MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) and high impact polystyrene (HIPS) to Russia rose in the first eleven months of 2019 by 11% year on year to 44,700 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.
This figure was at 40,200 tonnes in January-November 2018.
At the same time, GPPS and HIPS imports to the Russian market slumped by 40% in November, totalling 3,600 tonnes versus 6,000 tonnes in November 2018. Imports of material into the country were 3,600 tonnes in October 2019.
GPPS imports to Russia grew in January-November 2019 by 25% year on year to 25,600 tonnes. Russian companies reduced their imports of material by 42% last month: from 4,000 tonnes in November 2018 to 2,300 tonnes, imports were 1,800 tonnes a month earlier.
HIPS imports to the Russian Federation continued to decline for the third month in a row. They were 1,300 tonnes in November 2019 versus 2,000 tonnes a year earlier and 1,800 tonnes in October 2019. Imports of material into the country dropped in the first eleven months of 2019 by 3% year on year to 19,100 tonnes.
European material of Styrolution, Versalis and Trinseo accounted for about 90% of HIPS shipments and 61% of GPPS deliveries. Iranian GPPS of Petropaak and Artan Petro accounted for about 18% of the total imports. Imports of Iranian material fell by 3 times in September, there were no shipments in October and November at all.
MRC