Changzhou New Solar resumes production at No.1 SM plant

Changzhou New Solar Chemical, a subsidiary of China's New Solar Group, has resumed production at its No.1 styrene plant in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, China, following a scheduled maintenance, Polymerupdate reported.

The company resumed operations at the 350,000 tonne/year styrene plant early last week following a major maintenance turnaround. The plant had been closed for maintenance on July 10, 2024.

Earlier, it was reported that Changzhou New Solar Chemical, a subsidiary of China's New Solar Group, stopped production at its styrene plant No. 2 in Changzhou (Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, China) amid declining production margins. Repair work at this plant with a capacity of 300 thousand tons of styrene per year began on March 7 and runs from early May 2023.

Styrene is a raw material for the production of polystyrene (PS).

Changzhou New Solar Chemical Co., Ltd. was founded in 2007. The company's activities include the production of petrochemical products.

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Zhongtian Hechuang Energy, a major petrochemical producer in China, has resumed production at two high-density polyethylene (LDPE) plants in Ordos (Inner Mongolia, China) after maintenance work, Polymerupdate reported.

These plants, with a combined capacity of 370,000 tons of LDPE per year, were closed for scheduled maintenance on June 17 this year. LDPE Plant No. 1 has a capacity of 250,000 tons per year, while LDPE Plant No. 2 has a capacity of 120,000 tons per year.

In addition, Zhongtian Hechuang operates a linear polyethylene (LDPE) plant with a capacity of 300,000 tons per year at a site in Inner Mongolia.

Zhongtian Hechuang Energy Co., Ltd. is a coal mining company in China that produces various petrochemical products, including linear polyethylene, from coal.

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SM prices were assessed lower on Thursday, said Polymerupdate.

An industry source in Asia informed a Polymerupdate team member, Prices fell on the back of a weak buying momentum in the Asian region.

On Thursday, FOB Korea SM prices were assessed at the USD 1115-1125/mt levels, a day on day drop of USD (-5/mt).

CFR China SM prices on Thursday were assessed at the USD 1130-1140/mt levels, down USD (-5/mt) from Wednesday's assessed levels.

Meanwhile, upstream benzene prices on Thursday were assessed at the USD 1000-1010/mt FOB Korea levels, a day on day decline of USD (-10/mt).

According to ScanPlast, the total estimated consumption of polystyrene and styrene plastics in Russia was 172,460 tonnes based on the results of the first four months. In the reporting month, the total estimated consumption was 38,340 tonnes, which is 21% lower than the consumption volume in April 2023.

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Grand Pacific Petrochemical Corp (GPPC), a major petrochemical producer in Taiwan, has reduced the capacity of its No. 2 styrene monomer (SM) plant in Ta She, Kaohsiung Province, Taiwan, Polymerupdate reported.

A Taiwan-based source said the company will operate the plant at about 80% of capacity in August this year." The reason for the production cut was not given. The No. 2 line, located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, has a production capacity of 130,000 tons per year.

It was previously reported that Grand Pacific Petrochemical Corp (GPPC), a major petrochemical producer in Taiwan, completed scheduled maintenance on its No. 1 styrene monomer line in Ta She (Kaohsiung Province, Taiwan) in early March 2022. Maintenance on the 250,000 tons per year styrene line was started in early February 2022.
GPPC also operates a 250,000 tons per year styrene line No. 3 at the same site, which was shut down for scheduled maintenance in March this year.

The major styrene producers at Taiwan are Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corp and Taiwan Styrene Monomer Corp.

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Тoray Plastics reduces run rates at ABS plant, said Polynerupdate.

"Toray Plastics Malaysia is presently running its Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) plant at curtailed capacity levels. A Polymerupdate source in Malaysia informed a team member, “The company has reduced rates at the plant to around 70% of production capacity levels. The reason behind the production cuts could not be ascertained."

Earlier, it was reported that Toray Plastics has resumed production of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) in Prai (Penang, Malaysia) following scheduled maintenance. The maintenance work at the 425,000 tonne/year ABS plant was carried out from early June to early August last year.

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