Sinopec Maoming Petrochemical has taken its linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) unit offline in Guangdong, China, after initiating a maintenance turnaround late last week.
According to a Polymerduniya source, “The company is heard to have halted operations at the unit for maintenance around August 25, 2025. Details regarding the duration of the shutdown could not be confirmed. An official statement from the concerned authority was not available.”
The Maoming facility, with an annual production capacity of 220,000 metric tons, is one of the key LLDPE units in southern China and supplies material for applications in packaging films, agricultural films, and consumer products. Market participants noted that while regional inventories remain sufficient for now, the outage could tighten supply in the near term if the turnaround extends beyond expectations.
Traders highlighted that the shutdown comes at a delicate time for the Asian polyethylene market, which is struggling with oversupply and weak downstream demand. Although the impact of one plant’s closure may not significantly alter fundamentals, the development is being closely watched given the fragile balance in LLDPE markets. Some converters indicated that if downtime persists, it could add upward pressure to localized prices, especially as September typically brings seasonal restocking in China ahead of increased demand for agricultural films.
The timing of the outage coincides with broader market adjustments, as Middle Eastern and US-origin LLDPE cargoes continue to flow into Asia, keeping competition high. Sources also pointed out that new Chinese production capacities starting up in 2025 are already weighing on sentiment, which means Sinopec’s temporary supply disruption may only provide limited relief to regional pricing trends.
Nevertheless, industry players agreed that Maoming’s restart schedule will be a key factor to monitor in the weeks ahead, as any prolonged downtime could shift the balance between abundant import availability and domestic supply tightness in southern China.
