Does anyone know anything about the production of polyvinyl alcohol in China?

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a water-soluble polymer synthesized through the hydrolytic polymerization of vinyl acetate. It possesses unique properties, including strong adhesiveness, film flexibility, smoothness, oil resistance, solvent resistance, colloidal protection, gas barrier properties, wear resistance, and water resistance when treated specially. The uses of polyvinyl alcohol can be divided into fiber and non-fiber applications. Polyvinyl alcohol has a wide range of uses, with textile sizing agents and adhesives being the most common. In the fiber sector, it is used as a raw material for vinylon fibers; in non-fiber applications, it serves as spinning sizing agents, fabric finishing agents, paper strengtheners, and auxiliary agents in industrial polymerization processes. Application fields include textiles, food, pharmaceuticals, construction, wood processing, papermaking, printing, agriculture, metallurgy, and other sectors. In China, the production of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) began in the 1960s, with domestic design and construction of a 1kt/a PVA production facility; at the same time, a 10kt/a PVA production plant using the acetylene process was introduced from Japan. Thus, there has been 40 years of production history to date. In recent years, the scale of PVA production has continued to expand, with both output and demand rising steadily. By 2007, China’s PVA production capacity had reached 585,000 tons per year, while the actual output was 561,000 tons per year. At present, our country has the largest PVA production capacity and output in the world. The domestic production and consumption of PVA are shown in Tables 9 and 10: Table 9 shows the current production capacity of PVA facilities in China in 2007, in ten thousand tons per year. Name: Production Capacity – Shanghai Petrochemical Co., Ltd.: 4.6; Sichuan Vinylon Factory: 6.0; Beijing Organic Chemical Factory: 3.5; Guizhou Crystal Organic Chemical Co., Ltd.: 3.0; Fujian Textile Fiber Group Co., Ltd.: 3.5; Hunan Xiangwei Group Co., Ltd.: 7.5; Jiangxi Chemical Fiber Chemical Co., Ltd.: 3.5; Shanxi Sanwei Group Co., Ltd.: 10.0; Anhui Wei Fiber Chemical Co., Ltd.: 10.0; Guangxi Vinylon Group Co., Ltd.: 3.5; Yunnan Yunwei Co., Ltd.: 3.0; Lanzhou Vinylon Factory: 2.5; Shijiazhuang Chemical Fiber Co., Ltd.: 0.8. Total: 58.5. Table 10 shows China’s PVA production, supply and demand over recent years, as well as the consumption of vinyl acetate, in ten thousand tons. Year: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007. Production: 41.71, 43.18, 45.72, 48.86, 51.45, 53.63. Imports: 3.74, 3.31, 3.28, 3.45, 4.2, 4.29. Exports: 2.32, 2.49, 2.71, 3.75, 3.6, 3.02. Apparent consumption: 43.14, 44, 46.30, 49.16, 52.05, 54.9. Consumption of VAC: 79.2, 82, 86.6, 92.83, 97.75, 101.9. Figure 6 shows the trends in PVA production, consumption, and VAC consumption in China over recent years. From these tables and figures, it can be seen that in recent years, China’s demand and production of PVA have shown a steady growth trend, with little difference between imports and exports. The consumption patterns in various sub-markets are as follows: (1) Vinylon market. Vinylon was once the most important downstream market for PVA; its emergence stemmed from 12 vinylon production facilities established in China during the 1960s and 1970s through the introduction of complete sets of equipment and local design and installation efforts. Due to its advantages of high strength, good thermal insulation, and excellent moisture absorption, vinylon was once widely used in the apparel industry. However, its shortcomings in terms of dyeability, elasticity, and resistance to hot water led to its gradual withdrawal from the apparel market in the late 1970s, with production declining as a result. By the end of the 20th century, China’s vinylon market had shrunk significantly, with a substantial reduction in market supply. Over the years, the operating rate of manufacturing enterprises continued to decline, and some equipment was shut down for extended periods and ended up damaged. In 2001, vinylon exports increased by around 50% compared to the previous year, which led to a growing gap between supply and demand. In addition, the product structure of vinylon has been effectively adjusted; significant progress has been made in expanding the market for high-strength, high-molecular-weight fibers, water-soluble fibers, and vinylon geotextiles. In various industrial applications, vinylon is increasingly replacing asbestos, which is carcinogenic. Over the past few years, domestic vinylon production has shown a steady upward trend. In 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, the output of vinylon fibers in China was 34,000 tons, 40,000 tons, 43,300 tons, and 44,000 tons respectively, while the demand for PVA was 32,000 tons, 37,600 tons, 40,700 tons, and 41,000 tons respectively. It is expected that demand for vinylon in China will remain stable in the coming years; the production volume in 2010 is estimated to be around 46,000 tons, with demand for PVA reaching 43,000 tons. (2) Textile sizing market: PVA possesses good adhesiveness and film-forming properties, making it a key raw material for textile sizing. The yarn is coated with PVA or treated with a mixed slurry of PVA and starch, with PVA generally accounting for 30%-50% of the slurry. The