Remove the foam

SIBUR is preparing to take half of the expanded polystyrene market

Petrochemical holding SIBUR is taking its business to a new level. The company should soon become the largest participant in the domestic polystyrene foam market. Last week it was announced that its Perm "plastic subsidiary" - SIBUR-Khimprom - had completed the installation of the main equipment to expand the capacity of ethylenebenzene and styrene, as well as the creation of production of expanded polystyrene (EPS) or, as it is called, expanded polystyrene. “If previously we exported styrene, then with the commissioning of new installations, the domestic market will receive about 50 thousand tons per year of expandable polystyrene using the Austrian Sunpor technology,” vice-president of the holding Sergei Merzlyakov told Vremya Novostei yesterday.

The expanded polystyrene market in our country is poorly developed; Russia is a net importer - about 70% of raw materials are imported from China, Korea and other countries. At the same time, most of the products sold in Russia are, to put it mildly, of low quality and do not meet fire safety standards, density and other characteristics. In our country, only Salavatnefteorgsintez, Plastik and the Angarsk Polymer Plant are engaged in the production of expanded polystyrene. And products from it are imported directly from abroad (BASF) or are produced in Russia by many processors, the largest of which are the German Knauf, Mosstroyplastmass and Mosstroy-31. The domestic market for EPS consumption is estimated at approximately 100 thousand tons per year.

Meanwhile, the demand for PSV has been growing steadily in recent years. First of all, in Western European countries, where a total policy of reducing energy consumption is being pursued. For example, in Austria the volume of annual consumption of EPS per capita exceeds 5 kg, in Russia - no more than 0.1 kg. One of the most popular PSV products is heat-saving panels, which are used in the construction of residential buildings, thanks to which you can save up to 60% of energy costs. Therefore, Western companies have been most successful in the production technology of expanded polystyrene and products made from it. For example, the Austro-Norwegian Sunpor, like other leading Western companies, produces EPS with fire-retardant additives. As you know, it was flaming plastic panels installed in violation of construction and fire safety regulations that caused a large number of victims in the Perm club “Lame Horse”. Modern technologies make it possible to minimize this risk. However, even the best materials cannot prevent human negligence of builders and regulatory authorities. According to Mr. Merzlyakov, with the correct use of insulation in building structures, when the external impact of fire is limited by the presence of a thick layer of plaster, polystyrene foam materials do not pose any danger.

SIBUR is building an EPS production plant in Perm under a Sunpor license. The parties did not disclose the cost of the transaction. According to Mr. Merzlyakov, the total investment in the company’s Perm project amounts to 8-10 billion rubles. “SIBUR strives to ensure that energy-efficient materials contribute to the development of petrochemicals and construction, reducing heating costs for residential and administrative premises,” he said.

Kirill MELNIKOV