Present and future polyethylene terephthalate fibres*

In 2011, polyester fibres retained high growth rates: staple fibre 7% and complex yarn 6%; their output was 14.4 and 24 million tons, respectively. The major growth occurred in China 83% for yarn (208a (TM) 10(3) tons) and 82% for staple fibre (789a (TM) 10(3) tons). By the end of 2013, the global growth of PE complex yarn is expected to rise over 2011 by 35.6% and of staple fibre by 16.1%. The dynamics of global demand shows dominance of China whose share in the global textile balance by 2020 will be 66% for yarns and about 47% for staple fibre. Over the same period their demand will fall in Western Europe and rise a little in CIS countries and Russia. Belarus companies, as before, remain flag bearers in polyester production in CIS countries, but their growth is proceeding differently: Mogilevkhimvolokno is gradually reducing fibre output and taking a fancy toward products they are not specialized for (food PET, preforms, etc.) and Svetlogorskkhimvolokno, on the contrary, steeply raised PE textile yarn production capacity (to 38.5a (TM) 10(3) tons/yr). In Russia, PE fibres, mainly staple, continue to be made from wastes of regenerated PET, a substantial quantity of which is procured for import, and endless negotiations are being conducted on large-scale indigenous production.