SIBUR replaces 90% of European chemicals with supplies from friendly countries, rest to take 2-3 years

TYUMEN. Sept 21 (Interfax) - Russian petrochemical group SIBUR has replaced most of the chemical products it previously imported from Europe.

"We faced the problem of 'self-imposed' sanctions in our operations. Sanctions did not touch SIBUR itself, but about 700 European organizations refused to work with us in the form of 'self-imposed' sanctions. These are small amounts - specialized chemicals, but also key catalysts, suppliers of technology licenses, spare parts," company CEO Mikhail Karisalov said at the Tyumen Industrial and Energy Forum.

"The situation was difficult - we spent March, April, May replacing about 500 types of European products. Everyone's heard of thermoplastic elastomers, roofing materials, butyl, lithium, which is produced in two countries of old Europe. We thought, we have two keys - Germany and the United Kingdom. It turned out they can stop supplies just like that. Production of hexene, which exists in three countries of old Europe, was also stopped," Karisalov said.

"But that's in the past. We managed to replace 90% of this chemical feedstock. Mostly this is friendly countries. For now, the field of specialized chemistry, master batches, catalysts is not developed in Russia, we need two to three years," he said.