OREANDA-NEWS. June 11, 2014. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) analyzed the market of soda ash (Na2CO3), widely used by companies in metallurgy, glass, chemical, pulp-and-paper, varnish-and-paint and oil industries.

The market of soda ash in Russia is federal: there are no technical or economic factors that can restrict possibility of acquiring soda within the national boundaries.

Five companies are involved in production of soda ash: “Bashkiria Soda Plant” OJSC, “Bereznikovsky Soda Plant” OJSC (the Perm region); “Achinsk Alumina Refinery Plant” OJSC (the Krasnoyarsk region); “Pikalyovo Soda” CJSC (the Leningrad region) and “Khimprom” Production Association” Ltd. (Kemerovo). Over 50% of the market is controlled by “Bashkirskaya Khimia” OJSC, the group of persons of which comprises “Bashkiria Soda Plant” OJSC and “Bereznikovsky Soda Plant” OJSC.

Recently the share of supplying similar import products to the Russian market has increased, exercising price pressure upon domestic soda producers in Russia. First of all, the market shares of large global players are growing: Solvay of Belgium, American consortium ANSAS and Turkish Ciner Group, particularly, through supplies of natural soda produced from inexpensive natural raw materials to Russia.

As pointed out the Head of FAS Department for Control over Chemical Industry and Agro-Industry Complex, Anna Mirochinenko, entry of new sellers is prevented, on the one hand, by high degree of demand satisfaction, and on the other – considerable capital investments with long pay-off periods, high transportation costs for delivering raw materials and energy-output ratio.

“In view of the market structure, FAS made a decision to put an emphasis of prices and geography of supplies by market participants in order to expose possible violations of the antimonopoly law, including agreements and concerted actions”, commented Anna Mirochinenko.