Sinopec Maoming Petrochemical is preparing for a planned maintenance turnaround at its high-density polyethylene (HDPE) units in Guangdong, China, scheduled to begin in early November 2025.
According to a source in China, “The company is expected to halt operations at the units in early November 2025 for maintenance. However, details regarding the duration of the shutdown remain unclear, and no official confirmation has been obtained.”
The HDPE units, which together have a nameplate production capacity of 400,000 metric tons per year, play a significant role in supplying China’s southern markets. The facility’s output serves a wide range of downstream applications, including packaging, pipes, and blow-molded products.
Market participants noted that the timing of the planned outage could be critical. November typically marks the tail end of China’s peak seasonal demand, with agricultural film and packaging sectors still drawing on supply before slowing into the winter. If the shutdown extends for several weeks, it could tighten regional balances just as converters are restocking for year-end consumption.
At the same time, traders pointed out that China’s polyethylene market is still characterized by oversupply due to new domestic capacities and steady inflows from the Middle East and the US. As a result, the impact of Maoming’s maintenance may be limited unless other producers also reduce operating rates or unexpected outages occur. Nevertheless, the outage could offer some temporary support for HDPE sentiment in southern China, especially if downstream demand remains firm.
The market is now watching closely for further details on the length of the turnaround. Any prolonged shutdown at Maoming would be closely felt in the regional supply chain, with ripple effects on pricing trends in the broader Asian HDPE market.
