MOSCOW: Imports of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in primary and secondary forms into the Russian market decreased to 76,600 tonnes in January-November 2015, down 57% compared to the same period last year, according to MRC’s DataScope report.
Russia’s imports of PET chips fell by 59% to 71,000 tonnes over the reported period. Imports of recycled PET-flex in the first 11 months practically remained steady at 5,300 tonnes against 5,500 tonnes in the same period a year earlier.
In the structure of PET consumption by processing sectors, the largest decline in demand for imports occurred for the producers of PET preforms. Demand for injection moulding imported grades fell by 63% and was about 60,000 tonnes. Imports of film PET fell by 30% and totalled 7,150 tonnes.
The market lost almost all foreign suppliers. The largest supplier of PET in Russia remained China, but in January-November of this year, imports from China fell by 69% to 42,000 tonnes.
The exception among Chinese suppliers was Sinopec and Yisheng Petrochemical. Sinopec increased its imports to 5,700 tonnes from 3,800 tonnes in the same period a year earlier, while Yisheng Petrochemical’s PET deliveries increased by more than seven times, reaching a level of 7,400 tonnes.
Also, there was an increase of imports from the UAE and Oman. Imports of Korean PET into Russia dropped by 35% in January-November 2015 to 11,000 tonnes. A sharp drop in imports this year was in line with an increase in domestic PET chips production and the decline of its consumption in the country.
According to the ScanPlast report, Russia’s production of PET chips increased by 17% in January-November to 416,000 tonnes. The market capacity of PET during the period (including demand for imported recycled PET) fell by 9% and amounted to 461,000 tonnes.
