Russia's overall production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) exceeded 720,500 tonnes in the first nine months of 2019, up by 3% year on year. At the same time, not all Russian producers raised their output, according to MRC"s ScanPlast report.

September total production of unmixed PVC was about 89,400 tonnes versus 77,400 tonnes a month earlier, SayanskKhimPlast and Bashkir Soda Company increased their capacity utilisation last month. Thus, overall PVC production exceeded 720,000 tonnes in January-September 2019, compared to 669,900 tonnes a year earlier. The increase in RusVinyl and SayanskKhimPlast"s output did not allow to offset Kaustik"s (Volgograd) lower production.

The structure of PVC production by plants looked the following way over the stated period.

RusVinyl produced 30,700 tonnes of PVC in September, with emulsion polyvinyl chloride (EPVC) accounting for 2,700 tonnes, compared to 30,100 tonnes a month earlier. RusVinyl"s overall PVC production reached 257,100 tonnes in January-September 2019, up by 6% year on year. Such a major increase in production was primarily caused by the absence of a long shutdown for maintenance this year.

SayanskKhimPlast produced 28,200 tonnes of suspension PVC (SPVC) last month, whereas this figure was 18,700 tonnes in August. The Sayansk plant managed to produce 213,200 tonnes of resin in January-September 2019, compared to 197,200 tonnes a year earlier.

Baskhir Soda Company produced 23,200 tonnes of SPVC in September versus 21,100 tonnes a month earlier. Baskhir Soda Company"s overall SPVC production reached 192,400 tonnes in January-September 2019, compared to 190,000 tonnes a year earlier.

Kaustik (Volgograd) produced 7,300 tonnes of SPVC last month, whereas this figure was 7,500 tonnes in August. The plant"s overall output of resin reached 57,900 tonnes in the first nine months of 2019 versus 69,500 tonnes a year earlier. The Volgograd"s lower production was caused by a shutdown for maintenance in May-June.

Source: MRC