Difficult to Restart ESBR Units

There are 11 ESBR producers in China, with the total capacity of 1,470kt/a. All the producers are monitored and studied by SCI, including the 2 producers in North China, 4 producers in East China, 2 producers in South China, 2 producers in Northeast China and 1 producer in Northwest China.

The ESBR output in August increased from July.

The monthly output of ESBR was 68kt in August 2018. That was up 12.93% M-O-M but down 27.52% Y-O-Y.The unit at Sinopec Qilu Company ran at full loads. Shen Hua Chemical Industrial (Nantong) and YPC-GPRO (Nanjing) Rubber restarted the units. But the high feedstock prices still placed high pressure on SBR plants. The units at Hangzhou Zhechen Rubber, Tianjin Lugang Petroleum Rubber and Fujian Fuxiang Chemical remained shut.

The planned output for September inches down from August.

The planned output of ESBR is 60-70kt for September, down 1% M-O-M. That at YPC-GPRO (Nanjing) Rubber greatly increases from August, but that at Sinopec Qilu Company, PetroChina Lanzhou Petrochemical and Shen Hua Chemical Industrial (Nantong) drops. Besides, the units at Hangzhou Zhechen Rubber, Tianjin Lugang Petroleum Rubber and Fujian Fuxiang Chemical will remain shut against cost pressure.

For more details, please see 2018 Aug SBR Market Monthly Report.