Last year, imports of low-pressure polyethylene (HDPE) to Russia grew by 44% and reached the level of 363.1 thousand tons. The largest increase in external supplies came in pipe and film polyethylene. In December, imports of polyethylene grew and reached a maximum for the entire last year – about 37.9 thousand tons against 30.2 thousand tons a month earlier. In general, for the whole of 2019, the total volume of imports of low-pressure polyethylene amounted to 363.1 thousand tons against 251.5 thousand tons a year earlier. Thus, the indicators of external deliveries of HDPE have reached a record level since 2013, a higher import indicator was only in 2012 – 410.2 thousand tons. The largest increase in external supplies came in pipe and film polyethylene.

Import deliveries of polyethylene by species for the period under review are as follows.

In December, the import of HDPE film exceeded 14 thousand tons against 12.7 thousand tons a month earlier, deliveries from Uzbekistan and Ukraine increased significantly. In general, for the entire last year, the total external supply of this type of polyethylene amounted to 131.9 thousand tons, which is 65% more than a year earlier.

Last month, imports of low-pressure polyethylene for extrusion blow molding (EBM) fell to 6.6 thousand tons compared to 7.3 thousand tons in November, and supplies of Uzbek polyethylene decreased. Nevertheless, during the period under review, the total volume of imports of blown HDPE to Russia exceeded the level of 68.1 thousand tons, which is 20% more than a year earlier.

In December, the import of HDPE for injection molding reached the level of 4.6 thousand tons against 2.7 thousand tons a month earlier. In 2019, the total volume of imports of this polyethylene exceeded 60.3 thousand tons, which is 4% more than a year earlier.

Last month, external deliveries of pipe HDPE amounted to 8 thousand tons compared to 4.8 thousand tons in November, local companies increased their purchases of natural polyethylene in Turkmenistan. In general, during the period under review, the total external supply of this PE reached 58.7 thousand tons against 27.5 thousand tons a year earlier.

The total volume of imports of other types of IPA amounted to 44.1 thousand tons against 29.3 thousand tons a year earlier.