MOSCOW: January overall imports of polypropylene (PP) into Russia rose by 27% year on year, totalling slightly over 11,000 tonnes, while imports of propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) and block copolymers of propylene (PP-block) also increased, according to MRC’s DataScope report.
Russian companies increased PP purchasing in foreign markets last month with total imports exceeding 11,000 tonnes versus 8,700 tonnes in January 2015 and 10,500 tonnes in December 2015. Purchasing of homopolymer PP of raffia grade and injection moulding and pipe grades of PP-block also increased.
The overall structure of PP imports by grades looked the following way over the stated period: January imports of homopolymer PP rose to 5,100 tonnes from 2,800 tonnes in January 2015 and 4,200 tonnes in December 2015. Homopolymer PP of raffia grade from Turkmenistan accounted for the main increase in supply. Russian companies were making active PP purchasing in Turkmenistan in January, the next surge in imports is expected in March – April.
Last month’s imports of PP-block rose to 2,500 tonnes from 2,000 tonnes in January 2015 and 1,600 tonnes in December 2015. Local automotive components and pipes producers ensured the increase in supply. Imports of statistical propylene copolymer (PP-random) were 1,700 tonnes in January versus 2,100 tonnes in January 2015 and 2,800 tonnes in December 2015.
Local producers of biaxially-oriented PP (BOPP) films and producers of pipes for hot water accounted for a major fall in propylene copolymers purchasing last month. Imports of other polymers of propylene totalled about 1,700 tonnes over the stated period.
