Baku, Azerbaijan, June 28
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iran’s overall polymer output amounted to 6.719 million tons during the last fiscal year (ended March 20, 2018), 9 percent more year-on-year, the country’s industry ministry said.
Iranian petrochemical plants produced 577,000 tons of various polymers in the latest month of the last fiscal month, 4.6 percent less on monthly basis, according to the latest report of the ministry of industry.
The Islamic Republic’s annual polymer production capacity currently stands at 7.4 million tons.
Iranian polymer output is expected to reach 12 million tons by 2022, based on the country’s 6th five-year development plan.
Polyethylene ranked first among the Iran’s polymer products in the last fiscal year. The country produced 4.27 million tons of polyethylene in the 12-month period (March 20, 2017-2018), 7.4 percent more year-on-year.
Polyethylene is the most common plastic, which primarily is used is in packaging (plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes, containers including bottles, etc.).
Iranian petrochemical companies also produced 886,300 tons of polypropylene during the same span of time, 2.1 percent more year-on-year.
Polypropylene is the world's second-most widely produced synthetic plastic, after polyethylene. It is a thermoplastic polymer used in packaging and labeling, textiles, carpets, stationery, plastic parts and reusable containers of various types, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive components, and polymer banknotes.
Iran also produced about 574,400 tons of Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) during the 12-month period, which was 14.1 percent more year-on-year.
About 509,300 tons of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was also produced in the country in the last fiscal year, 14.4 percent more in comparison with the preceding year.
Iranian plants also produced 312,800 tons of polystyrene as well in the 12-month period (38.6 percent more), one of the most widely used plastics. Polystyrene is used for producing disposable plastic cutlery and dinnerware, CD "jewel" cases, license plate frames, plastic model assembly kits, and many other objects where a rigid, economical plastic is needed.
Polycarbonate (PC) output registered the highest growth among Iran’s polymer products. The country produced 16,000 tons of PC in the period, 73.9 percent more year-on-year.
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (56,800 tons, 7.4 percent increase), styrene-butadiene rubber (53,000 tons, 2.7 percent increase) and polybutadiene rubber (38,500 tons, 10.3 percent increase) were among Iran’s polymer products in the 12-month period as well.
The nominal output capacity of the country’s 57 petrochemical complexes stands at 62 million tons per year.
Iran hopes to bring the nominal petrochemical production capacity to 120 million tons by 2020 and 160 million tons by 2025.
