my country’s o-xylene production is gradually declining, and phthalic anhydride is the main application field

The chemical formula of o-xylene is C8H10. It is one of the subdivisions of organic compounds and can be used directly as chemical raw materials and solvents. O-xylene mostly appears as a colorless and transparent liquid with an aromatic odor at normal temperatures and pressures. It is insoluble in water and soluble in organic solvents such as ether and ethanol. O-xylene is flammable to a certain extent, and its vapor can form an explosive mixture when mixed with air. It can cause an explosion when exposed to high temperatures and open flames. Moreover, o-xylene is highly toxic and has a certain irritating effect on human skin and mucous membranes. Long-term exposure may have adverse effects on liver and kidney functions.

At present, my country’s o-xylene industry chain has basically matured. The upstream of the industrial chain is mainly the raw material industry, providing toluene, methanol and other raw materials; the midstream is mainly the o-xylene production industry, responsible for the production of o-xylene; the downstream is mainly the application field, and o-xylene is mostly used to produce phthalic anhydride, Phthalic anhydride, dyes, pesticides, drugs, additives and other products are widely used in medicine, coatings, printing and dyeing, industry, fine chemicals, plastics and other fields. Among them, phthalic anhydride has become the largest application field of o-xylene, accounting for 90.1%.

According to the “Oxylene Industry Market Status and Investment Prospects Forecast Report in 2023” released by the Industrial Research Center, in recent years, my country’s industry and manufacturing industry are developing rapidly. As an important chemical raw material, o-xylene has an increasingly wide range of applications due to its advantages such as good stability and strong solubility. As my country’s production technology gradually advances, o-xylene substitute products continue to emerge, and the market demand for o-xylene gradually declines. Due to the impact of the epidemic, the operating rate of my country’s o-xylene enterprises has gradually declined, and output has gradually declined. In 2022, my country’s o-xylene production will drop to 1.105 million tons.

my country’s o-xylene production capacity is relatively large, which can basically cover domestic market demand, and its dependence on foreign countries is relatively low. Coupled with the gradual decline in my country’s o-xylene market demand, import volume has also declined. According to data released by the General Administration of Customs, my country’s o-xylene imports will be 61,000 tons in 2022, a decrease of 117,000 tons compared with 2021 and a year-on-year decrease of 65.7%.

Industry analysts said that at this stage, my country’s largest o-xylene companies mainly include Yangzi Petrochemical, Zhenhai Refining and Chemical, Shanghai Petrochemical, Tenglong Aromatics, Jinling Petrochemical, Fujia Dahua, Tianjin Petrochemical, Qilu Petrochemical, Hainan Refining and Chemical, Jilin Petrochemical, Tianjin Petrochemical, etc. Among them, Yangzi Petrochemical has a large market share and has become a leading company in the industry. my country’s o-xylene market is highly concentrated, and the leading effect of enterprises is obvious. As China’s production capacity structure upgrades, some o-xylene companies with smaller production scales are gradually eliminated, and the market share gradually moves closer to the leading companies. The o-xylene market concentration is expected to further increase in the future.