slurry made from PVA does not **go bad**, it exhibits good adhesion to both natural and synthetic fibers; the film formed is smooth and strong, which helps increase the strength of the yarns. Moreover, it requires less usage, and desizing it is simple. The developed high-grade PVA pulp, with performance on par with similar imported products, is widely used by textile factories, **reducing the production costs of domestic textiles. After joining the WTO, China’s textile exports have shown strong momentum, and this rapid growth is set to continue in the coming years, leading to an increased demand for PVA as well. The consumption of PVA in the textile sizing industry in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 was 125,000 tons, 130,000 tons, 136,100 tons, and 142,000 tons respectively. It is expected that demand for PVA in this industry will continue to grow steadily in the coming years, reaching 155,000 tons by 2010. (3) Coatings and adhesives market: PVA coatings are mainly used for painting interior and exterior walls in mid-to-low-end applications. To prevent environmental pollution and accelerate the adjustment of the product structure, the **Economic and Trade Commission has stipulated that, starting from July 1, 2002, the use of polyvinyl alcohol and acetal-based interior and exterior wall coatings, as well as polyvinyl acetate emulsion-based exterior wall coatings (including EVA emulsion coatings), shall be discontinued. Starting in 2003, the use of polyvinyl alcohol water glass-based interior wall coatings (106 interior wall coatings) shall also be stopped. PVA consumption will decrease to a certain extent. Adhesives represent the main consumer market for PVA, and it is also an industry with rapid growth. PVA adhesive is used to bond wood and paper, and is suitable for manufacturing cement composite packaging bags. In 2004, domestic adhesive consumption exceeded 400,000 tons per year; among various applications, wood-based products such as plywood, particleboard, and medium-density fiberboard accounted for 60% to 70% of the adhesive usage, indicating a substantial market size. Due to its performance characteristics, PVA holds an undisputed advantage in the competition among adhesive ingredients. Ranging from 0588 to 1788, and from 2488 to 2099–2499, PVA offers a very wide range of products for use as adhesive raw materials, covering almost all combinations of polymerization degree and hydrolysis degree. The correlation between different grades of PVA is minimal; the requirements for specific grades vary greatly depending on the application conditions. Overall, however, high-viscosity grades enjoy strong demand in the increasingly expanding market for mid-to-high-end adhesives. In 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, the coating and adhesive industries consumed 176,000 tons, 188,000 tons, 200,000 tons, and 215,000 tons of PVA respectively. It is expected that the demand for PVA in these industries will continue to increase in the coming years, with the demand reaching 240,000 tons by 2010. (4) Paper reinforcement agents: PVA paper reinforcement agents are dry-type reinforcement agents used for paper surface treatment. They improve the water resistance, writeability, and ink resistance of paper, help to cope with the diversification of paper types and the deterioration of fiber quality, enhance strength, and improve printability. They boast excellent brightness, bonding strength, adhesion, and film-forming properties. With the development of the news and publishing industry, as well as the trend in the packaging sector to use paper instead of plastic and wood, and in order to meet the demands of high-speed printing and special applications, paper production faces the dual requirements of increasing output and improving quality. The reinforcing agent used for paper in domestic coin manufacturing is the PVA1099 grade product. The commissioning in 2004 of Indonesia’s Golden Paper Group’s largest papermaking plant in Zhenjiang further drove up the domestic demand for reinforced paper. In recent years, China’s paper industry has continued to develop at a rapid pace. In 2004, the annual production of paper and paperboard was 36 million tons, ranking it third in the world, while the total consumption was around 40 million tons, placing it second in the world. From 2004 to 2007, the consumption of PVA as a paper reinforcement agent was 42,000 tons, 45,000 tons, 47,700 tons, and 50,000 tons respectively, showing a steady upward trend; it is estimated that the demand for PVA in 2010 will reach around 58,000 tons. (5) Markets in other consumption areas such as industrial agglomeration additives. This market includes sectors such as medical supplies, cement modifiers, photosensitive materials, integrated circuits, as well as emulsifiers and dispersants, and it holds good prospects for development. PVA gels with high stress strength and low oxygen permeability are particularly suitable for wound dressings and urea ； When PVA superabsorbent resin is used to modify cement, high-strength concrete can be produced. Markets such as industrial polymerization additives feature broad prospects and diverse applications, and it is expected that their share of PVA consumption will continue to rise in the coming years. From 2004 to 2007, a total of 88,000, 91,000, 96,000, and 101,000 tons of PVA were consumed in these sectors, and it is estimated that this figure will reach 115,000 tons by 2010.

