Public announcement on the environmental impact assessment for Hubei Sanning Chemical’s 60,000-ton/year project for producing plastic-friendly new material intermediates

Thread Content

Recently, a research team specializing in the global chemical industry learned from relevant sources that Hubei Sanning Chemical Co., Ltd.’s project for producing 60,000 tons per year of plastic-based environmental-friendly new material intermediates has entered the phase of public disclosure regarding the environmental impact assessment; this disclosure period runs from January 29, 2026, to February 11, 2026. The core of this project are the aminocapronitrile plant and the hexamethylenediamine plant produced by the aminocapronitrile method, which are closely related to the nylon industry chain. Let’s take a look at the specific details of the projects listed in this announcement. In the public information, the developer, Sanning Company, states that since 2021 it has aimed to strengthen and expand the industrial chain for polyamide and nylon new materials. It established a polymerization subsidiary to plan the development of industries related to nylon 6 and nylon 66; the name of this project is the “Polyamide and Nylon New Materials Project,” with a total investment of around 14.5 billion yuan. The project as a whole can be divided into the nylon 6 industry chain and the nylon 66 industry chain. The main construction components of the nylon 6 industry chain include a 560,000-ton/year hydrogen peroxide (50%) production facility, a 1 million-ton/year sulfuric acid production facility, a 400,000-ton/year caprolactam production facility, and a 400,000-ton/year nylon 6 polymerization facility ； The construction of the nylon 66 industry chain includes 2×400,000 tons/year cyclohexanol plants, 2×300,000 tons/year cyclohexanone plants, a 240,000 tons/year adipic acid plant, 4×25,000 tons/year adiponitrile plants, 2×50,000 tons/year hexamethylenediamine plants, and 4×50,000 tons/year nylon 66 plants. The project’s environmental impact assessment report was approved by the Yichang Ecology and Environment Bureau in November 2021. In 2023, due to significant changes in the production processes and capacity of some products, the environmental impact assessment was submitted for reevaluation, and the Yichang Environmental Protection Bureau issued a new approval for the project’s environmental impact assessment report. In this project, the production process for nylon 66 utilizes the conventional polycondensation method using adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine. The designed production capacity for nylon 66 is 200,000 tons per year (4×50,000 tons per year). At present, the facilities for the nylon 6 production chain in this project are under construction, while those for the nylon 66 production chain have their construction suspended. Currently, the industry employs various production methods for hexamethylenediamine (cyanide), which is one of the raw materials used in the production of nylon 66. Common methods include electrolytic dimerization of acrylonitrile, ammonolysis and dehydration of adipic acid, hydrocyanation of butadiene, and ammonolysis and hydrogenation of caprolactam. In April 2025, Sanning Company conducted experiments on a process route for producing hexamethylenediamine using caprolactam as raw material, and built an industrial-scale testing facility with a production capacity of 2,000 tons per year. After several months of research and experimentation, relevant process parameters were determined, resulting in the preparation of an \"Industrial Test Report\". Based on previous research and tests, Sanning Company plans to invest 700 million yuan in building a project to produce 60,000 tons per year of plasticizable environmental-friendly new material intermediates. The project will be constructed on the vacant land of the existing 600,000 tons/year ethylene glycol production facility owned by Shinning Company’s Shibao Mountain New Materials Branch. The project covers an area of approximately 16,235.3 square meters. The main construction components of the project include: building 2 sets of 30,000 tons per year aminohexanenitrile synthesis units, and 1 set of 60,000 tons per year aminohexanenitrile distillation unit ； 1 set of 60,000 tons/year hexamethylenediamine synthesis unit and 1 set of 60,000 tons/year hexamethylenediamine distillation unit; the associated tank areas and other auxiliary facilities as well as environmental protection systems rely mainly on existing infrastructure.