LAUSR

The domestic chemical fibre industry lags, as before, behind the pre-restructuring period in production and consumption volumes by almost five times. This is still very far from the optimistic predictions often heard at forums, conferences, and meetings, which are held nowadays much more than paying attention to effective growth of this important sub-branch. Going by Table 1 compiled by OAO NIITEKhim (OJSC Scientific Research Institute of Technical and Economic Research under the Ministry of Chemical Industry of Russia) using regional and customs statistical data, 2015 as a whole differs little from 2014 [1]: chemical fibre demand, consumption, and import dropped a little, production rose by 2.8% (mainly on account of synthetic fibres, but the share of artificial fibres dropped steeply), and capacity utilization increased almost as much (2.7%), but, lamentably, production/import ratio remained the same (40:60). Textile industry and products therefrom and then, with a large gap, tire and rubber goods industry and tobacco products accounted for the predominant part of chemical fibres consumption in Russia in 2015 (Fig. 1). Because of a significant drop in production of artificial fibres, mainly acetate cigarette tow, its import as well as import of viscose staple fibre, which, on the whole, constitutes 75% of the consumption in the country, rose steeply. While acetate cigarette tow production drop at OOO Sertov (Sertov Ltd.) in Serpukhov led to a 22% increase in import of this product, hydrated cellulose fibres and yarns are completely bought up abroad, owing to which their internal consumption is rising. Implementation of the program for creating hydrated cellulose technical yarns and lyocell-type staple fibres (using direct cellulose dissolution method) production capacity, which has been assigned by the Strategy until 2030 for the NTTs El’brus (Elbrus Scientific and Technical Center) and seems to have lost the competence, therefore evokes natural concern. A relatively cheerful picture about the 2015 results, judging by Table 1, emerged by all indicators for synthetic fibres and yarns: while demand and consumption dropped a little, production and export increased markedly and import dropped, which is encouraging with respect to gradual rejuvenation of the sub-branch. Drop in import deliveries compared to 2014 occurred for all the above-listed types of synthetic staple fibres, primarily polyesters (PE), by 17.8 thous. tons. This is associated largely with increase of their production (by 19.1%). However, the drop in demand and consumption in this case occurred, in our opinion, because the PE production is based essentially on processing of secondary polyethylene terephthalate (PET) granulate obtained, in turn, from plastic bottle wastes (recycling). Such fibres do not meet the global standards for the textile branch, and its future fate will depend largely on expansion of production of nonwovens by carding method or as spunbond from secondary PET. Since interest in nonwovens production remains high, this is reflected in the high production capacity utilization level at enterprises processing PET bottle wastes into staple fibre (in %): 82 in Russia as a whole (Table 1), 115 at AO RB Group Vladimir Polyester, 97 at OOO Selena-Khimvolokno (Karachaevo-Cherkesiya Republic), and 96 at OAO Komiteks (Syktyvkar), and others. On the other hand, the discomforting data on the demand and consumption of PE fibre stem largely from the decrease in import of high-quality products (with price rise due to changed exchange rate) and should not become a source of doubts about the advisability of creating new PE staple fibres production plants within the framework of the Ivanovo cluster, So-PET, Avrora-Pak (Aurora Pack) projects, etc. A similar situation emerged also with polyacrylonitrile (PAN) staple fibre which is currently not produced in Russia at all and its procurement by import fell by more than 30%. Nevertheless, the traditional discussions as to whether large-scale domestic production of this type of fibre is necessary still continue. We believe such discussions are simply out of place in this country where domestic clip of natural wool is falling with each passing year and the only