I want to introduce a polyethylene production line; which one should I choose?

Thank you, brother upstairs. Could you please elaborate on the advantages of Mitsui’s manufacturing processes? Also, I would like to ask: based on what I’ve read online, what is Exxon Chemical’s level of expertise in developing supercooled condensation technology?

First, it’s necessary to determine the capabilities of polyethylene, and then decide whether to go with the high-pressure/EVA route or the low-pressure linear/high-density route. For the high-pressure/EVA route, there are further sub-variants such as batch and continuous processes; for the low-pressure linear/high-density route, there are variants like gas-phase, continuous, and batch processes. In short, these are the main options available

There is no such thing as good or bad technology; only choices to make.

Thank you for your advice, Brother Sandusky. Let me put it this way: if you were the decision-maker and had to make the final call, facing numerous technology providers around the world for a production facility with an annual capacity of 300,000 tons (or multiple production lines producing different products, resulting in a total capacity of 300,000–400,000 tons), how would you choose? The most important thing is to focus on addressing the current gaps in both domestic and international markets, to concentrate on high-end product lines, and to avoid repeating the production processes associated with mid- and low-end products as well as overcapacity. The company wasn’t originally in the chemical industry and knew nothing about it at all.:L

Each production process has high-end and low-end product grades. There are many objective reasons why most domestic companies produce low-end products – factors such as the quality and experience of the staff, as well as whether there are sufficient supporting researchers to enable the production/development of high-end products. It is uncertain whether downstream sales channels have the capability to develop a market demand for high-end products, and whether they can seize sales shares from manufacturers that currently use imported high-end products. At the same time, the domestic end market is not well-regulated; the desire to sell high-end products at high prices must contend with the reality that low-end products are widely used in place of high-end ones. In other words, it may not be possible to set high prices for such high-end products, and the return on investment may not be as high as expected. Additionally, the geographical location of the project and the destination for sales must also be taken into consideration. For example, pipes of the PE100 grade are of higher quality than those of the PE80 grade, but such PE100 pipes cannot be sold at a high price in the domestic market. Another example is that metallocene polyethylene is of high quality, yet demand for it in China is not high. So choosing the process is important, but it’s not absolute. The total amount is 300,000–400,000 tons. If polyethylene is to be produced in all of this volume, then two production lines would certainly offer more flexibility, but the investment cost would be much higher. It is also necessary to understand the processes chosen for similar projects that are currently under construction or planned for construction; this serves not only as a reference but also helps to predict future market saturation. It is recommended to invest some money in conducting preliminary market research as well as forecasts for future market trends. This step is something that must be carried out before the initiation of any large-scale chemical project; while it may not provide accurate predictions, it still has great value as a reference. So I can’t really specify the exact process.

Thank you, Brother Sandus. HaiChuan truly shows sincerity in every aspect; your advice is both timely and invaluable. The company used to be involved in coal mining, and shifting to coal chemical industry is an inevitable trend. However, as the saying goes, different industries are like separate worlds – I really know nothing about the chemical industry at all. I will definitely convey your valuable suggestions to the management, and ask them to arrange for preliminary market research as well as forecasts for future market trends. We really didn’t think of that. Thank you again; wish you a happy life and all the best!

There are three types of polyethylene: high-density, low-density, and full-density. High-density and full-density technologies are relatively simple; the market is highly competitive, resulting in low profits. Low-density polyethylene involves complex technology and high entry barriers, especially due to the extremely high operating pressures, but current profits are quite substantial. Our company has designed several sets of high-pressure devices, all of which are operating well. If you need advice, you can add me on WeChat at 1327308643

You’re wrong; purely from a technical perspective, low-density or high-pressure polyethylene technology is the simplest, followed by full-density (linear polyethylene), with high-density polyethylene being the most complex. The production process for low-density, or high-pressure, polyethylene is quite simple, but it requires high-quality equipment; the operating pressure is around two to three thousand kilograms, which results in high investment costs. Moreover, the market for this type of product is relatively small, and long-term operation of the manufacturing facilities poses a problem. Full-density (linear polyethylene) has the largest number of production facilities in China, while high-density polyethylene is seeing the greatest increase in recent years and in the years to come.

It’s so complicated; as a layperson, the more I look at it, the more confused I get