ABS imports to Russia drop by 4% in Jan-Nov 2019

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) to the Russian market decreased in the first eleven months of 2019 by 4% year on year to 31,300 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.

This figure was at 32,700 tonnes in January-November 2018.

South Korean companies LG Chem and Lotte Advanced accounted for more than half of the country's ABS imports.

Styrolution and Trinseo shipped the bulk of European ABS. The share of their supplies is 23% of the total imports.

Last month's ABS imports to Russia fell by 20% year on year to 3,300 tonnes from 4,100 tonnes a year earlier, imports of material into the country were 3,500 tonnes in October 2019.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of expandable polystyrene (EPS) to the Russian market rose in the first eleven months of 2019 by 30% year on year to 19,800 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.

This figure was at 15,200 tonnes in January-November 2018.

The Finnish producer Styrochem's material accounted for 36% of the total EPS imports, the Chinese company Loyal with the share of 21% occupied the second position.

Styrochem's imports grew over the stated period by 33% year on year: from 5,300 tonnes to 7,100 tonnes. Shipments of Chinese Loyal increased by 53% year on year: from 2,700 tonnes to 4,100 tonnes.

November EPS imports to Russia increased by 20% year on year to 2,100 tonnes from 1,800 tonnes a year earlier, imports of material into the country were 1,700 tonnes in October 2019.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of polypropylene (PP) to Belarus rose in the first ten months of 2019 by 8.6% year on year, totalling about 90,000 tonnes. All grades of propylene polymers accounted for the increase in demand, according to a MRC's DataScope report.

PP imports to Belarus were about 8,500 tonnes in October 2019, compared to 8,000 tonnes a month earlier, local companies raised their purchasing of PP in Russia. Overall imports of propylene polymers reached 90,000 tonnes in January-October 2019, compared to 82,900 tonnes a year earlier, demand increased for all PP grades, with propylene copolymers accounting for the greatest rise.

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

October imports of propylene homopolymers (homopolymer PP) reached 5,600 tonnes, compared to 5,200 tonnes a month earlier, purchasing of homopolymer PP in Russia increased after September restrictions because of shutdowns for maintenance at some local plants. Overall imports of homopolymer PP reached 60,300 tonnes in January-October 2019, up by 5.4% year on year. Russian producers with the share of about 86% of the total shipments were the key suppliers.

October imports of propylene copolymers to Belarus were 2,900 tonnes versus 2,800 tonnes a month earlier, local companies increased their procurement of injection moulding block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymer) from Russian producers. Thus, overall imports of propylene copolymers reached 29,700 tonnes over the stated period, up by 15.6% year on year.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of unmixed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) into Belarus increased to 32,200 tonnes in the first ten months of this year, up 13.5% year on year, according to MRC DataScope.

According to the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus, local converters slightly reduced their purchasing of PVC in October 2019, overall imports totalled 3,000 tonnes, compared to 3,300 tonnes a month earlier.
Thus, imports of unmixed PVC reached 32,200 tonnes in January-October 2019 versus 28,300 tonnes a year earlier, with local windows producers accounting for a increase in demand.

Russian producers with the share of about 83% of the Belarusian market were the key suppliers of resin to Belarus over the stated period.

Producers from Ukraine and Germany with the share of 9% and 5%, respectively, were the second and third largest suppliers.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sasol announced that the LCCP Ethane Cracker is increasing production rates following the successful replacement of the acetylene reactor catalyst, reported Kemicalinfo.

Sasol’s Ethane Cracker achieved beneficial operation in August 2019 but has run approximately 50-60% of nameplate capacity due to underperformance of the plant’s acetylene removal system. The company stated that the issue has now been resolved.

"The outage to replace the catalyst was successfully completed on schedule and within budget. Following the outage, the unit was started up smoothly and ethylene production rates are approximately 85-90% of nameplate capacity and are increasing," the company said in a statement.

Sasol said that the ethylene quality produced meets US Gulf Coast ethylene pipeline specifications.

The company is also looking forward to the completion of the LCCP Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Unit which is being commissioned with beneficial operation expected later in December 2019.

The remaining three downstream units under construction to complete the integrated LCCP site, Ziegler Alcohols and Alumina, Alcohol Ethoxylates, and Guerbet Alcohols, remain on cost and schedule as per company’s previous guidance.

As MRC informed previously, Sasol's world-scale US ethane cracker reached beneficial operation on 27 August 2019. The company's new cracker, the heart of our Lake Charles Chemicals Project (LCCP), is the third and most significant of the seven LCCP facilities to come online and will provide feedstock to our six new derivative units at our Lake Charles multi-asset site. Sasol’s Lake Charles Ethane Cracker, which uses Technip Stone & Webster technology, is one of the largest in the world with a nameplate capacity of 1.54 million tons per year. Approximately 90% of the Cracker's ethylene output will be further processed into commodity and high-margin specialty chemicals for markets in which Sasol has a strong position, underpinned by collaborative customer relationships.

Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,724,670 tonnes in the first ten months of 2019, up by 7% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. The estimated PP consumption in the Russian market in January-October 2019 totalled 1,066,520 tonnes, up by 7% year on year. Supply of block copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymer) and homopolymer of propylene (homopolymer PP) increased, demand for statistical copolymers (PP random copolymer) decreased.

Sasol is an international integrated chemicals and energy company that leverages technologies and the expertise of our 31 270 people working in 32 countries. The company develops and commercialises technologies, and builds and operates world-scale facilities to produce a range of high-value product stream, including liquid fuels, petrochemicals and low-carbon electricity.
MRC