China is likely to be the only country responsible for all global capacity growth in polystyrene by 2030. The data and analysis company GlobalData points this out in a new industry report.
According to this, between 2025 and 2030, China will have additional polystyrene capacities of a total of 1.21 million tonnes per year from three planned and one announced project. A further project is being planned in India and Malaysia, but no details are currently available on their capacities.
Polystyrene is considered a cost-effective, lightweight plastic with good insulating properties, which is primarily used in packaging, building insulation and food service articles. As the world's largest manufacturing economy, China has a high demand for polystyrene, according to GlobalData, in order to packaging goods for the domestic market and for export.
According to the report, the largest capacity increase in China is expected to come from the „Lianyungang Hongda New Materials Technology Lianyungang Polystyrene Plant“ in Jiangsu, eastern China. The plant, with a nominal capacity of 0.31 million tonnes per year, is expected to start production in 2028. The operator is Lianyungang Hongda New Materials Technology Co Ltd, while Wuxi Xingda Foam Plastics Materials Co Ltd 100 per cent of the shares holds.
Another major project in Jiangsu is the „Lianyungang Petrochemical Lianyungang Polystyrene Plant 2“ with a capacity of 0.40 million tonnes per year, which is scheduled to go into operation in 2026. The remaining capacity increases are attributable to the „PetroChina Guangxi Petrochemical Company Qinzhou Polystyrene Plant“ and the „PetroChina Urumqi Petrochemical Company Urumqi Polystyrene Plant“. The plant in Qinzhou is expected to start up this year and the plant in Urumqi in 2029. They are expected to contribute capacities of 0.30 million tonnes per year and 0.20 million tonnes per year respectively. In both cases, China National Petroleum Corp holds all project shares.
Source: GlobalData
