October 11, 2024 – Polypropylene, a polymer derived from the polymerization of propylene, has established itself as a pivotal player in the chemical industry, thanks to its exceptional thermoplasticity and lightweight properties. As a colorless, semi-transparent, and versatile plastic, polypropylene boasts a range of production processes, including solution, slurry, bulk, gas-phase, and combined bulk-gas-phase methods. Presently, the forefront of global production technology centers around gas-phase and combined bulk-gas-phase processes.
China’s industrial production of polypropylene dates back to the 1970s. Over the decades, it has evolved into a landscape characterized by diverse production techniques and varying scales of production. Notably, the advent of new process routes such as coal (methanol) to olefins and Propane Dehydrogenation (PDH) has driven China’s polyolefin feedstock routes towards diversification, fostering a competitive environment among multiple feedstock options.
According to insights from ColorMasterbatchIndustry.com, global polypropylene capacity has been on a steady rise. In 2023, it surpassed 108.207 million tons per annum (MTA), marking a 5.8% year-on-year (YoY) growth, with production reaching 84.156 million tons, up 1.0% YoY. Regionally, Northeast Asia leads with a capacity of 53.740 MTA, accounting for nearly half of the global market share, followed closely by North America and the Middle East. Furthermore, the global polypropylene industry comprises over 200 major producers, with Sinopec topping the list with a capacity of 10.030 MTA.
Turning to China, polypropylene capacity has likewise exhibited rapid growth. By the end of 2023, China’s capacity had reached 39.54 MTA, a 16.2% YoY increase, with production at 32.250 million tons, up 7.0% YoY. In terms of production entities, alongside petroleum and petrochemical companies, private enterprises are gradually expanding their market share. Meanwhile, as a net importer of polypropylene, China experienced a decline in both import volume and import value in 2023, while export volume also saw a slight decrease. Korea, the UAE, and Japan remain the primary sources of China’s polypropylene imports.
In terms of application, polypropylene in China finds its use in a wide array of products, spanning from daily-use plastic wraps to automotive crash bars. Among these, the demand for polypropylene in the field of fiber drawing continues to lead, followed by injection molding, fibers, Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP), and piping. Looking ahead, China’s polypropylene capacity is poised to maintain its rapid growth, with projections reaching 52.34 MTA by 2025. Concurrently, driven by domestic demand and the swift expansion of downstream applications such as BOPP and Cast Polypropylene (CPP), China’s polypropylene demand is anticipated to climb steadily, reaching 43.050 million tons by 2025.