While global markets are adjusting to new realities, Russia's chemical industry is quietly posting robust growth, with its massive fertilizer and polymer sectors fueling a trade surplus worth billions.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Russia's chemical industry produced 12.3 million tons of polyethylene, up 5.8% from 2021, driven by SIBUR's expanded capacities.
- Ammonia production in Russia totaled 18.7 million metric tons in 2023, accounting for 12% of global output.
- Urea production reached 7.2 million tons in 2022, with EuroChem contributing 2.1 million tons.
- SIBUR reported 2022 revenue of 1.28 trillion RUB from chemical sales.
- PhosAgro's 2023 revenue reached 461 billion RUB, 85% from fertilizers.
- EuroChem Group achieved 2022 sales of 1.05 trillion RUB.
- Russia exported chemicals worth 28.4 billion USD in 2022.
- Fertilizer exports from Russia totaled 42 million tons in 2023, valued at 18.5 billion USD.
- Polymers exports reached 4.2 million tons in 2022, to China and Turkey.
- Chemical industry employed 450,000 workers in 2022.
- SIBUR's workforce totaled 27,000 employees in 2023.
- PhosAgro employed 20,500 people across 15 plants in 2022.
- Investments in chemical industry reached 1.2 trillion RUB in 2022.
- SIBUR invested 250 billion RUB in new capacities in 2023.
- PhosAgro R&D spending was 15 billion RUB in 2022.
Russia's chemical industry saw significant production and revenue growth in 2022 and 2023.
Employment and Capacity
- Chemical industry employed 450,000 workers in 2022.
- SIBUR's workforce totaled 27,000 employees in 2023.
- PhosAgro employed 20,500 people across 15 plants in 2022.
- EuroChem had 23,000 staff in chemical operations in 2023.
- Uralkali's potash plants employed 12,000 in 2022.
- Chemical production capacity utilization was 82% in 2023.
- Fertilizer sector employed 150,000 workers in 2022.
- Petrochemical plants capacity reached 45 million tons/year in 2023.
- Average salary in chemical industry was 95,000 RUB/month in 2022.
- Nizhnekamskneftekhim employed 8,200 in 2023.
- Labor productivity in chemicals grew 6.2% to 15 million RUB/worker in 2022.
- Chemical engineering workforce was 35,000 in 2023.
- Fertilizer production capacity totaled 55 million tons/year in 2022.
- Polymers sector employed 120,000 across 50 facilities in 2023.
- Safety incidents in chemical plants dropped to 1.2 per 1000 workers in 2022.
- Training programs covered 85% of chemical workforce in 2023.
- Ammonia plants capacity was 25 million tons/year in 2022.
- Rubber industry employed 95,000 in 2023.
- Paints sector workforce totaled 45,000 painters and chemists in 2022.
- Overall installed capacity for basic chemicals was 120 million tons in 2023.
- Detergents production employed 28,000 in 2022.
- Female employment in chemicals was 42% or 189,000 in 2023.
- Shift workers in chemical plants numbered 320,000 in 2022.
Employment and Capacity Interpretation
The statistics paint a picture of a massive, humming Russian chemical sector where over 450,000 workers—from potash miners to polymer engineers—keep the gears of industry turning at over 80% capacity, proving that while the formulas may be complex, the foundation is fundamentally human.
Exports and Imports
- Russia exported chemicals worth 28.4 billion USD in 2022.
- Fertilizer exports from Russia totaled 42 million tons in 2023, valued at 18.5 billion USD.
- Polymers exports reached 4.2 million tons in 2022, to China and Turkey.
- Ammonia exports were 6.8 million tons in 2023.
- Potash exports hit 6.9 million tons in 2022 by Uralkali to Brazil.
- Phosphate fertilizers exports totaled 9.1 million tons in 2023.
- Urea exports from Russia were 5.4 million tons in 2022.
- Chemical imports into Russia amounted to 22 billion USD in 2023.
