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According to Sinopec, China’s first 500,000 tons per year bottle-grade pelletizing plant built using polyester medium-viscosity process technology was successfully put into operation on January 17 this year at Sinopec Yizheng Chemical Fiber Company. This project utilizes the most advanced short-process production technology in China, developed independently by Sinopec, marking a new breakthrough in technical equipment in the field of polyester non-fibers in our country. According to Sinopec Yuan, this project utilizes the most advanced short-process production technology developed by Sinopec in China, marking a new breakthrough in terms of technical equipment in the field of polyester non-fibers in our country. All 3 projects of the first phase of Yizheng Chemical Fiber’s 850,000 tons per year production facility for functional polyester new materials have been completed and put into operation, contributing to the optimization of China’s polyester industry structure and providing material support for the advanced development of China’s manufacturing sector. According to officials from Sinopec, the first phase of Yizheng Chemical Fiber’s 850,000-ton-per-year production facility for functional polyester materials is one of Jiangsu Province’s key projects for 2023. This first phase includes the already operational plant with an annual production capacity of 230,000 tons of intelligent short fibers, as well as a project for the flexible transformation of production facilities with an annual capacity of 120,000 tons of PBT and 60,000 tons of PBxT. Additionally, there is the newly commissioned facility with an annual capacity of 500,000 tons for producing next-generation bottle-grade polyester materials. Together, these facilities enable the production of 850,000 tons of functional polyester materials per year, thereby generating economic value in the related industries worth billions of yuan. This helps to meet the growing demands related to clothing, food, housing, transportation, as well as health and environmental protection. Polyester bottle chips are a plastic material made from polyester, offering advantages such as light weight and recyclability. They are widely used in areas like beverage packaging and sheet materials, and are closely related to people’s daily lives. Our country is the world’s largest producer, consumer, and exporter of bottle blanks, but there is still room for development in certain high-end areas where special performance requirements apply. Yizheng Chemical Fiber’s 500,000 tons per year bottle preform production project is capable of manufacturing carbonated beverage bottles, heat-filled beverage bottles, plastic-steel strips and sheets, as well as various new specialty polyester products. It employs the most advanced short-process production technology developed by Sinopec in China, resulting in higher product quality; the lower crystallinity compared to traditional processes makes it more suitable for use by downstream users in areas such as blow molding. The traditional polyester bottle grade chip production process requires first producing low-viscosity base chips, which are then modified to increase their viscosity to produce polyester chips suitable for use in bottles. The 500,000-ton/year bottle flake project by Yizheng Chemical Fiber has broken through traditional production processes. For the first time, it has achieved a “leapfrog” connection from raw materials directly to bottle-grade polyester flakes. The production process is more energy-efficient; it is expected to reduce carbon emissions by over 20%. Indicators such as energy and material consumption all rank among the best in China. Furthermore, the localization rate of the equipment for this project reaches 95%, and it is located adjacent to the upstream facilities, enabling better integrated coordinated development. Yizheng Chemical Fiber is a leading enterprise in China’s polyester and fiber industry. In recent years, the company has maintained a global leading position in the production and sales of polyester staple fibers. In particular, its polyester staple fibers for spunbond non-woven fabrics account for over 70% of the domestic high-end market share. In addition, the film-grade slices produced by the company have been recognized as National Manufacturing Single-Champion Products. It is the first enterprise in China to obtain certifications from both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, and it boasts a laboratory for injection molding and bottle blowing that is among the best in the country. On October 14, 2024, the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange designated Yizheng Chemical Fiber bottle chips as approved bottle chip delivery brands and brands exempt from inspection.