By Yan Feng

In 2022, China's synthetic rubber capacity grew steadily, with several sets of equipment constructed and put into operation, mainly including 70 000 t/a chlorobutyl rubber equipment of Shandong Chambroad Sinopoly New Materials Co., Ltd., 35 000 t/a nitrile-butadiene rubber equipment of PetroChina Lanzhou Petrochemical Co., Ltd., 40 000 t/a, 50 000 t/a and 100 000 t/a polybutadiene rubber equipment of Qixiang Tengda Chemical Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Transfar Synthetic Materials Co., Ltd., and Shandong Yihua Rubber and Plastic Technology Co., Ltd. respectively. The capacity increase and changes in plant operation and downstream demand have changed China’s synthetic rubber imports and exports in 2022.

Styrene butadiene rubber (SBR)

1. Import

In 2022, China’s SBR imports lowered 14.60% year-on-year to 306 500 tons, mainly from South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Russia, Germany and Indonesia with overall imports down 6.95% over a year before to 243 600 tons. China’s SBR major sources of imports in 2022 are shown in Figure 1. 

Figure 1 China’s SBR major sources of imports in 2022

China’s SBR import in 2022 was based on general trade and processing trade with imported material, with the imports reducing 23.08% from the previous year to 242 600 tons, accounting for 79.15% totally.

2. Export

In 2022, China’s SBR exports were 110 800 tons, up 65.73% from a year ago, with 92 195.60 tons sent to Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea, Thailand, India, and Vietnam, gaining 64.58% year-on-year. And Thailand is the top export destination, with 35 819.45 tons increasing 52.43% year-on-year, followed by Vietnam with 23 828.62 tons, expanding by 79.01% year-on-year, and Indonesia with 8 766.98 tons, up 73.12% year-on-year.

China’s SBR export in 2022 was based on general trade and logistics in special customs supervision areas, with total exports of 103 148.69 tons, increasing 62.87% year-on-year.

Polybutadiene rubber (PBR)

1. Import analysis

In 2022, China’s PBR imports increased 4.20% year-on-year to 195 800 tons, with overall 171 400 tons from South Korea, Taiwan of China, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Thailand, Singapore and Russia, and other regions, increasing 24.29% from one year before. China’s PBR major sources of imports in 2022 are shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 China’s PBR major sources of imports in 2022

China’s PBR import in 2022 was based on general trade and logistics in in special customs supervision areas, with total imports of 131 400 tons, a growth of 17.53% than the last year.

2. Export analysis

In 2022, China’s PBR exports increased 58.02% year-on-year to 143 800 tons, of which 117 600 tons were sent to countries like India, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam, growing 49.05% over one year before.

In 2022, China’s PBR export lived on general trade and logistics in special customs supervision areas, with overall exports of 141 100 tons, expanding by 65.80% than a year before.

Isobutylene isoprene rubber (IIR)

1. Import analysis

In 2022, China’s IIR imports were up 34.31% year-on-year to 292 400 tons, with 277 900 tons imported from USA, Japan, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Russia, jumping by 41.37% from a year earlier. China’s IIR major sources of imports in 2022 are shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3 China’s IIR major sources of imports in 2022

In 2022, China’s IIR import was dealt by general trade and logistics in special customs supervision areas with total imports expanding 47.50% year-on-year to 212 100 tons.

2. Export analysis

In 2022, China’s IIR exports climbed 110.34% year-on-year to 79 300 tons, with 62 800 tons attaining 136.09% year-on-year sent to Indonesia, Pakistan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and Canada.

In 2022, China’s IIR export impetus was from general trade and logistics in special customs supervision areas, with exports up 136.09% year-on-year to 77 900 tons.

Ethylene propylene rubber (EPR)

1. Import analysis

In 2022, China’s EPR imports dropped 17.15% year-on-year to 200 900 tons, with 176 900 tons from the United States, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and Saudi Arabia, shrinking 6.05% than a year before. China’s EPR major sources of imports are shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4 China’s EPR major sources of imports in 2022

In 2022, China’s EPR import was driven by general trade and logistics in special customs supervision areas, with imports dropping by 16.20% to 190 900 tons.

2. Export analysis

In 2022, China’s EPR exports increased 12.64% year-on-year to 44 107.83 tons, with 31 743.64 tons growing 17.77% year-on-year sent to countries and regions like India, Indonesia, UAE, Singapore, Taiwan of China, South Korea, Netherlands and Russia.

In 2022, China’s EPR export impetus was mainly from genera trade and logistics in special customs supervision areas, with the exports increasing 15.32% year-on-year to 40 158.02 tons, accounting for 91.05% totally.

Nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR)

1. Import analysis

In 2022, China’s NBR imports fell 15.39% year-on-year to 75 632.81 tons, with 70 226.60 tons coming from South Korea, Japan, France and Russia, decreasing 11.03% year-on-year. Among them, South Korea, the biggest source of imports, owned the imports of 31 185.34 tons, falling 21.50% year-on-year. Russia was next, with imports decreasing 32.54% year-on-year to 20 591.59 tons.

