MOSCOW (MRC) -- The overall imports of high density polyethylene (HDPE) into Ukraine decreased over the first ten months of 2015 by 11% year on year and totalled 73,800 tonnes. Demand for HDPE subsided in all consumption sectors, with the exception of the film grade HDPE sector, according to MRC DataScope report.
October HDPE imports to Ukraine fell to 5,600 tonnes from 8,100 tonnes a month earlier because of limited export quotas from producers in Russia, Saudi Arabia and Europe. The overall HDPE imports dropped to 73,800 tonnes from January to October of 2015 versus 83,400 tonnes a year earlier. Polyethylene (PE) for the extrusion blow moulding (EBM) accounted for the greatest fall in demand - about 30%, whereas the last year's results remained in the segment of film grade HDPE.
The PE supply structure by processing sectors looks the following way over the stated period.
The last month's imports of film grade HDPE to the Ukrainian market were reduced to 2,800 tonnes from 3,700 tonnes because of limited export quotas from Russian producers. The overall imports of film grade PE totalled 36,200 tonnes over the first ten months of 2015, which virtually equalled to the same figure of 2014.
The October imports of injection moulding HDPE to Ukraine fell by almost five-fold from September to 374 tonnes versus 1,500 tonnes. Shipments of injection moulding PE for the production of caps for PET containers slumped. Demand for this PE grade from local converters decreased by 12% from January to October 2015 and totalled 13,100 tonnes.
The last month's imports of HDPE for extrusion blow moulding were just over 1,200 tonnes versus 1,300 tonnes in September. Imports of HDPE for EBM to Ukraine totalled 11,200 tonnes over the first ten months of the year, down by 30% year on year.
The October imports of pipe grade HDPE (excluding natural HDPE grades) dropped to 1,000 tonnes from 1,300 tonnes a month earlier because of the limited export quotas of European producers. Imports of this PE grade to the Ukrainian market decreased by 15% over the first ten months of 2015 to 11,000 tonnes.
HDPE imports to other consumption sectors totalled 2,400 tonnes from January to October 2015 versus 3,500 tonnes a year earlier.
MRC