MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) chips to Ukraine decreased from January to April 2015 by 23.5% year on year and totalled 39,300 tonnes. There were significant changes in the supply structure, according to MRC DataScope report.
The downward EUR/USD trend of the exchange rate at the beginning of 2015 contributed to the increased interest in European grades of PET chips. Market players were looking closely to new suppliers that offered lower prices because of the currency fluctuations and short delivery time (compared to Asian material). Imports of Lithuanian PET of Neo Group rose more than three times. Overall, Ukraine imported about 17,000 tonnes of bottle grade PET from Lithuania.
Imports of Belarusian PET of Mogilevkhimvolokno increased by more than four times. Shipments from Belarus totalled 3,110 tonnes from January to April 2015. According to ICIS-MRC Price report, export prices of Belarusian PET for Ukraine were announced in the euro and were heard in May in the range of EUR1,000-1,010/tonne FCA Mogilev, excluding VAT.
Purchasing of Russian PET has been growing. The Kaliningrad plant Alco-Naphtha is a supplier. Imports from Russia reached 1,000 tonnes.
At the same time, imports from China slumped by three-fold. Overall, Ukraine imported 9,400 tonnes of Chinese PET chips from January to April 2015.
Group Retal, Sirius Extrusion, TNC, Coca-Cola Beverages Ukraine Limited and Obolon remained the largest importers to Ukraine.
In imports structure by regions, the absence of shipments to the Donetsk and Lugansk regions should be noted. The Kiev region accounted for the bulk of imports (16,600 tonnes), although the Dnepropetrovsk region traditionally was the leader in PET chips shipments (15,000 tonnes over the stated period).
MRC