Sinochem, Wanhua, Toray, and other companies are intensively expanding into the specialty nylon sector.

Recently, the global specialty nylon industry has witnessed a wave of intensive capacity expansion, capital investment, and technological breakthroughs. Sub-sectors such as high-temperature nylon, long-chain nylon, transparent nylon, bio-based nylon, and semi-aromatic nylon MXD6 have become the focal points of strategic layout.

Domestic and international enterprises, including Sinochem Group, Wanhua Chemical, Toray (Japan), and Hubei Heju High Polymer, are making comprehensive efforts ranging from raw material R&D and capacity technical upgrades to process innovation. These initiatives aim to break overseas monopolies and accelerate the localization and low-carbon transformation of high-end nylon.

Sinochem Group: Foraying into Bio-based Nylon 12 to Tackle Monomer "Bottleneck" Issues

Sinochem Capital, a subsidiary of Sinochem Group, has completed an exclusive Series A investment in Tuwei New Materials (Beijing) Bio-Technology Co., Ltd., officially entering the bio-based nylon 12 sector.

Relying on the founding team from the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tuwei New Materials is the world's first enterprise to achieve the scaled production of bio-based nylon 12 monomers. The fermentation efficiency of its core product, 12-aminododecanoic acid, ranks first globally. It has passed testing by top-tier clients such as Arkema, Kingfa Science & Technology, NHU, and Hisun Biomaterials, and is about to build a production line with a capacity of several thousand tons.

Its bio-based nylon 12 competes with nylon 11 and chemically produced nylon 12. The global existing market size exceeds 10 billion RMB, with downstream applications covering automotive, 3D printing, and medical devices. Currently, the market is primarily occupied by foreign enterprises such as Evonik, Arkema, and Ube, leaving vast room for import substitution. Compared to overseas chemical processes, bio-based nylon 12 possesses dual advantages of being green, low-carbon, and cost-effective, with further potential for cost reduction through strain and process optimization. Meanwhile, the mass production of monomers by this enterprise will fill the domestic gap in nylon 12 raw materials, promoting the self-reliance and controllability of the long-chain nylon industrial chain.

Wanhua Chemical: Increasing Investment in PA12 Technical Upgrade to Expand Long-chain Nylon Capacity

On May 29, Wanhua Chemical's Phase I renovation and expansion technical upgrade project for the nylon 12 facility entered the public disclosure phase prior to environmental impact assessment approval. The project is located in the Yantai Chemical Industrial Park in Shandong, with a total investment of 78.68 million RMB.

The project involves constructing a new lauryllactam (LL) granulation unit with a designed annual production of 18,000 tons of LL solid pellets, which can flexibly switch production with the nylon 12 unit. Upon completion of the renovation, the company's maximum PA12 resin capacity will increase to 20,000 tons/year, of which 1,000 tons/year is dedicated to the PA12 powder sector.

Currently, Wanhua Chemical's overall PA12 annual capacity reaches 40,000 tons, ranking among the top domestically. Addressing the industry status quo where PA12 has long been monopolized by overseas enterprises like Evonik, EMS, and Arkema, Wanhua Chemical is laying out the core intermediate lauryllactam. Leveraging advantages such as diverse application scenarios and strong anti-risk capabilities, it is simultaneously planning new bio-based lauryllactam products, aligning with the "Dual Carbon" policy and the trend toward industrial high-end development.

Toray (Japan): Breakthrough in 100% Bio-based Nylon 66, Creating a New Path for Raw Material Preparation

On May 27, Toray Industries, Inc. of Japan, in collaboration with GC (a subsidiary of PTT Public Company Limited), pioneered an integrated manufacturing technology globally that uses cassava pulp starch residues as raw material to produce muconic acid via fermentation, subsequently yielding 100% bio-based nylon 66.

The two parties initiated joint R&D in 2023 and signed for implementation in 2024. They plan to achieve commercial production of several thousand tons of bio-based muconic acid and adipic acid by 2030 and establish an agricultural waste raw material supply chain in Thailand. Sales of bio-based nylon 66 textiles are scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2028.

As the nylon categories with the highest global consumption, PA6 and PA66 together account for over 90% of the global nylon market and are widely used in high-end apparel, automotive components, and electronics. Although China has achieved the domestic production of PA66 raw material adiponitrile, the field of bio-based PA66 remains blank. This breakthrough by Toray signals that the competition in high-end nylon has escalated into a comprehensive contest involving raw materials, processes, and low-carbon supply chains.

Hubei Heju High Polymer: MXD6 Specialty Nylon, Accelerating Pilot Scale and Import Substitution

On May 20, Hubei Heju High Polymer's "Hengju MXD6 Project" officially commenced pilot testing, focusing on the core product semi-aromatic polyamide MXD6. The first phase plans a capacity of 3,000 tons, to be followed by the advancement of large-scale production line construction.

The global annual total production of MXD6 is only 30,000-40,000 tons, with capacity highly concentrated among foreign enterprises such as Toyobo, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, and Solvay. Domestic enterprises are simultaneously accelerating breakthroughs. In 2024, Sinochem International achieved stable mass production of a hundred-ton scale MXD6 polymerization process, and Seven Color Chemical completed trial production of its 5,000 tons/year MXD6 project in the same year. The domestic industrialization process of MXD6 continues to accelerate.

Overview of Capacity and Products of Key Domestic Long-chain Nylon Enterprises

Industry Overview

Currently, long-chain nylon encompasses categories such as PA11, PA610, PA1010, and PA1212, and is mostly used in scenarios like automotive fuel lines, submarine cables, and 3D printing. Key overseas manufacturers include EMS, Evonik, Arkema, DuPont, and BASF. As domestic enterprises continue to tackle technical challenges and release capacity, specialty nylon is gradually reducing its dependence on foreign raw materials. Bio-based materials, high-end intermediates, and semi-aromatic nylon have become the core competitive tracks for the industry's future.