EPDM: Rising Imports, Moderate Export Growth
Introduction: From January to August 2025, China’s import volume of EPDM increased significantly, up 19.35% YoY. The increase was primarily driven by substantial rises in shipments from Saudi Arabia and South Korea. Conversely, China’s export volume of EPDM remained tepid amid weak demand in the overseas market.
In August 2025, China’s EPDM import volume reached 11,614.91mt, down 0.04% YoY. Imported resources from Saudi Arabia were 4,071.41mt, slightly increasing 0.7% YoY. As the arrival volume from Petro Rabigh decreased during this month, the Saudi Arabian overall arrival volume was limited. According to data released by GACC, China’s EPDM import volume reached approximately 124,529.11mt during January-August, representing a significant 19.35% YoY increase. This import growth was primarily driven by three factors: Firstly, as the overall demand in Europe was weak, South Korea and Saudi Arabia reduced their exports to Europe and mostly shifted to China. Meanwhile, demand in Southeast Asia and India was stable with limited demand growth. Secondly, the commissioning of the new 70kt/a unit at Kumho increased the total supply. Additionally, the EPDM output of the Saudi Arabian units increased, and the ExxonMobil-SABIC industry mainly produced EPDM with negligible POE output, leading to an increase in imported resources. China was the key export destination.
From January to August, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Japan ranked as China’s top three origins of EPDM imports. Saudi Arabia maintained its position as the leading supplier, exporting approximately 52,714.83mt to China, with a substantial 32.35% YoY increase. South Korea followed as the second largest origin with 49,111.17mt, up 28.81% YoY. Japan placed third with 10,730.61mt imported, up 7.88% YoY. The above-mentioned countries accounted for nearly 90% of the total imports, significantly influencing Chinese EPDM market prices.
According to data released by GACC, China’s EPDM export volume totaled approximately 23,427.48mt during January-August 2025, representing a 0.07% YoY increase. The limited growth was directly attributed to weakened international demand, which reduced orders for Chinese EPDM. Particularly, in Southeast Asia, South Korea, and India, where downstream producers operated at limited capacity, leading to diminished consumption.
During January-August 2025, South Korea, the Netherlands, and Russia emerged as the top three export destinations for China’s EPDM. South Korea maintained its position as the primary destination, receiving approximately 4,014.93mt, with a 7.17% YoY decline. The Netherlands followed as the second largest market with 2,918.97mt exported, up 1,335.94% YoY. This significant increase was attributed to the allocation of Chinese resources with tepid operation in the Netherlands units. Russia ranked third with 2,636.56mt, down 23.47% YoY. The domestic resources mainly focused on domestic sales, with a relatively small proportion for exports.
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