This week, the chemical and materials sector saw frequent developments. China National Chemical Corporation's contract value reached 53.42 billion yuan in February 2025, with significant results in business expansion. India's Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd plans to invest $1 billion in building a polycarbonate plant in West Bengal, advancing business diversification. Yongcheng New Materials successfully achieved industrial-scale production of 1,000 tons of YC11S (T1100 grade) ultra-high strength carbon fiber, breaking through technological bottlenecks.

In terms of production capacity, multiple companies have situations such as equipment maintenance, project commissioning, and start-ups. After the concentrated shutdown of Zhongjing Petrochemical's facilities, some have restarted, leading to an increase in maintenance losses; Sinochem Dongda's 240,000 tons/year polyether polyol project has seen its first batch of qualified products off the line; Shuangliang's 73,000 tons BOPP electronic materials project has commenced; Arkema's Phase I of the acrylic plant in France has been completed; LyondellBasell and Covestro jointly shut down part of the capacity at their Dutch plant; the second EVA unit of Shenghong Chemical's new materials project will begin trial production by the end of the month; Xinjiang's first basalt fiber production line has started operation; and the comprehensive construction of CNPC Blue Sea's high-end polyolefin new materials project has begun.

In the field of innovative materials, companies such as Toray, Syensqo, IST Japan, and LG Chem have launched new materials. In terms of material applications, Wanhua Chemical's polycarbonate has been certified by Hyundai Kia Automotive Group for use in car light covers; Prince Holdings' polylactic acid film is used in Ito En tea bags; Lotte Chemical supplies recycled plastic materials for the Samsung Galaxy S25. For more industry news, welcome to read this issue of [Weekly New Material Express].

company news

China Chemistry, signed 534billion orders!

On March 20, China National Chemical Engineering announced that the company's contract amount in February 2025 was 53.42 billion yuan (30.94 billion yuan in contracts signed in January). Among these, industrial and new material sales contracts amounted to 1.518 billion yuan. In February alone, there were 8 contracts each exceeding 500 million yuan, involving companies such as Indonesia's Pupuk Kaltim, Wanli Tire, Xiamen Lu Dianhua of Fujian Province, Yunnan Yuntian New Energy, and Fujian Haichen Chemical.

10billion US dollars! Indian petrochemical company plans to invest 10billion dollars to build polycarbonate plant in West Bengal

India's leading petrochemical producer Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) plans to establish a polycarbonate production plant in West Bengal with a capital expenditure of $1 billion (approximately ₹870 billion). The company intends to utilize the idle land at its existing site in Haldia, indicating further diversification into downstream chemical businesses. According to company officials, polycarbonate production is a logical extension and forward integration from HPL’s phenol production, for which it has obtained a license from Lummus Technology.

Yongcheng New Materials achieves T1100mass production of carbon fiber

Recently, Yongcheng New Materials successfully achieved the industrial-scale production of YC11S (T1100 grade) ultra-high strength carbon fiber at a thousand-ton level, with superior performance indicators reaching international advanced levels. This mass production marks that the Yongcheng technical team has achieved technological autonomy, not only breaking through the technical bottleneck of domestically produced ultra-high-performance carbon fiber, but also fully mastering the core preparation technology of T1100 carbon fiber, providing a strong guarantee for the independent research and development and manufacturing of materials for domestically produced large aircraft.

production capacity dynamics

medium-range petrochemical shutdown significantly increases maintenance loss volume

Recently, the number of newly added maintenance outages has increased, with maintenance on facilities such as Lihe Zhixin, Pucheng Clean, Zhongjing Petrochemical, and Hainan Ethylene; among which, the South China region has a concentration of maintenance, with the first and second phases of Zhongjing Petrochemical's 2.2 million-ton facility undergoing concentrated shutdowns, leading to a significant increase in production losses. Zhongjing Petrochemical mainly produces products such as drawing, homopolymer injection molding, and fibers, primarily sold in the Xiamen and Shantou regions, affecting local resources. With the restart of the first line of the first phase and the first line of the second phase of Zhongjing Petrochemical, the impact on overall market prices is limited. It is understood that in the short term, companies such as Shanghai Petrochemical and Beihai Refining have maintenance plans, and it is expected that the loss of PP granule production due to maintenance will continue to increase.

