PETpla.net Insider 05 / 2013

MATERIAL / RECYCLING 14 PET planet insider Vol. 14 No. 05/13 www.petpla.net Statistics reveal that the PET preform market is approaching saturation point. However, produc- ers are unanimously agreed that the Russian market is growing. Alexan- der Igoshin , Marketing Specialist of Europlast Holding considers that the growth in Moscow and Saint- Petersburg is about 4-5%, but that it is impossible to monitor market figures in the regions for a number of reasons. Vera Zaryanova , Market- ing Director of the Retal Company, by contrast, has seen growth in the regions for several years now. In 2012 Retal noted growth in milk and mineral drinking water consumption. The share of the beer segment was 25-30%, so the controversial ban on PET-packing in this sector would lead to a strong oversupply which the PET-market will have to overcome in about ten years, assuming the aver- age annual growth rate estimated by Retal at 3-4%. According to Olga Rykova , Commercial Director of the Alpla Company, the two largest suppli- ers in the PET preform market - Retal and Europlast - have a market share of about 50%. Alpla supplies relatively small volumes of PET-preforms, and expects some growth in 2013. Andrey Erin , Corporate Affairs Director at Sun InBev commented on the situation concerning the possible ban on PET packaging for alcoholic beverages. The share of PET packag- ing that is consumed at breweries is about 30% of the entire PET packag- ing market. In Russia 50% of beer is sold in PET bottles, in Belarus – about 80%. In Kazakhstan, where plastics packaging for alcohol beverages is already banned, a novel solution has been found. Beer and bottles are sold in different corners of the shop. Thus, in Kazakhstan the share of beer in PET packaging is no less than 25%. The vested interests of glass and metal bottle and can producers, as well as vodka producers are possibly behind the regular attacks on PET packaging. Reports of alleged dibutyl phthalate content in PET-packed beer are not supported in the scientific data. Besides, Andrey Erin consid- ers that the results of laboratory tests were obtained in violation of the regu- lations governing the use of PET in packaging. And even in this case, the concentration of dibutyl phthalate was ten times lower than the rate permit- ted by Rospotrebnadzor (the Federal Consumer Rights Protection Body in Russia). In response, Khalidya Kha- midulina , the Expert of Rospotreb- nadzor, who had been appointed to respond to this appeal, spoke in detail about the dangers of dibutyl phthalate and promised to follow up the matter thoroughly, taking into consideration the data revealed at the Conference. Danil Polyakov , Head of Sales in Russia & CIS at Buhler AG, spoke about the strategy of PET producers and the development of technologies in Russia and the CIS. As part of the process of equipment production, the following factors are considered: minimising raw materials consump- tion, reducing capital expenditure and operating costs. SSP technology: detailed features of this technology were presented by the speaker. Many experts at the conference noted the lopsided development of the PET industry in Russia and called for diversification. Emil Aizenstein , Head of the Polymer and Textile Department at Koltech International, underlined that 70% of PET globally is processed into fibre and yarns. In 2011 the world market for textile fibres of all types increased by 6% and reached 84.2 million tons in which the share of poly- ester was 38.7 million tons. Leading positions are held by China (68%) and India (8%). In 2011 the volume of Rus- sian polyester fibres market grew by 18.4% and amounted to 2.114 million tons; of which artificial wool amounted to 1,675 million tons, technical yarns 1,23 million tons, textile yarns was 3,16 million tons. The launch of new production capacities in Russia is not expected before 2016. Sergey Nikolaev , Deputy Gen- eral Director and Project Manager of Ivregionsintez Cluster Textile Corpora- tion, said that the Federal Program for Industrial Development and Raising Competiveness was complemented by a draft Project of PET-fibre produc- tion plant in the Ivanovo Region in December 2012. Another large-scale project is the launch of the Special Economic Zone «Agro-industrial Park PLANA». According to Sergey Ashinov , Gen- eral Director of Etana Clean Polymers Factory, the goal of establishing the agro-industrial park is the develop- ment of agriculture and the creation of a raw materials base and textile indus- try production in Kabardino-Balkar Republic with a capacity estimated at 580,000t. The structure of the Special Economic Zone will include a textile cluster, clusters of plastic packing (including recycling), food processing, power generation, and also infra- structure projects. In particular, the technologies of producing regener- ated polyester fibres from recycled PET raw material will be implemented within the Plana project. All interested manufacturers of packaging and agri- cultural production are welcome to the new industrial park. The PET plant with Renaissance Heavy Industries as contractor is already under construc- tion. The production capacity will be at 486,000t/a; 30% of production will be fibre grades. The Uhde Inventa- Fischer AG company is the General EPC contractor for plant construction and the supplier of the «liquid» phase of the technological process, while the Buhler company is the supplier of the «solid» phase. The main idea of ChemTerra industrial park, also under construc- tion in the Republic of Bashkorto- stan, is to create new segments in PET applications. The Develop- ment Corporation of the Republic of Bashkortostan is engaged in the organisation and management of this industrial park. The park is planned to be launched by the end of 2013. Svetlana Kochkayeva , Deputy Gen- eral Director for Development and Administrative Support to Business at Sibur-PET, spoke about residents and infrastructure in detail. Fares Kilzie , Head of Creon Group considers that the slow pace of the major Russian oil companies in taking investment decisions on PET opens up a gap in the market for independent players, who can act as accelerators. «This is a complicated task, but it paves the way for creating workplaces in those regions where they are desperately needed. Etana is one of such projects», - summarised Mr Kilzie. www.creonenergy.ru