Polyester Fibres in 2012

In 2012, the global polyester (PE) complex yarn and staple fibre production was 43.3 million tons, i.e., 7% higher than in the preceding year, with increased volumes of all major types of products. The increment was the highest in China, USA, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. The production continues to fall perceptibly in Western Europe, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and elsewhere. New parent feedstock capacities for PE fibre production are emerging essentially in the Asian region, mainly in China. PE fibre production and consumption in Russia remains extremely low, falling much below the global level on all counts. In spite of staple fibre output growth by 18%, the volumes and quality of this fibre are far from the optimal, and production of textile fibres is very low and of technical fibres is altogether absent. Because of this, import makes a weighty contribution (73%) to the consumption of all types of PE fibres. The outlook for their production growth in the country, judging by the strategy developed for the period until 2030, is so far bleak.