MOSCOW (MRC) - Russia's imports of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) increased by 1% to 118,800 tonnes in the first seven months of this year. Key customers - producers of films kept last year's level, while demand in the rotational moulding sector grew by a third, according to MRC DataScope report.
LLDPE imports in Russia reached 19,300 tonnes in July. The growth in demand occurred for the producers rotational moulding products, whereas the key consumers of LLPE - producers of films, kept last year's level.
Structure of the consumption of LLDPE was as follows.
Russia's imports of film LLDPE grew to 16,500 tonnes in July, compared with 15,400 tonnes in June on the back of an increase in purchases from producers of stretch film. Russia's LLDPE imports were 104,600 tonnes in the first seven months of this year, which is actually equal compared with the same time of 2013.
July imports of LLDPE for rotational moulding fell to 1,300 tonnes, from 1,600 tonnes in June. Russia's imports of LLDPE for rotational moulding in the first seven months of the year were 7,400 tonnes, up 34% year on year. Key suppliers in this sector were two Asian producers: Lotte Chemical and SCG Chemicals.
Russia's imports of LLDPE into other sectors (lamination, cable extrusion, compounding, extrusion of pipes, etc.) declined to 6,800 tonnes in the first seven months of the year, compared with 7,300 tonnes year on year. Imports of LLDPE are expected to decline further in August because of reduced export quotas from the Middle East producers, in particular for the production of irrigated polyethylene stretch films.
MRC