The imports of titanium dioxide (TiO2) to the European market in April this year more than doubled compared to the same period last year – up to 30,401 thousand tons, ICIS reported with reference to the statistical agency Eurostat.

In April last year, imports of titanium dioxide to Europe amounted to 12,424 tons.

A significant increase in annualized imports is due to the fact that Huntsman extended the closure of TiO2 production at its Pori site in Finland, which led to the fact that some market participants increased the volume of imports of the material.

At the same time, exports of titanium dioxide from Europe in April of this year amounted to 28,454 thousand tons, which is 5.98% lower than the same period a year earlier.

According to DataScope of the company MRC, in April the import of titanium dioxide to Russia grew by 6% in comparison with March and amounted to 3,4 thousand tons against 3,2 thousand tons a month earlier. In total, in the first four months of the year, TiO2 imports to Russia decreased by 12% to 12.3 thousand tonnes, compared to 13.9 thousand tonnes in the same period last year