Sinochem Dongda 24ten thousand tons/annual polyether polyol project first batch of qualified products off the production line

On March 18, 2025, the first batch of qualified products from Sinochem Dongda's 240,000 tons/year polyether polyol project rolled off the production line. After strict testing, they met the top-grade standards, satisfying customer requirements and being smoothly shipped out, marking a successful one-time trial run of the project. This project is a key investment by Sinochem's Chlor-Alkali Division in the Quanhui Petrochemical Industrial Park, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, and is an important part of Sinochem's 14th Five-Year strategic plan. Relying on Sinochem Quanzhou Petrochemical's propylene oxide, ethylene oxide, styrene, and other facilities, as well as mature utility engineering support, the project fully leverages the synergistic effects of the industrial chain, further extending the green integrated refining and chemical industry chain. By integrating upstream and downstream resources, the project will effectively increase the added value of the industry and promote the chemical industry towards high-end and green development.

Shuangliang 7.3ten thousand tons BOPPelectronic materials project commencement

Recently, the groundbreaking ceremony for the main construction of the first phase of Jiangsu Shuangliang Electronic New Materials Co., Ltd.'s 73,000 tons per year BOPP electronic new materials project was grandly held, marking a key step taken by the Shuangliang Group in the field of electronic new materials. It is reported that after the completion of the first phase of the project, it will form an annual production capacity of 3,000 tons of high-temperature resistant and high-strength capacitor film and high-strength composite current collector base film, as well as 70,000 tons of functional BOPP film. After the entire project reaches full production, the production capacity will be further increased.

Arkema, this new material project is completed!

On March 18, Arkema announced that the first phase of the mega project at its Carling acrylics plant in France was successfully completed. The project, which began in 2024, will be put into use in 2026. This large-scale industrial project (with an investment of 130 million euros) involves the construction of a new facility using an innovative acrylic purification process, which will improve energy efficiency (by 25%) and operational carbon intensity (by 20%), optimize resource and waste management, and increase the production capacity of the plant.

Two major chemical giants jointly decide to permanently close million-ton capacity

On March 18, LyondellBasell and Covestro jointly decided to permanently close the propylene oxide/styrene monomer (PO/SM) production unit (PO11) at the Maasvlakte plant in the Netherlands. In addition, LyondellBasell confirmed that, as part of the ongoing strategic review, it is considering the sale of certain olefins and polyolefins assets in Europe.

Shenyang Chemical Dongda Quanzhou 24ten thousand tons/annual polyether polyol project trial production success

Shenyang Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. announced in the evening of March 18 that its subsidiary, Sinochem Dongda (Quanzhou) Co., Ltd., has successfully commenced trial production of a 240,000 tons/year polyether polyol project, producing qualified products. Shenyang Chemical also noted in the announcement that it will take some time for the 240,000 tons/year polyether polyol project to reach full production and generate the expected economic benefits from the successful trial production. Meanwhile, during the initial production phase, the stability of the production facilities, product output, and quality need to be observed, and there may also be impacts from changes in market demand and other factors.

total investment 216billion yuan! The second EVA set of the Shenghong Chemical New Materials projectdevice end-of-month trial production

The Shenghong Chemical New Materials Project is a major industrial project in Jiangsu Province, with a total investment of about 21.6 billion yuan. It plans to construct an annual production capacity of 700,000 tons of EVA, 50,000 tons of high-end polyolefins, and projects for propylene oxide, styrene, and polyols. Recently, the construction of the EVA facility has progressed rapidly, with the second set of equipment entering the trial production phase, and the third set also under intense construction. Upon full completion, the total EVA production capacity of Shenghong Petrochemical is expected to reach 1 million tons per year, ranking first in the world.

Xinjiang's first! Basalt fiber production line put into operation!

On March 12, Xinjiang's first continuous basalt fiber production line officially started operation in Mulei County. The production line was invested and constructed by Torchstone Technology (Xinjiang) Co., Ltd., using the original technology from the Xinjiang Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and supported by the scientific and technological support provided by the Xinjiang Institute of Physics and Chemistry.

