MOSCOW: Total imports of polypropylene (PP) into Russia increased to 117,500 tonnes in the first eight months of 2016, up 14% compared to the same period of 2015, according to MRC DataScope. Russia’s imports of PP increased in August, having reached 20,900 tonnes compared with 16,700 tonnes in July. The main increase occurred for the supply of homopolymer PP raffia grade from Turkmenistan and pipe PP random copolymers. In general, PP imports into Russia totaled 117,500 tonnes in January-August 2016, compared with 102,600 tonnes year on year.
The lowest increase in supply showed recorded only in PP random copolymers segment due to a significant growth of production by Nizhnekamskneftekhim, Stavrolen and Tomskneftekhim. August PP imports into the country grew to 10,700 tonnes, compared with 8,400 tonnes in July. Local companies further increased their supply of homopolymer PP raffia grade from Turkmenistan. Quite a big volumes of of Turkmen PP are expected to be imported in September. Total imports homopolymer PP raffia grade into Russia exceeded 56,000 tonnes in January – August 2016, compared with 45,800 year on year.
Russia PP imports Jan-Aug 2016 – MRCAugust imports of PP block copolymers in Russia increased to 3,100 tonnes against 2,200 tonnes in July. Russian companies have increased their PP purchases for injection moulding products and PP compositions. Total imports of PP block copolymers into Russia exceeded 21,000 tonnes in the first eight months of the year, up 19% year on year.
Imports of PP random copolymers grew to 4,300 tonnes in August against 3,900 tonnes a month earlier, on the back of low export prices some Russian producers of pipes for the second month in a row have actively purchased large volumes of raw materials in Europe. Total imports of PP random copolymers into Russia increased to 22,400 tonnes in the first eight months of the year, up 3% year on year. Imports of other propylene polymers for the reported period decreased to about 18,000 tonnes compared with 17,400 tonnes in the same time a year earlier.
