MOSCOW (MRC) -- Despite the end of the period of shutdowns for maintenance, some Russian producers raised again their suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) prices. At the same time, the excitement subsided in the market, and converters were already reluctant to accept new prices, especially given higher imports, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.
In July, scheduled shutdowns for repairs at Bashkir Soda Company and SayanskKhimPlast created additional pressure on the already scarce Russian market. Converters partially switched to the purchase of imported PVC, while the imported resin often arrived with a long delay. In August, the rush subsided in the market, Russian producers quickly resumed production after the turnarounds, and supply of resin increased in the market partially because of a major rise in imports. However, some European producers raised their PVC prices further.
Bashkir Soda Company and SayanskKhimPlast shut their production capacities for scheduled repairs in mid-July, and the outages did not exceed two weeks. The plants' production capacities are 240,000 and 350,000 tonnes per year, respectively.
The next and last shutdown for maintenance among Russian producers will take place at Kaustik' (Volgograd) production capacities in the third decade of September and will last for three weeks. The plant's annual production capacity is 90,000 tonnes.
Shutdown for maintenance at two domestic producers during the high season led to a major increase in imports, despite the export restrictions of Chinese producers. According to preliminary information, July imports of suspension reached 13,500 tonnes, compared to 5,000 tonnes a month earlier. Large quantities of acetylene PVC from China are also planned for shipment to the Russian market in August.
A significant increase in imports and the end of the shutdowns for repairs at Russian plants brought down the excitement in the market. Many converters said there were already no such serious problems with resin with K=64/67, as it was the case in July. In addition, imported resin became cheaper than some Russian producers' resin in August. A shortage remained in the PVC markets with K=58/70.
Amid growing supply of PVC in the market, converters were no longer in a hurry to confirm new prices of Russian producers and often tried to find an alternative at a lower price. At the same time, not all producers decided to further increase domestic prices of resin in August.
As a month earlier, deals for Russian resin with K64/67 were done in a very wide range: Rb155,000-201,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT for quantities up to 500 tonnes, compared to Rb151,000-200,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT, in June. Prices for K=58/70 PVC grew to Rb175,000-216,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT.
MRC