The major maintenance shutdown for the replacement of the polyester-grade ethylene glycol production units at the Yulin Chemical Ethylene Glycol Plant has been successfully completed

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According to a report from Shaanxi Coal Yulin Chemical in April 2026, the production of polyester-grade ethylene glycol at Yulin Chemical’s ethylene glycol plant marked the successful completion of the major maintenance shutdown associated with the replacement of catalysts in that production line. According to Shaanxi Coal Group, Yulin Chemical has abandoned the traditional annual major maintenance approach and adopted an innovative method of carrying out three separate repairs for each production unit, thereby reducing the maintenance cycle for each unit to less than 17.5 days. This approach enables efficient maintenance, stable operation, reduced losses, and maintained production levels. As of March 30, Yulin Chemical’s ethylene glycol production for 2026 had exceeded 480,000 tons, generating revenue of 2.084 billion yuan. By completing the upgrade of 3 sets of high-palladium DMO synthesis catalysts, adopting an innovative alkali washing process, using new types of additives, and finely adjusting process parameters, Yulin Chemical managed to keep the plant’s operating load at a high level. The yield of ethylene glycol remained stable at around 98.5%, and the plant operated safely and stably for 1,269 days, thereby reducing the unit fixed costs. Yulin Chemical has invested 70 million yuan to build an MF-based 5-formyl-5-amine production project, aiming to convert the by-product waste liquid from ethylene glycol into 30,000 tons per year of high-value 5-formyl-5-amine. It is expected to generate annual benefits of nearly 100 million yuan, enabling the resource utilization of waste. Yulin Chemical is also advancing the expansion and renovation of Project 180, aiming to increase production capacity by 450,000 tons per year without adding to energy consumption quotas, thereby unlocking additional benefits and reducing production costs. By 2025, Yulin Chemical will produce 2.015 million tons of polyester-grade ethylene glycol. Shaanxi Coal Yulin Chemical Company’s 1.8 million tons of ethylene glycol is produced using coal as raw material, through Corning CCG gasification, and with ethylene glycol production technology from Japanese companies. It is divided into three series, each of the same scale, at 600,000 tons. In September 2022, the first gasification furnace was fed with material. In October, the entire process was completed in one go, resulting in the production of polyester-grade ethylene glycol. In November, the entire series operated at full capacity. In November 2023, the 1.8 million tons per year ethylene glycol plant passed the performance assessment and trial production acceptance.