Global PTA production capacity is expected to grow by an average of more than 5% annually between 2023 and 2028, led by large-scale investments in China, according to analytics company GlobalData (London; www.globaldata.com).

China is set to add about 22.4 mn t/y of new capacity with the start-up of ten new projects over the period, accounting for 57% of capacity additions worldwide. Global PTA capacity in 2023 was estimated at 121.23 mn t.

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Nivedita Roy, oil and gas analyst at GlobalData, said, “The PTA industry in China is experiencing rapid growth due to its use in the production of polyester fibre, films, and resins, which in turn finds applications in industries such as packaging and textiles.”

In China, three projects, each with a 3 mn t/y capacity, will contribute about 40% of the country’s capacity additions by 2028, GlobalData says in its new report, entitled Purified terephthalic acid (PTA) industry capacity and capital expenditure forecasts with details of all active and planned plants to 2028.

Sinopec Yizheng Chemical Fibre Yizheng’s PTA plant 3, operated by Sinopec Yizheng Chemical Fibre, is expected to come online in Jiangsu province in 2024. 

Guangxi Tongkun Petrochemical Qinzhou’s PTA plant, owned and operated by Guangxi Tongkun Petrochemical, is set to begin production in 2025 in Guangxi province.

Located in Fujian province, Fujian Fuhaichuang Petrochemical Zhangzhou’s PTA plant, owned and operated by Fujian Fuhaichuang Petrochemical, is also expected to commence operations in 2025. 

Other major projects include Hainan Yisheng Petrochemical Yangpu’s PTA plant in China, which according to Plasteurope.com’s Polyglobe database (www.polyglobe.net) has a projected capacity of 2 mn t/y, and India-based Reliance Industries’ domestic PTA plant 3 in Gujarat, the planned capacity of which Polyglobe puts at 3 mn t/y.

In 2023, Hengli Petrochemical was the world’s largest PTA producer, with nameplate capacity amounting to 16.6 mn t/y, according to Polyglobe, followed by Zhejiang Rongsheng Holding Group, Zhejiang Hengyi Group, Ineos, and Xianglu Petrochemicals.

Globally, combined planned capacities for PTA amount to over 39 mn t/y, scheduled to come online between 2024 and 2029, according to Polyglobe.