Jilin Petrochemical's 400,000 Tons Per Year HDPE Unit Starts Up! A Review of 30 New Production Capacity Projects

Recently, the key units of the Jilin Petrochemical transformation and upgrading projectThe 400,000 tons/year high-density polyethylene (HDPE) unit has officially begun feeding and startup, successfully producing qualified products in a single attempt. This marks the full integration of the process flow for the unit and the achievement of a major milestone in the project’s construction.

In 2025, China will see the commissioning of eight new polyethylene production enterprises, with a total added production capacity of 6.58 million tons. Aside from the breakthrough progress of Jilin’s 400,000 tons/year high-density polyethylene (HDPE) unit, what are the developments of the other projects? Below, Special Plastic Vision will give you a comprehensive overview.

HDPE Project Progress Overview

Jilin Petrochemical's 400,000 tons/year HDPE unit has officially started feeding and commissioning.

At 8:00 on July 28, the first reactor of the 400,000 tons/year high-density polyethylene unit in the ethylene plant transformation and upgrade project was charged with catalyst. At 10:28, ethylene was introduced into the first reactor to start up the unit. At 18:40 on the 29th, the entire process was successfully connected, and the extrusion pelletizing unit produced polyethylene pellets, achieving a successful first startup. This marks the official commencement of production and operation of the unit.

It is reported thatThe 400,000 tons/year high-density polyethylene plant adopts advanced low-pressure slurry process technology introduced from LyondellBasell in Germany. It can produce 29 types of high-performance grades including injection molding, blow molding, and pipe materials, characterized by high strength, high rigidity, and excellent weather resistance. These products are widely used in high-end pipes, films, cable sheaths, and other fields.

The 200,000-ton/year HDPE project of Huajin Aramco Petrochemical has achieved mechanical completion.

On July 29, the 200,000-ton-per-year high-density polyethylene (HDPE) unit and the 300,000-ton-per-year propylene oxide (HPPO) unit of Huajin Amec Petrochemical, EPC contracted by Shanghai Engineering Company, achieved mechanical completion, marking a significant milestone in the construction of the Northern Huajin Fine Chemicals and Raw Materials Engineering Project.

Guangxi Petrochemical Refining and ChemicalA 300,000 tons/year HDPE unit held a mechanical completion ceremony.

On July 10th, the 300,000-ton/year High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) unit of the Guangxi Petrochemical Refining and Chemical Integration Transformation and Upgrade Project held a handover ceremony, marking the transition of the unit from the construction phase to the commissioning preparation phase. As a key project for the transformation and upgrade of Guangxi Petrochemical's refining and chemical integration, the 300,000-ton/year HDPE unit was constructed under an EPC consortium contract by Global Jilin Company and the company. The high-end polyethylene products produced by this unit can be widely used in fields such as food packaging, medical devices, and automotive components.

4. Shandong New Era Polymer Materials Co., Ltd.450,000 tons/year HDPE

In February 2025, Shandong New Era Polymer Materials Co., Ltd.'s 450,000-ton/year HDPE unit successfully produced qualified products.Shandong New Era Polymer Materials Co., Ltd. was established in In January 2021, located in the Maqiao Chemical Industry Park, the existing projects include a 300,000 tons/year hydrogen peroxide-based propylene oxide unit and a supporting 900,000 tons/year hydrogen peroxide unit. Projects under construction include a 700,000 tons/year high-end polyolefin project, among others.

5. BASF Integrated SiteGuangdong Co., Ltd. 500,000 tons/year HDPE

BASF Zhanjiang Project was established in In July 2018, it was officially announced as an integrated chemical production site and is BASF’s largest investment project to date. Independently constructed and operated by BASF, the total investment amounts to approximately 10 billion euros. The project is located in Zhanjiang, Guangdong. Upon completion, the Zhanjiang integrated site will become BASF’s third-largest production base in the world, after Ludwigshafen in Germany and Antwerp in Belgium. The plant’s products are suitable for various durable applications, including pipes, specialty films, and blow-molded components for household and industrial chemical containers, mainly targeting the South China market. On February 5, 2025, Lin Hanping, President of BASF’s Major Projects in Asia, stated that the core facilities of the BASF Zhanjiang integrated site are progressing steadily and are planned to start production by the end of 2025.

2. HDPE will continue to be the key area of capacity expansion in the next five years.

PolyethylenePolyethylene (PE), one of the world's most widely produced chemical products, is a core component of the petrochemical industry and holds a pivotal position in the national economy. Compared to other PE categories, HDPE offers advantages in product added value and market competitiveness, prompting many petrochemical enterprises to make it the core focus of their capacity expansion plans.

In the next five years, driven by strong market demand and strategic corporate planning,HDPE will undoubtedly become the most concentrated area for capacity expansion in the polyethylene industry, and the rapid growth of its production capacity will profoundly impact the supply-demand pattern and competitive landscape of the entire industry. The following is a detailed review of these upcoming new capacity projects.

Attached:2025 Domestic Polyethylene Production Enterprise Capacity Overview Table

Source: Polyolefin People, China Chemical Information Weekly, SDIC Futures Research Institute

Editor: Yun Shimeng (Carrie)