China increased the imports of nylon 6 chip and modified products (compounds) from Ube Thailand

The growth of nylon 6 chip imports was also obvious from Thailand, who had surpassed Russia and became the second largest source of nylon 6 chip imports, since China increased the imports of nylon 6 chip and modified products (compounds) from Ube Thailand.

Following Malaysia and Thailand, there was also notable growth from Saudi Arabia, though there was no obvious trend as the former two. In the second half of 2018, imports from Saudi Arabia expanded apparently, and the imports in 2019 basically waved around the average monthly imports in H2 2018. Actually, it was mainly Sumitomo’s compounding plant in China that imported nylon 6 chip from Saudi Arabia, and the shifting in the volumes verified a stabilizing supply from Sumitomo Saudi Arabia to the compounding plant in China.

As for the significant decrease in China’s imports from Taiwan, it was mainly due to the fact that there were huge volumes of new high-speed spinning chip productions started in Chinese mainland, while demand was not growing in line. So with much cheaper prices (also considering transportation fee, shipment term, etc.), nylon 6 chip produced in Chinese mainland had replaced that from Taiwan gradually.

Above all, the actual decrease in virgin nylon 6 chip imports in January-August was more than 11.2%, should the substantial increase of compounds was excluded. The decrease in virgin nylon 6 chip imports was estimated to be above 20%. And this trend would continue in the future, as new caprolactam plants start up and the cost of feedstock is compressed further.