MOSCOW (MRC) - Russia's imports of GPPS increased in the first two months of the year, while imports of HIPS, on the contrary, decreased, according MRC DataScope.
February GPPS imports were 1,470 tonnes, compared to 2,120 tonnes a month earlier. GPPS imports rose by two-fold in the first two months of 2018 to 3,590 tonnes from 1,810 tonnes a year earlier.
Shipments of GPPS increased largely due to Styrolution, which increased them by more than 3 times to 1,890 tonnes versus 540 tonnes last year. Styrolution accounted for 55% of the total GPPS imports in January-February 2018. Singapore's Denka Styrol and South Korean LG Chem shipped 510 and 440 tonnes of GPPS, respectively, to the Russian market, whereas these producers' GPPS imports were absent in January-February 2017.
February HIPS imports were 990 tonnes versus 1,900 tonnes a month earlier. HIPS imports fell in the first two months of 2018 by 14% year on year to 2,080 tonnes from 2,420 tonnes in a year earlier.
Styrolution's shipments dropped to 790 tonnes in the first two months of the year from 940 tonnes a year earlier, whereas Polimeri Europa' shipments - from 510 tonnes to 470 tonnes. LG Chem did not import HIPS into the country, whereas Kumho's shipments reached 340 tonnes in January-February.
MRC