Full-scale construction begins! Sinopec Blue Ocean High-end Polyolefin New Materials Project

On March 15, Blue Ocean New Materials Company held a groundbreaking ceremony for the high-end polyolefin new materials project, marking the official entry into a new phase of comprehensive construction of key core facilities. The high-end polyolefin new materials project plans to build five sets of facilities, including water electrolysis hydrogen production facility, POE facility, FDPE facility, and 1-hexene/1-octene facility. Currently, the site preparation is nearing completion, with 29 out of 47 main project units having received formal approval. It is planned to start 19 items in March, 15 items in April, and all projects are expected to be started in the first half of the year.

innovative materials

Toray will launch eco-friendly, high value-added acrylic staple fiber

Toray Industries, Inc. announced that it will adopt the mass balance method to produce Toray acrylic staple fiber starting from this April. This method is attributed to the characteristics of biomass and plastic waste. The company has obtained ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) PLUS certification for this product. Toray's fiber and textile business strategy focuses on expanding growth areas through the development of high value-added, high-performance products using environmentally friendly materials. Therefore, the company uses both recycled materials and bio-based materials, especially for nylon and polyester fibers. Acrylic fiber has been a challenge in this regard due to the lack of waste resources for this single material. The mass balance method will enable Toray to provide high value-added TORAYLON with environmental consciousness.

Syensqointroduce new materials for semiconductors

On March 14, Syensqo announced the launch of a new high-performance perfluoroelastomer series using the company's proprietary non-fluorinated surfactant (NFS) technology. The TecnoflonFFKM NFS products are specifically designed to expand the success of Syensqo's FFKM products in semiconductor manufacturing and other demanding markets. These new products are hailed as the first commercial FFKM materials on the market that completely eliminate the use of surfactants, meeting the industry's sustainability needs. The company also plans to introduce a range of circular material NFS perfluoroelastomers certified by a mass balance chain of custody. The new NFS product portfolio combines cutting-edge technical performance without the concerns associated with the use of fluorinated surfactants. The initial offerings include TecnoflonPFR 6055B for semiconductor dry applications or high-temperature industrial applications, and TecnoflonPFR 6265B for direct plasma applications. These two new FFKM grades, produced in Spinetta, Italy, will be available starting April 2025. Subsequently, grades for wet processes and extremely high-temperature applications will be introduced.

Japanese company launches new type of polyimide fiber

Recently, Industrial Summit Technology (IST), headquartered in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, has launched an advanced new type of polyimide fiber called Imidetex, aimed at redefining the applications of composite materials. With outstanding properties such as a high tensile strength of 3GPa, a continuous use temperature exceeding 250C, and an ultra-low water absorption rate below 0.9%, Imidetex can bring a new dimension to composite materials, working synergistically with traditional glass fibers and carbon fibers to enhance the performance of composites. The production process of Imidetex is environmentally friendly and energy-saving, with its carbon dioxide emissions being only one-fifth of those from carbon fiber production.

LGChemistry, launches another world's first biobased plastic

Recently, LG Chem announced that it has signed a joint development cooperation agreement (MOU) with Hanssem of South Korea on eco-friendly home molding materials, officially entering the eco-friendly kitchen home material market. Through this agreement, LG Chem will provide high-functional plastic ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate) made from plant-based raw materials for use as surface material in Hanssem's e'clat kitchen home products. e'clat is expected to be launched in the first half of the year, and when it does, such products will be sold to consumers with the LETZero eco-brand label.

material application

Wanhua Chemical's polycarbonate first obtains headlight cover material certification from Hyundai Kia Automotive Group

Recently, Wanhua Chemical's Clarnate HL6157 optical grade polycarbonate material (PC) has officially passed the certification for headlight cover material by Hyundai Kia Group, the world's third-largest automobile manufacturer, thus becoming the first Chinese company to enter the automotive material supply chain of the group. This breakthrough marks another milestone in the internationalization of key materials in the automotive industry chain for Wanhua Chemical, further highlighting its global competitiveness in the field of new chemical materials.

Prince Holdings develops polylactic acid film tea bags, already used by the tea brand Ito En

Recently, Prince Holdings Corporation announced that the polylactic acid film it has developed has been used by Ito En Corporation as the filter material for the Scented Cold Brew Tea series tea bags. This new series of cold brew tea will be released nationwide in Japan on March 17th. The usage is very simple; just place one tea bag in a bottle and let it steep for an hour, and it can be easily prepared. The tea bag can be used to make two servings with water.

Lotte Chemical for Samsung Galaxy S25smartphone supply recycled polycarbonate and polyamide materials

On March 12, 2025, LOTTE Chemical announced that it would supply recycled plastic materials for Samsung Electronics' latest smartphone, the Galaxy S25, thereby strengthening the cooperation between the two companies in resource circulation systems. LOTTE Chemical recycles wafer tray waste used by Samsung Electronics for semiconductor wafer transportation and converts it into polycarbonate (PC) material. This material is applied to the SIM card trays, side buttons, and volume buttons of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series smartphones.