- Synthetic rubber exports reached 850,000 tons in 2022.
- Methanol exports totaled 1.2 million tons in 2023 to Europe.
- PVC exports were 650,000 tons in 2022.
- Tires exports hit 12 million units in 2023.
- Paints and varnishes exports reached 250,000 tons in 2022.
- Russia imported 1.1 million tons of polyethylene in 2023.
- Propylene imports totaled 450,000 tons in 2022 from Middle East.
- Specialty chemicals imports were 8.5 billion USD in 2023.
- Fertilizer imports dropped to 1.2 million tons in 2022.
- Organic chemicals exports value was 10.2 billion USD in 2023.
- Inorganic chemicals imports reached 4.8 billion USD in 2022.
- Russia’s chemical trade surplus was 6.4 billion USD in 2023.
- Ammonia import substitution covered 92% of demand in 2022.
- Polymers import volume fell 25% to 2.1 million tons in 2023.
- Fertilizer exports to India were 4.5 million tons in 2022.
Exports and Imports Interpretation
Russia’s chemical industry appears to be a geopolitical Jekyll and Hyde: a massive, fertilizer-fueled export machine bankrolling the state, while simultaneously running a desperate, multi-billion dollar IV drip of imported specialty chemicals to keep its own industrial patient alive.
Investments and Sustainability
- Investments in chemical industry reached 1.2 trillion RUB in 2022.
- SIBUR invested 250 billion RUB in new capacities in 2023.
- PhosAgro R&D spending was 15 billion RUB in 2022.
- EuroChem allocated 180 billion RUB for expansion in 2023.
- Uralkali invested 85 billion RUB in modernization in 2022.
- State funding for chemical projects was 300 billion RUB in 2023.
- R&D centers in chemicals numbered 45 with 12,000 researchers in 2022.
- Green chemistry investments hit 120 billion RUB in 2023.
- Fertilizer efficiency projects funded at 250 billion RUB in 2022.
- Polymers innovation budget was 90 billion RUB in 2023.
- CO2 emissions from chemical plants reduced by 15% to 45 million tons in 2022.
- Water recycling rate in industry reached 78% in 2023.
- New plant constructions totaled 12 projects worth 500 billion RUB in 2022.
- Digitalization investments were 80 billion RUB in 2023.
- Renewable energy in chemical sites covered 12% capacity in 2022.
- Patent filings in chemical tech rose 22% to 1,850 in 2023.
- Waste recycling in chemicals hit 65% or 18 million tons in 2022.
- Energy efficiency projects saved 2.5 million tons of fuel in 2023.
- Biotech investments in chemicals totaled 35 billion RUB in 2022.
- Sustainability reporting adopted by 92% of major firms in 2023.
- Hydrogen production projects funded at 150 billion RUB in 2022.
- Carbon capture pilots installed at 8 plants in 2023.
Investments and Sustainability Interpretation
While Russia’s chemical sector appears to be dressing its formidable industrial ambitions in a green lab coat, the billion-ruble investments in capacity, modernization, and state-backed expansion suggest its primary goal is to build an economic fortress, with sustainability serving as both a practical upgrade and a fashionable new flag.
Production and Output
- In 2022, Russia's chemical industry produced 12.3 million tons of polyethylene, up 5.8% from 2021, driven by SIBUR's expanded capacities.
- Ammonia production in Russia totaled 18.7 million metric tons in 2023, accounting for 12% of global output.
- Urea production reached 7.2 million tons in 2022, with EuroChem contributing 2.1 million tons.
- Polypropylene output in Russia was 1.95 million tons in 2023, a 7% year-on-year growth.
- Phosphate fertilizers production hit 11.4 million tons in 2022, led by PhosAgro's 6.8 million tons.
- Methanol production volume was 2.8 million tons in 2023 across 15 plants.
- Polystyrene production in Russia amounted to 650,000 tons in 2022.
- Sulfuric acid output reached 12.1 million tons in 2023, primarily for fertilizer use.
