Sinopec commissions 50,000-tpa speciality PVA plant

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) said its subsidiary, Chongqing SVW Chemical Co. Ltd., has commissioned a speciality polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) resin facility with an annual capacity of 50,000-tonnes. 

The facility achieved stable operation during its initial startup and produced products meeting quality specifications, with the first shipment already sent to Europe, the company informed.

The new facility takes the site’s total PVA production capacity to 210,000-tonnes per year, making it the world’s largest single-site production base for high-end PVA, though it ranks fourth globally in total capacity. The new facility uses advanced alcoholysis and precision purification technologies to support large-scale production of speciality PVA products.

The additional capacity is expected to strengthen the supply of speciality materials used in photovoltaics, electronics, optical films, pharmaceuticals, and other high-value applications.

PVA is a water-soluble, biodegradable polymer used across a broad range of industrial and consumer applications. Speciality grades with high purity and transparency are used in optical films, polarisers, pharmaceutical products, and safety glass for automobiles and high-speed trains, besides applications in facial masks, eye drop moisturisers, and water-soluble laundry pod films. The polymer is also used in textiles, construction materials, and water-soluble packaging.