China’s titanium powder production capacity

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According to statistics from the China Titanium Industry Association, in 2003, five companies – Zunyi Titanium Factory, Beijing Non-ferrous Metals Research Institute, Northwest Non-ferrous Metals Research Institute, Fengxiang Titanium Powder Factory, and Hebei Wuyi Kaimete Company – produced 36.8 t, 9 t, 6 t, 686 t, and 180 t of titanium powder respectively, for a total of 917.8 t of titanium powder produced across these companies； In 2004, four enterprises—including the Beijing Non-ferrous Metals Research Institute, the Northwest Non-ferrous Metals Research Institute, the Fengxiang Titanium Powder Factory, and Hebei Wuyi Kaimete Company—produced 15 t, 2.8 t, 690 t, and 90 t of titanium powder respectively, for a total of 797.8 t. This was 120 t less than the production volume in 2003 ； In 2005, China produced a total of 1,165 tons of titanium powder, an increase of 46.0% compared to 2004. Among them, Shaanxi Fengxiang Titanium Powder Factory produced 700 t, Hebei Wuyi Kaimete Company produced 240 t, Qishan Maiti Titanium Industry produced 200 t, Beijing General Research Institute of Non-ferrous Metals produced 15 t, and Northwest Research Institute of Non-ferrous Metals produced 10 t. In addition, the Zunyi Titanium Plant also has a production capacity of 200 t. In 2006, titanium powder production in China increased significantly, with a particular rise in the volume of titanium powder exported. By the end of November, 1,259.8 tons of titanium powder had been exported, representing a 136% increase compared to 2005, and China achieved a net export of titanium powder. As can be seen from Table 5, China’s import volume of titanium powder has remained around 1,100 tons for several years in a row. In 2006, imports decreased by 13.7% compared to 2005, with the overall volume remaining relatively stable, indicating significant improvements in China’s titanium powder production technology and capacity. The production and import/export situation of titanium powder in our country from 2003 to 2006 is shown in the table below. 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 (as of November): Production volume – 917.87, 97.81, 1165.20. Imports: 1095.91, 313.21, 132.6. Exports: 6135, 339.12, 59.8. Net imports: 482.97, 79, –127.2. The manufacturers of titanium powder in China and their production capacities are listed in the table below:

| Manufacturer | Product types | Production capacity |
|--------------|---------------|---------------------|
| Zunyi Titanium Factory | Hydrogenation, dehydrogenation | 200 t/a |
| Shaanxi Zhenbang | Atomized powder, hydrogenation/dehydrogenation powder | 300 t/a |
| Hebei Wuyi Kaimet | Atomized powder, hydrogenation/dehydrogenation powder | 300 t/a |
| Shaanxi Fengxiang Titanium Powder Factory | Hydrogenation, dehydrogenation | 1000 t/a |
| Qishan Maitai Titanium Industry | Hydrogenation, dehydrogenation | 200 t/a |
| Baoji Huaqin Titanium Powder Factory | Hydrogenation, dehydrogenation | 100 t/a |
| Baoji Quanxing Titanium Powder Factory | Hydrogenation, dehydrogenation | 100 t/a |
| Liuyang Dingshan Titanium Powder Factory | Hydrogenation, dehydrogenation | 100 t/a |
| Hebei Hengfa Titanium Powder Factory | Hydrogenation, dehydrogenation | 600 t/a |
| Beijing Nonferrous Metals Research Institute | Hydrogenation, dehydrogenation | 20 t/a |

Total production: 2920 t/a. In recent years, the development of products made from titanium and its alloy powders has been rapid, and demand worldwide is increasing. The market prospects are very promising; countries such as the United States and Japan also import low-cost hydrogenated titanium powder from China. In 2006, the import volume from China was 1132.6 t (as of November). Including titanium powder of lower grades, China’s current production capacity for titanium powder is over 3,000 tons. This production capacity is roughly in line with market demand; however, titanium powder intended for powder metallurgy, especially high-quality titanium powder for titanium alloys and injection molding, still needs to be imported.