The present state and future development of the man-made fibre industry of the USSR

Abstract

Growth of the Industry during the Period 1960 1975 The sig:lificance of the man-made fibre in@ustry lies in the fact that it forms a major factor in the fulfilment of the needs of the people for mass-market products and, equally, the needs of industry for technical products. The growth rate of man-made fibre production is rising and its contribution to the industry of the USSR is increasing in scope. The man-made fibre industry now accounts for 15% of the gross product, 14% of the production funds, 18% of the industrial man power and 19% of the profits of the chemical industry as a whole. In 1973 output of man-made fibres stood at 830,0OO tons, i.e. four times higher than in 1960. Durin~ the period 1960 - 1975 the average annual growth rate was 11.4% which includes 25.3~6 for synthetics. Although output of synthetics has iucreased at an accelerating rate over the last few years that of cellulosic fibres is still leading, i.e. 65% of total man made-fibre production in 1973 and probably 59% in 1975. In other industrially developed countries, e.g. the USA, Japan, West Germany, Britain and France, synthetics form the major part of the total fibre output, viz. 60 - 80%. In terms of total man-made fibre production the USSR came in fourth place in 1973 with 830,000 tons after the USA (3.477,000 tons), Japan (1.875,000 tons) and West Germany (995,000 tons) /I-3/. The Soviet Union lags behind the developed capitalist countries also in per capita man-made fibre production. In the USSR per capita man-made fibre production is five times lower and synthtics production 10 - 11 times lower than in West Germany, the USA and Japan. This considerable lag in per capita output is not, however, reflected to a serious extent in the fibre supply for the requirements of the people since the USSR is one of the largest producers of natural textile materials. Per capita output of natural fibres in the USSR in 1972 was 12.5 kg which is considerably higher than in the industrially developed countries of Europe and Asia. The lag ~n the growth of the man-made fibre industry of the USSR can be attributed