Chuanwei Group plans to build a 100,000-ton PVA plant:handshake

My home is right next to the Chuanwei Group

Is the air quality good near you on the 4th floor? I’m from Xiangwei, haha.

Fujian Textile and Fiber Group seems to already have a production capacity of 60,000 tons. Currently, many manufacturers in this industry are expanding, though the expansion plans may have been delayed a bit due to the financial crisis!

1.5.1 Latest R&D Trends in PVA Products at Home and Abroad In recent years, the research and development of polyvinyl alcohol products at home and abroad has focused on four main areas. (1) Copolymerization of unsaturated monomers with vinyl acetate: Vinyl acetate (VAC) is copolymerized with unsaturated epoxy groups, and then hydrolyzed to produce modified polyethylene copolymers with reactive epoxy groups ； Sulfonic acid-modified polyvinyl alcohol ； Modified polyvinyl alcohol superabsorbent resin ； RSH-modified polyvinyl alcohol ； Silanol-modified PVA ； VAC is copolymerized with ethylene, acrolein, and vinyl chloride to form ethylene/vinyl chloride copolymer resins, which are used in fields such as emulsions, coatings, and pharmaceutical materials. (2) Changing the polymerization degree and hydrolysis degree of PVA: For example, developing products with ultra-low or ultra-high polymerization degrees; controlling the hydrolysis degree of PVA to produce embedded PVA; and using thioacetic acid as a chain transfer agent to obtain reactive PVA with SH groups at the ends. (3) Modification of the hydroxyl reactivity of polyvinyl alcohol: modification by forming C-O bonds ； It can condense with carbonyl groups (aldehydes, ketones, quinones), or undergo esterification reactions; it can also be modified by the formation of amide bonds—NHCO—through addition ； It can be used to prepare polyvinyl polyurethane by addition with isocyanic acid, to produce anti-corrosion adhesives by reaction with bisphenyl methyldiisocyanate, and to create heat-resistant coatings by reaction with HMPI; it can also be modified through other reactions ； If a P-O bond is formed, reactions with urea and its derivatives. (4) High-value functional polyvinyl alcohol fibers: high-strength and high-modulus polyvinyl alcohol fibers ； Strength greater than 10 cN/dtex, modulus greater than 230 cN/dtex; milk protein polyvinyl alcohol blended fiber ； That is, “green fibers”. Therefore, polyvinyl alcohol manufacturers in our country must strengthen the development of applications for polyvinyl alcohol products and expand their areas of use ； By developing high-tech, high-value downstream products such as polyvinyl alcohol films, polyvinyl butyral films, polyvinyl alcohol-based superabsorbent resins, functional ultra-high-modulus PVA fibers, and PVA milk protein fibers, and by extending the product chain, it is possible to enhance core competitiveness and achieve sustainable development in the industry. 1.5.2 Market Analysis With the continuous development of China’s national economy, its polyvinyl alcohol and vinylon industries have also seen steady growth. Due to strong demand for petrochemical products in the domestic market and stable prices of key chemical products, favorable development opportunities have emerged for the entire industry. However, various companies still faced difficulties such as rising raw material prices, energy shortages, and fierce market competition. However, various enterprises continue to deepen institutional reforms, intensify efforts to advance scientific and technological progress and the development of new products, and adopt flexible sales strategies in order to expand their own space for survival and growth. In recent years, aside from a few companies whose economic performance declined year-on-year or even resulted in losses, the production and operation conditions of most companies have continued to show a stable trend of development.