In 2022, China’s NBR import was mainly motivated by general trade and logistics in special customs supervision areas, with the imports declining 17.79% year-on-year to 62 867.41 tons.

2. Export analysis

In 2022, China’s NBR exports grew 112.83% over the last year to 19 630.82 tons, mainly to India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan of China and Vietnam, with the exports growing 139.77% to 13 570.84 tons.

In 2022, China’s NBR exports were driven by general trade and logistics in special customs supervision areas, with the exports increasing 120.09% year-on-year to 19 495.27 tons.

Styrene-butadiene thermoplastic elastomer (SBS)

1. Import analysis

In 2022, China’s SBS imports dwindled 33.14% from the last year to 25 802.47 tons, with the imports, mainly from Taiwan of China, Russia, the United States, South Korea and Japan, dropping 32.87% year-on-year to 23 806.20 tons.

In the same year, China’s SBS import was based on general trade and logistics in special customs supervision areas, with the imports falling 33.61% year-on-year to 21 922.13 tons.

2. Export analysis

At the same time, China’s SBS exports increased 143.28% over a year before to 74 074.83 tons, mainly to Holland, Turkey, Italy, Vietnam, the United States, India and Mexico, with the exports increasing 214.19% year-on-year to 40 546.81 tons.

In 2022, China’s SBS exports were driven by general trade and logistics in special customs supervision areas, with the exports increasing 153.29% year-on-year to 71 587.27 tons.

Polyisoprene rubber (IR)

1. Import analysis

In 2022, China’s IR imports, primarily from Russia and Japan, jumped 30.47% year-on-year to 48 223.72 tons, with the biggest source of imports—Russia, seeing an increase of 59.55% year-on-year to 38 504.67 tons. Japan came in second with the exports to China totaling 8 632.30 tons, a 27.10% decline on the previous year.

In 2022, general trade and processing trade with imported materials mainly contributed to China’s IR imports of 30 488.94 tons.

2. Export analysis

In 2022, the majority of China’s IR exports, which had a pickup of 239.24% from a year earlier to 15 574.99 tons, went to Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, India and Mexico with total 11 396.95 tons growing 227.24% from a year ago.

In 2022, China’s IR export was driven by general trade and logistics in special customs supervision areas, with the exports increasing 232.49% year-on-year to 15 259.19 tons.

Chloroprene rubber (CR)

1. Import analysis

In 2022, China’s CR imports dipped 19.40% year-on-year to 14 309.24 tons, mainly from Japan and Germany totaling 13 927.28 tons, a 19.94% drop from the previous year.

The general trade and processing trade with imported materials contributed to the majority of China's CR imports in 2022, which fell 21.71% year-on-year to 12 791.68 tons.

2. Export analysis

In 2022, China’s CR total exports rose 47.93% year-on-year to 21 900.16 tons, mainly to India, Indonesia, Poland, Thailand, Russia, Brazil, UAE and South Africa with total exports increasing 96.13% year-on-year to 12 428.86 tons. Additionally, general trade was a driver behind the exports, with overall exports growing 47.55% over one year before to 21 733.31 tons.

Summary

In 2022, there were eight varieties of synthetic rubber in China, whose imports were down by 2.54% from the previous year to 1 159 500 tons, with SBR, BR, IIR and EPR holding the majority. As for the imports, except for the growth of BR, IIR and LIR, other kinds of rubber all declined. The imports, mainly from Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Canada, the United States, Japan, Germany, South Korea and Russia, were mainly based on general trade and logistics in special customs supervision areas.

In 2022, China’s eight kinds of synthetic rubber, whose exports increased 73.26% over the last year to 509 200 tons, all showed growth than a year before as for exports, with SBR, PBR and IIR in the highest flight. And the products were mainly exported to countries and regions like Taiwan of China, Vietnam, Hong Kong of China, India, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia and the United States through general trade and logistics in special customs supervision areas.

In the next 2 years, with many sets of synthetic rubber equipment added, expanded and put into production from Zhejiang Petroleum and Chemical Co., Ltd., Shenhua Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd., ARLANXEO-TSRC (Nantong) Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd., Ningbo Shunze Rubber Co., Ltd., CNPC Jinlin Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Sinopec Maoming Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Yulong Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Sinopec Guangxi Oil Products Co., Ltd., Hainan Baling New Chemical Material Co., Ltd., Fujian Fuhua Luhua New Material Co., Ltd., Ningbo Jinhai Chenguang Chemical Co., Ltd., Shanghai Jinshan Baling New Material Co., Ltd. China’s synthetic rubber capacity will pick up further, especially for SBR, PBR and SBS, so the imports of China’s synthetic rubber will be less correspondingly, while the exports will be on the contrary.