Export bottle PET prices in Asia remained stable

MOSCOW (MRC) - Export prices for bottled PET in Asia last week generally remained at the previous week amid minimal fluctuations in the cost of raw materials, the ICIS-MRC Price Report said.

Overall, PET prices were in the range of USD840-870/tonne FOB China. Most spot deals were for deliveries in October, but there were also September and November.

According to market players, the supply of bottle brands of PET chips in the spot market was sufficient, and consumer interest was consistently high. The increase in spot purchases may be a result of an increase in the contract price of paraxylene in Asia and a slowdown in the downtrend in PET prices.

However, some producers still reported limited spot deals and refuse to cut prices due to lower production margins.
The contract prices of Russian plants this month fell to roubles (Rb) 78,000-81,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT, the lowest level since the beginning of 2018. At the same time last year, formula prices were on average up by Rb30,000/tonne.
MRC

PET prices remained steady in the domestic market of Ukraine

MOSCOW (MRC) - The price of Chinese PET from traders in the domestic market of Ukraine remained stable last week, despite the continuing trend of strengthening the hryvnya against the dollar, the ICIS-MRC Price Report said.

So, the prices of Chinese PET in Ukraine last week remained in the range of hryvnyas (UAH) 33,000-33,500/tonne, CPT Kiev, including VAT. At the same time, the export price of Chinese PET last week was still in the range of USD900-920/tonne, CIF Odessa, excluding VAT.

Prices of Belarusian PET for delivery to Ukraine also remained at the level of the previous week in the range of UAH31,500-32,000/tonne CPT Kiev, including VAT.

The contract prices of Russian plants this month fell to roubles (Rb) 78,000-81,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT, the lowest level since the beginning of 2018. At the same time last year, formula prices were on average up by Rb30,000/tonne.
MRC

Chandra Asri to complete maintenance at HDPE plant in Indonesia

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PT Chandra Asri Petrochemical Tbk. (CAP) is likely to restart its high density polyethylene (HDPE) plant following a maintenance turnaround, according to Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Indonesia informed that the company has planned to complete turnaround at this plant this week. The plant was shut for in early-August, 2019.

Located in Cilegon, West Java, Indonesia, the HDPE plant has a production capacity of 135,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed before, CAP shut its naphtha cracker in Cilegon for a turnaround in early August, 2019. It is expected to remain off-stream for a period of around 6-7 weeks.

According to MRC's DataScope report, August imports of high density polyethylene (HDPE) into Russia reached a record high since 2014 and exceeded 35,900 tonnes. Overall imports of this polyethylene (PE) totalled 232,400 tonnes in January-August 2019.

CAP is the largest integrated petrochemical company in Indonesia and operates the country’s only world-scale size Naphtha Cracker. The CAP plant is strategically located in Banten province, providing convenient access to key customers.
MRC

PP imports into Kazakhstan increased by 17% in Jan-July 2018, exports down by 39%

MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of polypropylene (PP) into Kazakhstan exceeded 21,300 tonnes in first seven months of this year, up 17% compared to the same period of 2018. PP exports decreased by 39%, reported MRC analysts.

July 2019 PP shipments to Kazakhstan grew to 3,800 tonnes from 3,100 tonnes a month earlier, local converters increased their purchasing of homopolymer PP in Russia. Total PP imports into the country exceeded 21,300 tonnes in January - July 2019, compared with 18,200 tonnes in the same time a year earlier. The demand for homopolymer PP increased, while demand for propylene copolymers decreased.

The structure of PP imports by grades looked the following way over the stated period.

July imports of homopolymer PP grew to 3,000 tonnes from 2,400 tonnes a month earlier, local companies increased their purchasing of homopolymer PP raffia from Russian producers. Overall imports of homopolymer PP reached 17,100 tonnes in the first seven months of 2019, compared to 13,400 a year earlier.

Shipments of propylene copolymers rose to 834 tonnes in July from 695 tonnes a month earlier, local pipes producers raised their purchasing.
Thus, imports of propylene copolymers reached 4,200 tonnes over the stated period, compared to 4,180 tonnes a year earlier.

Kazakhstan's PP exports over the first seven months dropped to 12,400 tonnes, whereas this figure was 17,200 tonnes a year earlier. Such a significant decrease in export volumes was due, among other things, to the long shutdown of the local producer, the Neftekhim LTD Company in May - July of the current year.


MRC

Borealis declares force majeure in Kallo, Belgium and Burghausen, Germany

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Borealis AG has declared force majeures in two production sites in Kallo, Belgium and Burghausen, Germany, as per Plastemart.

FM has been declared on refinery grade propylene and propane from its production site in Kallo, Belgium. Operations in Burghausen, Germany experienced an incident due to a disruption in monomer supply from the nearby OMV cracker on Aug. 24.

Force majeure has been declared on all of its Burghausen production of polypropylene (PP) on 2 September, 2019.

As MRC wrote previously, in March 2018, Borealis and United Chemical Company LLP (UCC) signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) for the development of a world-scale polyethylene project, integrated with an ethane cracker, in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, the estimated PP consumption in the Russian market was 796,120 tonnes in January-July 2019, up by 11% year on year. Shipments of PP block copolymer and homopolymer PP increased.

Borealis is a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers. With headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Borealis currently employs around 6,500 and operates in over 120 countries.
MRC