Domestic production of large-scale PP/PE extrusion granulation units

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Status of domestic production of large-scale PP/PE extrusion granulation units: Large-scale extrusion granulation units are core equipment in large-scale ethylene plant systems. They are used to mix the polypropylene or polyethylene resins produced through catalytic polymerization in ethylene plants with other additives in strict proportions, as required by the manufacturing process; thereafter, these materials undergo mixing, plasticizing, extrusion, granulation, separation, and drying within these units, ultimately resulting in regular resin pellet products. The development level of large-scale extrusion granulation units reflects the **latest achievements and overall strength in the field of petrochemical equipment research. Internationally, only 3 companies in Germany and Japan possess the design and manufacturing capabilities for large-scale extrusion granulation units. Before 2010, China’s large-scale extrusion granulation units relied heavily on imports, which severely restricted the development of China’s petrochemical enterprises. To this end, large-scale mixing, extrusion, and granulation units were listed as **key projects for the localization of major technical equipment during the 11th Five-Year Plan period. In 2006, Sinopec Group launched a project to localize large-scale polypropylene extrusion granulation units with an annual capacity of 200,000 tons. This project is led by Academician Cao Xianghong, the chief engineer of Sinopec Group. Based on the ethylene renovation project at Yanshan Petrochemical, a joint research and development team comprising representatives from industry, academia, and research institutions has been formed, including Dalian Rubber and Plastic Machinery Co., Ltd., Sinopec Beijing Yanshan Branch, Sinopec Engineering Construction Co., Ltd., and Beijing University of Chemical Technology. In 2010, the first domestically produced 200,000 tons per year PP mixing, extrusion, and granulation unit was successfully tested in a single run at Sinopec’s Yanshan Branch. Dalian Rubber and Plastic Machinery Co., Ltd. has become the fourth manufacturer of large-scale extrusion granulation units in the world, pushing China’s manufacturing of large-scale ethylene equipment to the international forefront. In July 2025, the first set of polypropylene mixing, extrusion, and granulation units with an annual capacity of 450,000 tons passed the factory acceptance test, marking a key step forward for China in the field of large-scale extrusion and granulation units – moving from following others to keeping pace with them, and even striving to take the lead.