MOSCOW (MRC) -- China's Hainan Shihua Jiasheng has shut its styrene monomer (SM) plant unexpectedly on January 25, a company source told TPS.
Market sources said it was due to insufficient ethylene feedstock which was caused by port closures amid falling temperatures at Chinese ports this winter.
The plant located in Hainan, is able to produce 80,000 mt/year of SM. It is expected to be shut for 12 days.
As MRC informed previously, China's Jiangsu Leasty Chemical restarted both its styrene monomer (SM) units on January 10, 2016. Both units were previously shut for a turnaround - one on Dec 20 and the other on Nov 25, 2015. They are located in Jiangyin, Jiangsu province, and have a combined capacity of 210,000 mt/year. Its expandable polystyrene (EPS) plant, located at the same site has capacity of 360,000 mt/year.
The foundation of the Hainan Shihua Jiasheng Chemical Company is based on the development of global expanded polystyrene (PS) production capacities. The company was established as a result of a joint venture between the Hainan Shihua Petrochemical Company and the Jiansu Jiasheng Chemical Company. The Hainan Shihua Jiasheng Chemical Company also increased the output of the entire sector of industry, in that it contributes 100,000 tons of expanded polystyrene per year.
MRC