Maoming Petrochemical Shihua has brought its ethanolamines plant in Guangdong back online, resuming production in early September 2025 after an extended maintenance shutdown.
According to a source in China, the facility had been offline since the first half of July 2025 for scheduled turnaround work. While the restart has been reported by industry participants, official confirmation from the company has not yet been issued.
The Maoming-based unit, with an annual production capacity of 20,000 metric tons, is a key supplier of ethanolamines to China’s domestic market. Ethanolamines, which include monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), and triethanolamine (TEA), are widely used across a range of industries, including agrochemicals, textiles, personal care, and gas treatment. As such, plant operations in Guangdong are closely tracked by both domestic buyers and regional traders.
Market participants noted that the restart could provide some relief to buyers who had faced tighter availability during the summer maintenance period. However, sentiment in the ethanolamines market has remained subdued, with weak demand from downstream sectors such as construction chemicals and surfactants limiting trading activity. Industry observers added that while the restart will help stabilize supply, its impact on pricing trends may be muted unless there is a sustained recovery in end-user consumption.
Nonetheless, the resumption of operations underscores the plant’s strategic role in ensuring steady domestic supply in South China, particularly as the country continues to balance production schedules with maintenance cycles across its broader petrochemical sector. Traders will be watching closely in the coming weeks to see if the restart sparks renewed momentum in contract and spot negotiations as the industry heads into the final quarter of the year.
