatly, whereas purchasing of homopolymer PP grew by 5.2%.
The consumption structure by PP grades looked the following way over the stated period.
December imports of homopolymer PP dropped to 5,300 tonnes from 5,900 tonnes a month earlier, with Russian producers' homopolymer PP of raffia grade accounting for the main decrease in supply. Overall imports of homopolymer PP to the local market rose to 61,300 tonnes over the twelve months of 2015 from 58,300 tonnes a year earlier. Russian producers are the key suppliers of homopolymer PP, their share in the total shipments was about 91%.
December imports of propylene copolymers rose to 2,300 tonnes from 1,600 tonnes a month earlier, which was caused by the active formation of additional inventories by local producers of injection moulding products. Imports of propylene copolymers into Belarus decreased by 16.1% over the stated period and reached 21,800 tonnes.
Russian producers became the main suppliers of propylene copolymers to the local market last year (total volume of shipments reached 15,800 tonnes). Germany and Austria were the second and third largest countries-suppliers with the shipping volumes of about 1,900 tonnes and 1,700 tonnes, respectively.
MRC