Türkiye’s 2023 imports set a new record at 6.3 million tons; PE, PVC and ABS shine out

Türkiye’s total polymer imports hit a new all-time high in 2023 as the overall volume neared 6.3 million tons despite economic obstacles. The quantity pointed to a 5% increase from 2022 although imports recorded steady drops in the last quarter of last year. LLDPE, HDPE, PVC and ABS imports shone out as they set new records while PP and LDPE posted more modest growth.

The top 5 polymer exporters to Türkiye in 2023 were Saudi Arabia (1,508,115 tons), South Korea (667,176 tons), the USA (607,492 tons), Russia (604,885 tons) and Egypt (356,715 tons).

PP: Imports up on year but fail to catch 2021 record

The cumulative PP imports neared 2.5 million tons last year, indicating a 4% increase from 2022, On the other hand, the quantity was slightly below the all-time high level recorded in 2021 as financial obstacles and muted end markets across the board kept gains in check. Saudi Arabia had the lion’s share for another year, both for homo and copo grades.

HOMO-PP

Homo-PP imports were up by 4% from the previous year and stood at around 2 million tons. Saudi Arabia remained Türkiye’s top supplier with 803.673 tons, followed by Russia (344,120 tons), South Korea (221,270 tons), Egypt (172,359 tons) and Oman (57,145 tons).

PP COPOLYMER

For PP copolymer, Türkiye’s 2023 imports totaled around 455,000 tons. The volume gained 5% from 2022 while it also pointed to the highest level since 2012. Saudi Arabia was Türkiye’s top supplier with 145,077 tons, followed by South Korea (72,919 tons) and Belgium (47,849 tons).

PE: Overall imports hit a record at 2.3 million tons

The cumulative PE imports increased by 10% in 2023 from the prior year and stood at approximately 2.3 million tons. This volume pointed to an all-time high, the data suggested. In the meantime, Iran managed to keep its position among the largest PE suppliers despite players’ complaints about unworkable prices from this nearby source in most of 2023.

LDPE

Last year, imports of LDPE edged up by 3.5% to 355,000 tons compared to 2022 and indicated the highest quantity since 2021. Saudi Arabia was the top exporter to Türkiye with 55,498 tons, followed by Iran (34,205 tons) and the USA (30,550 tons).

LLDPE

Imports for LLDPE stood at approximately 740,000 tons in 2023, up by 6% on the year. Moreover, imports reached their highest level since 2002. Saudi Arabia was Türkiye’s top supplier with 226,931 tons. It was followed by the USA (224,882 tons) and Iran (53,578 tons).

HDPE

Imports for HDPE in 2023 hit a record-high of 1.2 million tons as volumes soared by 17% year-on-year. Saudi Arabia was the number one supplier with 243,322 tons, followed by Iran (158,832 tons) and South Korea (117,841 tons).

PVC: Imports smash records, defying lethargic derivative markets

Türkiye’s 2023 PVC imports rose by 11% from the prior year, while the cumulative volume broke a new record at 936,350 tons. The previous all-time high was recorded back in 2013, when the country procured 928,250 tons of import PVC. The USA, Egypt and France were the top 3 suppliers with 191,782 tons, 129,963 tons and 102,224 tons, respectively.

Although consumption in downstream segments lagged previous expectations driven by devastating quakes in early 2023 and financial challenges took their toll on the market, PVC imports continued to grow for the fifth year in a row. The increase may be partially attributed to limited domestic supply in Türkiye.

Styrenics: All products achieve yearly gains; EPS comes to the fore

PS

Türkiye imported about 153,000 tons of PS in total last year, up by almost 22% on a yearly basis. South Korea was the top supplier with 34,185 tons, followed by Belgium (30,813 tons) and Taiwan (18,914 tons).

ABS

ABS imports surged by 24% to 165,000 tons on the year while indicating the highest level in more than two decades. South Korea was the top supplier of Türkiye with 95,933 tons, followed by Taiwan (20,730 tons) and Saudi Arabia (15,747 tons).

EPS

In 2023, Türkiye’s EPS imports spiked by 68% from the previous year to 37,000 tons, following a losing streak that had been in place since 2016. Iran was the largest supplier, with 7,698 tons. It was followed by Austria (7,321 tons) and Russia (6,603 tons).

PET: Imports shrink from a record high amid plentiful domestic supply

The overall PET imports plunged by 54% last year to 143,000 tons, the lowest volume since 2015, as per ChemOrbis Statz Wizard data. The notable fall followed an all-time high figure of 310,000 tons in 2022. The market was well fed by local capacities, while macroeconomic woes curtailed resin consumption.

PET Bottle

Imports of PET bottle slumped by 64% on the year to 59,000 tons. China was the top supplier with 34,778 tons, followed by Malaysia (8,903 tons) and India (3,389 tons).

PET Textile

PET textile imports in 2023 sank by 42% year-over-year to about 84,000 tons. China was the top supplier with 44,843 tons, followed by Malaysia (16,990 tons) and Indonesia (5,916 tons).