Wanwei has acquired Guangwei’s organic chemical plant, and production can start immediately; this enables Wanwei to establish Mengwei in Inner Mongolia, with a capacity of 200,000 tons per year of vinyl acetate and 100,000 tons per year of PVA

What technology is used upstairs? Which design firm designed it?

Polyvinyl alcohol is a mature product; many factories in China produce it, and any one of them can provide the relevant technology.

At present, China’s production capacity for polyvinyl alcohol amounts to 666,000 tons, with a production volume of around 476,800 tons. Of this, the capacity produced using the calcium carbide-acetylene method accounts for 78.1% of the total capacity, while the capacity produced via the petroleum ethylene method accounts for 12.2%, and the capacity produced using the natural gas acetylene method accounts for 9.8%. Among them, Anhui Wanwei High-Tech Materials Company is currently the largest producer of polyvinyl alcohol in China, with a production capacity of 100,000 tons per year, accounting for about 15.0% of the total domestic production capacity. Other manufacturers include Shanxi Sanwei Group Co., Ltd., Sinopec Sichuan Vinylon Plant, and Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Company, among others. With a large number of new polyvinyl alcohol production facilities, such as those at Sinopec’s Sichuan Vinylon Plant, being built and put into operation one after another, it is estimated that by 2012 China’s total production capacity for polyvinyl alcohol will reach around 900,000 tons. In recent years, China has imported a certain amount of polyvinyl alcohol each year, with the import volume showing an upward trend from year to year. The import volume was 33,100 tons in 2003, and reached 41,600 tons in 2007, setting a record high. In 2008, import volumes dropped to 23,800 tons, a decrease of about 42.8% on a year-on-year basis. While importing, China also exports a certain amount of polyvinyl alcohol; the export volume was 24,900 tons in 2003, rising to 37,500 tons in 2005. Despite the impact of the financial crisis in 2008, export volumes reached a record high, at 42,100 tons, representing a year-on-year increase of 40.3%. With the continuous development of China’s economy, the demand for polyvinyl alcohol is on the rise. In 2000, China’s apparent consumption of polyvinyl alcohol was 314,900 tons; this figure rose to 481,600 tons in 2005. In 2008, due to the impact of the global financial crisis, demand from downstream industries decreased, and the operating rate of production facilities dropped, resulting in a fall in output. Coupled with reduced imports, apparent consumption dropped to 458,500 tons, a 10.4% decrease compared to the previous year. The average annual growth rate of apparent consumption from 2003 to 2008 was approximately 8.4%. Our country is a major producer of polyvinyl alcohol, as well as the country that consumes the most polyvinyl alcohol. In terms of consumption patterns, in the past, polyvinyl alcohol in our country was mainly used to produce vinylon fibers, with a consumption of over 100,000 tons per year, accounting for 73% of the total consumption of polyvinyl alcohol. Due to the insurmountable drawbacks of vinylon itself, such as poor dyeability, low stiffness, a lengthy production process, and high costs, when other synthetic fibers such as polyester, acrylic, and polypropylene were developed and put into mass production, they quickly took over and replaced vinylon in the market because of their lower costs and performance that was comparable to or even better than that of vinylon. This had a severe impact on the production and consumption of polyvinyl alcohol. However, as new non-fibrous applications for polyvinyl alcohol were continuously developed, its production gradually recovered. In recent years, China’s annual production of vinylon fiber has dropped from over 100,000 tons to around 20,000 tons, while the proportion of polyvinyl alcohol used for non-fiber applications has risen to over 80%, thereby completely changing the pattern of polyvinyl alcohol usage. In recent years, the production of polyvinyl alcohol in our country has been growing at an average annual