MOSCOW (MRC) -- The consumption of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) chips in Russia decreased from January to July 2015 by 17% year on year, according to MRC ScanPlast report.
According to MRC's data, the capacity of the Russian bottle grade PET market totalled 316,500 tonnes from January to July 2015.
Weaker demand from the main consumption sectors of bottle grade PET chips was the reason for lower capacity of the PET market. According to the Federal State Statistics Service, beer production in Russia decreased from January to July 2015 by 8% year on year. Production of Russian non-alcoholic beverages dropped by 2.5% over the same period. The largest consumption sector of PET preforms (natural mineral drinking table water) reduced its output by 6.7% from January to July 2015.
The overall PET production in Russia totalled 295,000 tonnes from January to July 2015. Thus, the industry's output rose by 13% over the first seven months of the year. Russian plants operated steadily in July. Overall, 43,700 tonnes of bottle grade PET were produced in July.
This year's imports were steadily low. The overall PET imports to Russia totalled 49,500 tonnes from January to July. The fall in shipments was 65% over the stated period. Exports surged by 57% from January to July 2015. Shipments to foreign markets were 16,750 tonnes over the first seven months of 2015.
MRC