China Eyes on High Value-Added Rubber
1. Sinopec Yanshan Petrochemical produces plastic modification-used synthetic rubber products.
The synthetic rubber plant of Sinopec Yanshan Petrochemical focuses on market demand, concentrates its advantageous forces, and focuses on the research and development and production of high value-added products. As of the end of November 2024, the production of high value-added products has completed 124.8% of the annual target task. It successfully produced qualified products of block styrene butadiene rubber SSBR611L on July 31, 2024, which can meet the high-end customization needs of downstream customers.
Source: Sinopec website
SCI Observation: The SSBR unit at Sinopec Yanshan Petrochemical can produce SBS and SSBR. In 2024, the LCBR developed based on the SSBR unit at Sinopec Yanshan Petrochemical has the characteristics of low gel content, light color, high transparency, and is especially suitable for toughening high-quality ABS/HIPS resin. At present, the unit has achieved industrial production of multiple grades with the product indicators meeting the design requirements. The products can replace imported resources. The enterprise continuously optimizes and upgrades products and produced high value-added synthetic rubber products to meet downstream customer demands. Besides, it optimizes the domestic feedstock supply to ensure the feedstock stability at downstream enterprises.
2. Zhejiang Transfar Synthetic Materials has become an important NdBR supplier in the world.
The newly added 120kt/a NdBR unit at Zhejiang Transfar Synthetic Materials went into production on July 13, 2024. The total PBR capacity at Zhejiang Transfar has reached 270kt/a, of which the maximum NdBR capacity is 190kt/a. It is the world’s largest PBR and NdBR producer, mainly producing mature grades of NdBR9104 and NdBR9106, as well as a series of NdBR grades including easy to process grade TF45, high-transparency grade TF08S, oil-filled NdBR TF09 and other differentiated products in specific fields.
According to SCI, the effective NdBR capacity in China reached 270kt/a in 2024. Zhejiang Transfar, located in the East China region, has been the largest producer of NdBR in China for three consecutive years, and is expected to rank top 3 among the global NdBR producers. Its newly added unit has gradually released output. It is expected that the NdBR output and production efficiency at Zhejiang Transfar may lead the international NdBR market in 2024.
3. PetroChina Dushanzi Petrochemical made a breakthrough in functionalized SSBR production.
The first domestically developed independent SSBR unit, which can produce double-end functionalized solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber SSBR3540F and was jointly developed by PetroChina Petroleum and Petrochemical Research Institute and PetroChina Dushanzi Petrochemical, successfully achieved a one-time startup at PetroChina Dushanzi Petrochemical. The first domestically developed high-styrene-content double-end functionalized solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber grade SSBR3540F achieved industrial production, with styrene content of ~35% and vinyl content of ~40%. This may promote the transformation of PetroChina’s SSBR product series from “general” to "high-end".
Source: CNPC WeChat account
According to SCI, the consumption of SSBR in China is expected to increase by 11% YoY in 2024; Among them, almost all functionalized SSBR may rely on imports. The imported functionalized SSBR mainly come from South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Germany, Thailand, etc. In 2024, PetroChina Dushanzi Petrochemical put the functionalized SSBR unit into operation, and some of its products have been tested by downstream tire enterprises. China’s high-quality development of SSBR related industries ushered in a new chapter.
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