rate of 6.9%, and the varieties of polyvinyl alcohol that are developed and produced are becoming increasingly diverse. With the continued implementation of proactive fiscal policies, the demand for polyvinyl alcohol is expanding into areas such as adhesives and coatings in the fine chemicals sector, and high-viscosity varieties are gaining increasing popularity in the market. Major events such as world expos will also significantly drive the growth in demand for applications of polyvinyl alcohol in non-fiber industries. The non-toxic, harmless, and environmentally friendly properties of polyvinyl alcohol give it promising prospects for development, with growth in consumption mainly occurring in high-value-added products. With the continuous increase in both the apparent and actual consumption of this product, polyvinyl alcohol is expected to see simultaneous growth in domestic sales and exports in the coming years, with the export market set to expand further. The textile, coating, and adhesive industries are the main consumers of polyvinyl alcohol in our country, accounting for 60%-70% of the total consumption. It is predicted that global demand for coatings will grow at an average annual rate of 3.2% in the coming years, with Asia and other emerging markets seeing an average annual growth rate of 5.5%, while China’s demand for coatings will increase at an average annual rate of 12% ； The extensive infrastructure development in the country has created opportunities for growth in the adhesive market ； The textile industry has turned losses into profits, creating market opportunities for polyvinyl alcohol in the sizing sector ； The steady development of the electronics, papermaking, pharmaceutical, and fine chemical industries has further driven up the demand for polyvinyl alcohol. In recent years, many manufacturing enterprises and research institutions have intensified their research on the applications of polyvinyl alcohol, developing a range of products; the number of available variants has increased from just one type to dozens of different specifications. This has expanded the fields of application for polyvinyl alcohol. Moreover, its excellent properties of being non-toxic and harmless meet the requirements for environmentally friendly products in modern society, thus ensuring good prospects for its development. Due to the long production process, complexity, high investment requirements, and the difficulty in mastering the relevant technologies and management skills associated with polyvinyl alcohol production, it is difficult for ordinary enterprises and investors to establish such production facilities. As a result, **few new plants have been built in recent years; most expansions and upgrades take place using existing facilities. This results in a relatively stable supply level, which helps to avoid chaotic competition in the market and creates favorable conditions for stable commodity prices. Against the backdrop of rapid economic growth in our country, the demand for PVA will continue to increase steadily. Furthermore, as international oil prices continue to rise, the production costs of polyvinyl alcohol by foreign companies in the United States, Japan, and other countries have increased sharply, as their production relies entirely on oil. In contrast, China mostly uses the calcium carbide-acetylene method, which is less affected by oil prices; this gives it a cost advantage that enhances the competitiveness of its products in the market. With the development of China’s economy, there has been an increase in domestic demand and exports for high-count, high-density premium textiles. The premium papermaking industry and oil extraction industry are growing at a rapid pace, while the automobile industry is thriving as well. The demand for safety glass used in automobiles and construction is rising swiftly, and these industries offer broad opportunities for the development of new polyvinyl alcohol products. It is estimated that by 2012, China’s demand for polyvinyl alcohol will reach around 650,000 tons, while the production capacity at that time will be around 900,000 tons, resulting in overcapacity and more intense market competition.