Sinopec Guangzhou Petrochemical is preparing to take its linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) unit offline later this year as part of scheduled maintenance, according to market sources.
A source in China told Polymerduniya, “The company is expected to halt operations at the unit for maintenance in the fourth quarter of 2025. However, the exact date and duration of the shutdown could not be confirmed, and no official or authorized confirmation was available.”
The Guangzhou-based facility, with an annual capacity of 220,000 metric tons, is a key producer of LLDPE used in applications such as packaging, agricultural films, and consumer goods. Market participants highlighted that while the timing remains uncertain, any extended outage could alter supply balances in South China, particularly if coinciding with seasonal restocking demand toward the end of the year.
The announcement comes at a time when Asia’s polyethylene market is grappling with weak demand and abundant supply, largely due to new capacity additions in China and steady inflows from the Middle East and the US. Traders noted that even though short-term fundamentals are unlikely to shift significantly from a single plant’s downtime, Sinopec’s shutdown plans could provide limited price support if the outage overlaps with increased buying interest ahead of the winter agricultural film season.
Observers added that maintenance schedules in China are increasingly being scrutinized by the market, as the country’s growing production footprint now plays a decisive role in global polyethylene balances. While LLDPE imports into China remain steady, domestic production disruptions often influence sentiment more quickly than import fluctuations.
For now, industry participants are awaiting further clarity on the shutdown dates and expected duration, as these details will be critical in determining whether the Guangzhou outage tightens supply locally or simply blends into the broader oversupplied regional backdrop.
