All for recycling in Russia

Interplastica traditionally brings together professionals fr om across the polymer industry, having become a platform for discussing the previous season’s results and plans for the coming year.

“An industry exhibition is always a great opportunity to meet with a large number of clients and potential partners in a span of a few days, talk about takeaways of the year, and outline plans for the future. It is essential to have contact with the business community, keep an eye on key trends, and develop own understanding of the situation,” said Marat Avetisov, SIBUR’s Sales Director for Plastics, Elastomers and Organic Synthesis. “This year's event clearly sees more stands focus on plastics recycling. Another trend is the surplus of products that puts severe pressure on manufacturers in all petrochemical sectors.”

SIBUR's stand has traditionally attracted many market players.

“Interplastica is a forum that attracts all major market players. It presents a great chance to showcase your plans,” said Sergey Vishnevsky, SIBUR’s Head of Sales for SBS Polymers. “At the trade fair, communication is fast-paced – here you can have a full picture of the market and make best decisions much faster than fr om the office.”

The participants admit that this year it is extremely difficult to make any long-term industry projections as the market environment is changing rapidly. Like the global economy, the plastics and rubber industry is in turbulence, and businesses have to adapt to emerging conditions and make decisions as quickly as possible.

At an exhibition TD Plastic presented ABS plastics, a range of expandable polystyrenes EPS-S. Photo courtesy of interplastica.ru.

According to Alexander Kovalenko, Head of Aleko Group’s additives business, this year the trade fair saw an oversupply as compared to demand.

“In our view, Interplastica 2020 was marked by very strong activity of polymer feedstock suppliers, I would even say there was excessive supply over demand. At the same time, we see that the number of processors decreased fr om previous years. The main trend in this segment is strengthening competition fr om Central Asian players. Producers from the region are taking great advantage of the lower cost of feedstock in local markets compared to Russian suppliers,” said Alexander Kovalenko.

Recycling Solutions

Polymer recycling and reuse remain the key trends.

A standalone section with a special exposition and programme was dedicated to the new project of the trade fair – Recycling Solutions. As Russia is planning a comprehensive upgrade of its waste collection and recycling infrastructure, new recycling technologies and equipment are more in demand than ever in the local market. As part of the project, 80 participants presented their most advanced recycling and waste management solutions. The organisers aimed to create a platform for the exchange of expertise between manufacturers, regional operators, processors, and industry regulators. In addition to recycling, the key themes included new materials and their applications, as well as the concept of resource conservation and business sustainability.

Separate waste collection at the Recycling Solutions pavilion. Photo courtesy of interplastica.ru.

The business programme not only reflected new trends in the circular economy, but also sparked a lively discussion among experts. Maxim Remchukov, SIBUR’s Sustainable Development Director, spoked about the transformation of the company’s business model in alignment with the sustainability agenda and the new environmental trends. “I am very pleased that this year events relating to business sustainability and polymer recycling run on such a large scale. In the previous two years, SIBUR used its own resources to organise a platform for speakers from across the entire plastic recycling chain. We invited waste collection and recycling companies, engaged our customers who were willing to use recycled materials in combination with our products, and involved representatives of the regulator and non-profit organisations in the panel discussion. Two years of work led to the establishment of a separate programme and agenda dedicated to recycling. That's quite a result. We believe polymers are best suited to the requirements of the circular economy.”

The establishment of the recyclables online marketplace has become SIBUR’s key contribution to circular economy. Our RE.ACTOR portal directly connects suppliers and consumers, enabling new partnerships and collaborations.

Home page of the RE.ACTOR portal.

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