MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russia's production of polyethylene (PE) totalled about 1,384,000 tonnes in the first nine months of 2019, which virtually corresponds to the same figure of 2018. PE output by grades both increased and decreased, according to MRC's ScanPlast report.
September total PE production in Russia was slightly over 110,000 tonnes versus 152,220 tonnes a month earlier, lower production was caused by shutdowns for maintenance simultaneously at three plants. Thus, overall PE output reached 1,348,400 tonnes in January-September 2019, compared to 1,344,700 tonnes a year earlier. Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) production increased, whereas production of high density polyethylene (HDPE) decreased.
The structure of PE output by grades looked the following way over the stated period.
Last month's HDPE production was about 45,880 tonnes, compared to 78,100 tonnes a month earlier, such a significant decrease in the output was caused by the shutdowns for maintenance at the two largest producers - Kazanorgsintez and Stavrolen. Overall HDPE production exceeded 695,200 tonnes in the first nine months of 2019, down by 5% year on year.
September low density polyethylene (LDPE) production dropped to 46,000 tonnes from 52,200 tonnes a month earlier because of the shutdowns for turnarounds at Tomskneftekhim and Kazanorgsintez. Overall LDPE output reached 479,200 tonnes over the stated period, up by 2% year on year.
Last month's LLDPE production grew to 18,100 tonnes from 14,900 tonnes in August, Nizhnekamskneftekhim was forced to reduce its capacity utilisation in the last month of summer due to technical issues. The two plants' overall LLDPE output totalled slightly over 174,000 tonnes in January-September 2019, up by 22% year on year.
MRC