- PVC production totaled 1.2 million tons in 2022, with Sayanskchem leading at 450,000 tons.
- Nitrogen fertilizers production was 9.8 million tons in 2023.
- Synthetic rubber output in Russia hit 1.05 million tons in 2022.
- Potash fertilizers production reached 7.6 million tons in 2023 by Uralkali.
- Ethylene production volume was 2.9 million tons in 2022.
- Caustic soda production totaled 1.4 million tons in 2023.
- Tires production in chemical sector was 65 million units in 2022.
- Paints and coatings output reached 1.8 million tons in 2023.
- Detergents production volume was 2.1 million tons in 2022.
- Petrochemicals overall production grew to 28.5 million tons in 2023.
- Formaldehyde production hit 850,000 tons in 2022.
- Glycols output was 450,000 tons in 2023 from SIBUR plants.
- Complex fertilizers production totaled 5.2 million tons in 2022.
- Phenol production reached 320,000 tons in 2023.
- Soda ash production was 1.1 million tons in 2022.
- ABS plastics output hit 280,000 tons in 2023.
- Hydrogen peroxide production volume was 210,000 tons in 2022.
- Epoxy resins production reached 45,000 tons in 2023.
- Carbon black output totaled 550,000 tons in 2022.
- Adipic acid production was 120,000 tons in 2023.
- Maleic anhydride output hit 65,000 tons in 2022.
- Organic solvents production volume was 1.5 million tons in 2023.
Production and Output Interpretation
While often playing the international pariah, Russia keeps its domestic and strategic cupboards surprisingly well-stocked, churning out millions of tons of everything from polyethylene to fertilizer to ensure its own industrial and agricultural resilience.
Revenue and Sales
- SIBUR reported 2022 revenue of 1.28 trillion RUB from chemical sales.
- PhosAgro's 2023 revenue reached 461 billion RUB, 85% from fertilizers.
- EuroChem Group achieved 2022 sales of 1.05 trillion RUB.
- Uralkali's revenue in 2023 was 277 billion RUB from potash.
- Acron Group's 2022 revenue totaled 142 billion RUB.
- TATNEFT's petrochemical division revenue hit 250 billion RUB in 2023.
- Russian chemical industry total revenue was 8.7 trillion RUB in 2022.
- SIBUR's EBITDA in 2023 reached 320 billion RUB.
- PhosAgro net profit in 2022 was 112 billion RUB.
- EuroChem's sales volume revenue grew 15% to 1.2 trillion RUB in 2023.
- Chemical fertilizers segment revenue was 2.1 trillion RUB in 2022.
- Polymers sales revenue for Russia reached 1.8 trillion RUB in 2023.
- Nizhnekamskneftekhim revenue was 189 billion RUB in 2022.
- Kaustik Volgograd sales hit 45 billion RUB in 2023.
- Ufaorgsintez revenue totaled 98 billion RUB in 2022.
- Angarsk Polymer Plant sales revenue was 62 billion RUB in 2023.
- Overall chemical exports revenue was 25 billion USD in 2022.
- Fertilizer sales domestically generated 1.5 trillion RUB in 2023.
- Petrochemical products revenue growth was 12% to 3.2 trillion RUB in 2022.
- Basic chemicals revenue segment was 4.1 trillion RUB in 2023.
- Specialty chemicals sales hit 850 billion RUB in 2022.
- Paints revenue totaled 420 billion RUB in 2023.
- Detergents and cleaners revenue was 650 billion RUB in 2022.
- Rubber products sales revenue reached 1.2 trillion RUB in 2023.
Revenue and Sales Interpretation
The Russian chemical industry, a titan propped up by fertilizers and polymers, hums along as a multi-trillion-ruble machine where the real profit is in feeding fields and fashioning plastics, proving that while geopolitics may be volatile, the world's demand for potash and polypropylene is a remarkably stable cash crop.
Sources & References
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